NATO base and dreamy beaches
Tavolara is a rocky island in the Tyrrhenian Sea a few kilometers off the coast of Sardinia. You can catch ferries to Tavolara from various ports along the Costa Smeralda: Golfo Arancia, Olbia, and Porto San Paolo. The island has housed a NATO military base since 1962 and the majority of the island is off limits to tourists. The main place to visit is a rocky promontory about 1km. long toward the south of the island where there are some homes, a cemetery, restaurants, and some truly amazing beaches perfect for diving.