A jewel set into the blue of the sea, full of fascinating legends.Piana island is part of the Sulcis archipelago and falls under the territory of Carloforte. Over the centuries it has welcomed communities of monks, it was a penal colony, the historical centre of tuna fishing and a noble holding. Today it hosts a prestigious tourism residence with 200 homes: access is reserved for the owners and their guests.

To reach the island, which has a marina for pleasure boats, you will need to cross a short strip of sea from Calasetta, Carloforte or Portoscuso. You can swim, but not enter. On the island there are no cars, motorcycles or bicycles: it is a nature reserve, and any kind of noise or environmental pollution could disturb the Eleonora's falcon, royal gull and plovers that nest here. However, the island is small and easy to cross on foot, in contact with the untouched nature and clear sea, where you can sail or fish. It is an ecological oasis: completely self-sufficient in terms of water and electricity, with energy saving technology, and no waste water discharging into the sea: the water is purified and recycled for watering the gardens and vegetable gardens bordered by palms and Mediterranean brush.

The history of Piana is tied to that of tuna fishing. In the late 17th century, the King of Sardinia granted the licence for tuna fishing and processing to Don Francesco Pes, who was raised to marquis in 1774. The island was made a holding and assigned to the Villamarina family: the marquis and his family lived alongside the tuna fishers, who inhabited a village near the fishing vessel during the work. In 1898, Marquis Salvatore Pes began activities again with advanced equipment, and rebuilt the homes. In 1964, activities ceased and the village lay abandoned until 1975. The luxury resort was created with 160 homes for the island's owners and other homes within the residence. The rite of the tuna slaughter, however continues. Every year in May and June the tuna fishing vessel is launched: the catch is processed in the island of San Pietro. There is one particular tradition on the island: diving off the pier to say goodbye to a friend. Not so much a goodbye as an arriverderci - until we meet again. While you're waiting to go back, don't miss the chance to see all the other attractions of the Sulcis archipelago, especially the coastal beauties of the two largest islands: Sant’Antioco and San Pietro.