Carloforte is a town and municipality on the island of San Pietro Island, located in the Sardinia region of Italy. It is the only town on the island and is known for its unique cultural and linguistic heritage.
The town was founded in 1738 by colonists from Pegli, a village near Genoa. These settlers, known as the Tabarkini, were originally from the island of Tabarka off the coast of Tunisia. They were coral fishers and had to relocate due to conflicts between European powers and the local Ottoman Empire. The House of Savoy, which ruled over the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, offered them the opportunity to settle in San Pietro Island.
Carloforte retains a distinct culture influenced by its Ligurian origins. The local dialect, Tabarkino, is a variant of Ligurian and is still spoken by some of the inhabitants. The town's architecture, cuisine, and traditions reflect this unique blend:
The economy of Carloforte was historically based on fishing, particularly for tuna and coral. Today: