The Mezzaluna Gulf overlooks the Island of San Pietro to the south west, in the municipality of Carloforte.
This gulf has imposing cliffs plummeting into the sea, standing more than 20 m a.s.l. This is an unusual and characteristic place which brings to mind the landscape of other geographical areas such as the more famous Irish cliffs.
The eastern side of the gulf is known as the Bue Marino cliffs, with dark volcanic rocks which have been extensively cracked by the force of the waves. At the foot of this cliff face we can see a number of caves at sea level as well as rock columns. These caves go by the name of Bue Marino caves or Mezzaluna caves and can only be accessed from the sea.
In the past, the western side of the gulf hosted a military outpost dug into a trench in the rock with a sheer drop below into the sea. Nowadays, the structures are abandoned and dangerous, like the old Mezzaluna fort (48 m a.s.l.) and the former anti-aircraft shelters.
In the distance, turning your gaze south eastwards, you can admire the natural monument of the Columns.
The gulf with the characteristic Bue Marino cliff is classified as a geological site and, as with the entire island, is part of the Sites of Community Importance (SCI) “Isola di San Pietro” (ITB040027).
