The Cala Fico inlet sits on the north-western coast of the Isola del San Pietro, in the municipality of Carloforte.
It is a deep river inlet very similar to a Scandinavian fjord, immersed in volcanic sandstone rock. At the tip, we find a small beach with large, shiny pebbles. The sea water is clear and transparent, with colours ranging from green to light blue. The seabed is mainly rocky and home to numerous species of fish.
The beach is surrounded by typical Mediterranean shrub bushes with reefs and rocky ravines.
As well as its naturalistic features, Cala Fico is part of the LIPU avifauna Oasis which extends from Cala Vinagra to Capo Sandalo and was established in 1991. Indeed, this area was a sanctuary for Eleonora’s Falcon, so called in honour of the Judge Eleanor of Arborea (1347-1403).
This rare bird of prey, originally from Madagascar, nested on the cliffs, in the middle of the Mediterranean shrub bushes.
Tradition has it that it was precisely the Judge who declared the falcons a protected species in Sardinia. This is why the name Eleonora’s Falcon was given to the bird in her honour, and whose scientific name is Falco eleonorae (Falco eleonorae Gené, 1839).
As well as this extremely rare species, the reefs in the area are also home to kestrels, buzzards and Peregrine falcons. Amidst the surface rocks, you can also spot the Audouin’s gull, with its unusual coral red beak, and the European shag from its tuft.
The LIPU controls and promotes routes and itineraries for observing the falcons and other species of birds which nest in this part of the island.
As is the case with the entire island, Cala Fico is part of the Sites of Community Importance (SCI) “Isola di San Pietro” (ITB040027).
