The bay of Porto Conte (Sardinian:''Portu Conte'', Catalan:''Port del Comte'') is a natural inlet on the Riviera del Corallo, a locality on the northwest coast of Sardinia, in the sea of the same name, protected following the establishment of the Porto Conte Regional Nature Park. It is enclosed between the karst promontories of Capo Caccia and Punta Giglio and faces the Alghero roadstead; it is about 20 km from Alghero itself. It measures from the mouth to the bottom 6 km, with a width of about 2.5 km. The coastal part consists of small inlets, cliffs, and the long sandy beach of Mugoni pine forest.

History

Known in Roman times as Nimpharum Portus, or port of the nymphs, it is one of the largest natural harbors in the Mediterranean, sheltered from northwest winds. For this reason it has always been of great strategic importance in past centuries. The earliest evidence of human presence in the area dates back to the Neolithic period, with finds dated to the sixth millennium B.C. at the Green Cave. There are also numerous evidences from the

Nuragic period The Nuragic civilization, also known as the Nuragic culture, was a civilization or culture on Sardinia (Italy), the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, which lasted from the 18th century BC (Middle Bronze Age) (or from th ...

at the localities of Palmavera and Sant'Imbenia. In the latter locality the remains of a Roman villa have been found. On August 27, 1353,

Peter IV of Aragon Peter IV, ; an, Pero, ; es, Pedro, . In Catalan, he may also be nicknamed ''el del punyalet'': "he of the little dagger". (Catalan: ''Pere IV''; 5 September 1319 – 6 January 1387), called the Ceremonious (Catalan: ''el Cerimoniós''), w ...

and the Venetian Niccolò Pisani routed the

Genoese Genoese may refer to: * a person from Genoa * Genoese dialect, a dialect of the Ligurian language * Republic of Genoa (–1805), a former state in Liguria See also * Genovese, a surname * Genovesi, a surname * * * * * Genova (disambiguati ...

armies in the Battle of Porto Conte; a thousand Genoese died, while there were 3,500 prisoners and more than 2,000 wounded. The town was later repopulated by the Catalans. Since 1999 the place has been under naturalistic protection in the land area with the Porto Conte regional park and since 1983 in the marine part with the Capo Caccia - Isola Piana natural marine protected area. It has a relevant importance in terms of nature and tourism, so much so that many tourist, sporting and scientific activities are practiced there, such as: scuba diving, caving, trekking, climbing, botany, bird watching, archaeology, research, enology, nature photography. There are also some specimens of white donkey imported from Asinara housed in the regional park to help preserve the breed.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupéry, simply known as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (, , ; 29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944), was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of s ...

, author of '' The Little Prince'', spent the last two months of his life in Porto Conte in a villa located upstream from the Torre Nuova, from May to July 1944, before the tragic epilogue with the crash of his plane.

Territory

The morphology of the territory is quite varied. The coastal area between Capo Caccia and Punta Giglio is characterized by large stretches of cliffs alternating with less steep portions. The immediate hinterland, on the other hand, is characterized by low hills alternating with plains. For naturalistic reasons, the Calich pond has been included, despite its considerable distance from the Porto Conte area, which is connected to the sea by an artificial canal built in the late 1930s during the reclamation works carried out in the region. It represents an important ecosystem for the variety of animal and plant life it hosts. Geologically, the area is characterized by limestone rocks from which, due to the effect of water, numerous

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

caves have originated. Among the highest elevations in the park are Punta Cristallo, with its 326 meters above sea level, and Mount Doglia, which reaches 442 meters.

Climate

In the Porto Conte area, as in almost the entire territory of Sardinia, the climate, according to Köppen's climate classification, is Mediterranean. It is characterized by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual temperature is between 16 and 17 °C while precipitation is around 600 millimeters per year. The dominant winds are the mistral and the libeccio.

Flora

Centaurea_horrida_con_Astragalus_terracianoi

The plant formations present in the protected area consist of holly, Mediterranean scrub, garrigue and conifer reforestations. The latter owe their existence to the Porto Conte - Prigionette forest site, managed by the Forestas agency, enclosed between the north coast of the gulf and the sheer cliffs of Torre Pegna, Punta Cristallo and Punta Gessiere. The most substantial areas of holm oak forest are found near punta Giglio. Species found in the garrigue include marine cistus ('' Cistus monspeliensis''), rosemary ('' Rosmarinus officinalis''), betonya fetida (''

Stachys glutinosa ''Stachys'' is a genus of plants, one of the largest in the mint family Lamiaceae.Harley, R. M., et al. 2004. "Labiatae". pages 167–275. In: Kubitzki, K. (editor) and J. W. Kadereit (volume editor). ''The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants ...

''), Corsican broom (''

Genista Corsica ''Genista corsica'' is a plant endemic to Corsica and Sardinia where it is associated with sunny open landscapes and poor stony soil. It is a common constituent of garrigue and maquis communities. Description ''Genista corsica'' is an erect or s ...

