It is divided into three inlets, all with different shapes, washed by an enchanting sea and a watchtower up above. The beach of Turri is located in the southeastern corner of Sant’Antioco, the largest island of the Sulcis archipelago, 15 kilometres from the town of the same name: its landscape makes it a destination not to be missed during a tour of the beaches of Sant’Antioco.
On the slopes of Capo su Moru – meaning ‘the Moor’, symbolising the fact that it was a landing place for the Saracen pirates -, you will find the first of the three coves on the eastern side. It is a few dozen metres long, crescent-shaped and protected by two high cliffs. Its golden sand is mixed with small pebbles. On the opposite side, there is a strip of light-coloured sand, mixed with dark pebbles smoothed by the sea. Further west, you will find the third, and the widest, stretch of coastline with larger pebbles and a transparent sea that, along with its turquoise and cobalt blue colour, also has hints of emerald green from the reflection of the sun’s rays on the dense Mediterranean scrub that spreads here to the point of almost overhanging the sea. Turri is a destination loved by snorkelling enthusiasts, thanks to the transparent waters of the seafloor and the wealth of fish fauna, and by surfers, especially when the south-westerly “libeccio” and the westerly “ponente” winds blow.
A short path will lead you to the top of su Moru, where the tower of Cannai stands. The fortress was built in 1757, immediately after the Torre di Calasetta, to remedy the fact that during the Spanish domination the two islands of Sant'Antioco and San Pietro had not been equipped with sighting facilities. The truncated cone tower has a circular room inside it with a flight of stone steps leading to the parade ground, where artillery and a sentry box were located. From here, it was possible to monitor the gulf of Palmas and spot any dangers for tuna traps and salt pans. The alarm was signalled from this tower during the attempted French invasion of 1793 and, later on, for the Tunisian attacks in the early 19th century, before falling into disuse in 1867. From the promontory, you can observe the island’s cliffs and the outline of the islets of Vitello and Vacca, as well as the flight of cormorants and peregrine falcons.
To reach Turri, you will pass the beaches of Maladroxia and Coaquaddus, the two ‘jewels’ of the eastern side of Sant'Antioco. The first, where the Blue Flag flies, has fine, white sand with a few pebbles and waters reflecting shades of green and turquoise. At Coaquaddus, the sand is framed by spectacular limestone cliffs as it plunges into the blue sea.
