The waterfront is a symbol of the city. Here you can stop to capture the charm of the pastel-colored facades that bring back atmospheres of distant Liguria. The promenade faces the sea: on one side, to the east, the harbor, the marina, a màina; on the other, to the west, the caruggi, the narrow streets that enliven the ancient neighborhoods. Let’s walk through it all. Rendezvous at the Rivano Palace, now home to the Hieracon Hotel; the palace, full of atmosphere and charm, looms as a charming Art Nouveau building built in 1897 as the residence of a well-known family, the Rivano family, active in the trade of mining materials and lumber. When the port of Carloforte became Sardinia’s second largest port after Cagliari, the building was used as the consulate of Denmark and Belgium. We continue to the Jacomy Palace. The palace was built, between the 1860s and 1880s, as the residence of Remigio Jacomy. He was the founder of the mining village of Buggerru. Here was the headquarters of the Malfidano company, owner of the mining concessions for the ore present in the Buggerru mining region. The same company owned the warehouses and private landing at Taccarossa. The Malfidano company was one of the most important for the Carolinian economy; most of the galanzieri (ore carriers to and from Carloforte) worked for it.
As we proceed to the square, we are struck by the yellow stone of the Palazzo Napoleone, now the ground-floor headquarters of the Intesa SanPaolo bank, but from 1910 to 1935 the headquarters of the Napoleon Brothers Bank &Commerce. We advance towards the monument of Charles Emanuel III, familiarly called the statue, to head towards another very old palace: the Palazzo Vecchio . The palace is one of the oldest stately buildings in the historic center of Carloforte; it dates back to 1773, which is why it is called the Old Palace. It was built by a merchant named Giorgio Rombo. The centrally located entrance on the sea side, characterized by a doorway placed under a balcony leading to a full-height atrium, with the staircase running along the walls and leading to the upper floors, is distinctive. The building currently houses businesses on the ground floor, while the upper floors are used for private residences.
Our walk ends with the imposing Cavallera building , a national monument begun in 1920 to house the first boatmen’s unions. The itinerary allows us to enjoy the beauty and ability of the buildings overlooking the waterfront to tell curiosities and anecdotes of a city that encapsulates Ligurian identity and origins from all over the Mediterranean. Slow steps and curious glances are guided by the sounds and words of the Tabarchina language that echo among young and old.
Don’t miss the Tabarkan street food to taste the delicious fugassa, focaccia, and warm fainò (chickpea porridge).
