Travel Guide Asinara National Park

Formerly a penitentiary center turned into a national park, the beautiful island has been preserved by more than a century of isolation. It is one of the wildest places in Sardinia. Its most famous inhabitants are the albino donkeys with light blue eyes, to which the island owes its name. On an area of 52 km², the flora and fauna have been maintained so perfectly intact that the island became a national park in 1997. The flow of tourists is regulated. Disembarkation on the island is only possible for guided tours of a few hours on foot, horseback, bicycle or electric cart (on the cemented road section only). In 2002, the government extended protection to the waters around the island by creating a 110 km² marine area. The island is becoming a paradise to explore both on land and underwater. The first inhabitants of the island were the Camaldolese monks who settled in the Middle Ages. From the 17th century, Asinara was inhabited by farmers, shepherds and fishermen. They were evicted in 1885 to build a penitentiary. Today it houses a didactic center for information on environmental protection.