Isola dei Cavoli

Located in southern Sardinia, opposite Capo Carbonara and less than one kilometer away from it, Isola dei Cavoli is a small granite island perfect for a day trip from the lovely Villasimius. Though the Italian name translates into English as “cabbage island” and is a reference to the presence of wild cabbage plants on the island, its Sardinian name is “cavuru” – crab and is a reference to the shape.

Nobody lives on this 43 hectares large island, which is part of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Carbonara. You can visit it on boat trips departing from either Villasimius or Costa Rei, and you can dock in certain points to be able to see Pinuccio Sciola’s statue of the Virgin of the Sea (which was placed underwater in the late 1970s), the lighthouse (which incorporated a 1591 Spanish Tower) and the thriving marine life – this is one of the best diving spots in Sardinia.