''), thyme ('' Thymus'' spp.) timelea ('' Thymelaea tartonraira'') and helichrysum ('' Helicrisum microphyllum''), but thorny cornflower (''

Centaurea horrida ''Centaurea horrida'' is a species of the genus ''Centaurea'' which is only found growing in Sardinia and associated islands. Due to their limited ability to disperse, they are isolated from other environments, and have a very low colonizing abil ...

''), dragon lobster ('' Astragalus tragacantha''), Balearic euphorbia ('' Euphorbia pithyusa'') and nymphaeus statice ('' Limonium nymphaeus'') are also found there. Along the coast vegetate the small shrubs of Terracciano's astragalus ('' Astragalus terraccianoi''), Sardinian broom (''

Genista sardoa Genista is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, native to open habitats such as moorland and pasture in Europe and western Asia. They include species commonly called broom, though the term may also refer to other genera, ...

'') and thorny witchgrass (''

''), associated with herbaceous species such as sea lily (''

Pancratium illyricum ''Pancratium illyricum'' is a species of bulbous plant native to Corsica, Sardinia and the Capraia Islands of Tuscany. ''Pancratium illyricum'' grows on rocky slopes and sparse woodland areas, from sea level to more than 1300 m above sea l ...

''), silene nodulosa ('' Silene nodulosa''), Corsican geranium ('' Erodium corsicum''), Bocconi fennel ('' Seseli bocconi''), Schmid's curd ('' Valium schmidii''), spatulate daisy (''

Bellium bellidioides ''Bellium bellidioides'' is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia in the Mediterranean and has been introduced to the England and Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that ...

''), pauciflorous garlic (''

Allium parciflorum ''Allium parciflorum'' is a plant species known only from the islands of Corsica and Sardinia in the Mediterranean. It is common at all elevations on those two islands but unknown elsewhere. ''Allium parciflorum'' has egg-shaped bulbs. Scape ...

''), Requien's saffron (''

Romulea requienii ''Romulea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1772. It is distributed in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa.Crocus minimus ''Crocus minimus'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Crocus'' of the family Iridaceae, found in South Corsica, Sardinia and Capraia. Flowering occurs from January to April, and the species is found inhabiting scrub areas with low, ...

''), gigarum (''

Arum pictum ''Arum pictum'' is a plant of the arum family ( Araceae), notable for being the only autumn-flowering plant of its genus. The plant is native to the western Mediterranean in the Balearic Islands, Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; i ...

''), asphodel (''

Asphodelus microcarpus ''Asphodelus ramosus'', the branched asphodel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the order Asparagales. Similar in appearance to ''Asphodelus albus'' and particularly '' Asphodelus cerasiferus'' and ''Asphodelus aestivus'', it may be distinguis ...

''), and nettle verdescura ('' Urtica atrovirens''). Capo_Caccia_Nature

The woodlands, on the other hand, consist mainly of holm oak (''

Quercus ilex ''Quercus ilex'', the evergreen oak, holly oak or holm oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the ''Ilex'' section of the genus, with acorns that mature in a single summer. Description An evergreen tr ...

''), which is also alternated with strawberry tree ('' Arbutus unedo''), which, in scrub formations is often found associated with tree heath ('' Erica arborea''). The undergrowth is characterized by species such as butcher's broom ('' Ruscus aculeatus''), stinging asparagus ('' Asparagus acutifolius''), spring cyclamen (''

Cyclamen repandum ''Cyclamen repandum'', the spring sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to southern Europe and some Mediterranean islands. It is the most widespread of a group of cyclamens (genus ''Cyclamen'' subgenus '' Psi ...

'') and white asparagus (''

Asparagus albus ''Asparagus albus'' is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the western and central Mediterranean. It is found in the coastal maquis shrubland biome, and in Ruderal species, ruderal situations. Taxonomy ' ...

''). The scrub is also populated by characteristic species such as Phoenician juniper ('' Juniperus phoenicea''), lentisk (''

Pistacia lentiscus ''Pistacia lentiscus'' (also lentisk or mastic) is a dioecious evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus ''Pistacia'' native to the Mediterranean Basin. It grows up to tall and is cultivated for its aromatic resin, mainly on the Greek islan ...

''), phillyrea (''

Phillyrea angustifolia ''Phillyrea angustifolia'', the narrow-leaved mock privet,RHS Plants. Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/24488/i-Phillyrea-angustifolia-i/Details ccessed 22/02/21/ref> is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, nativ ...

''), and wild olive ('' Olea europaea sylvestris''), arborescent spurge ('' Euphorbia dendroides''), bushy spurge ('' Euphorbia characias''), dwarf palm ('' Chamaerops humilis''), woody trefoil (''

Dorycnium pentaphyllum ''Lotus'', a latinization of Greek '' lōtos'' (), is a genus of flowering plants that includes most bird's-foot trefoils (also known as bacon-and-eggs) and deervetches and contains many dozens of species distributed worldwide. Depending on th ...

''), red cistus ('' Cistus incanus'') and female cistus (''

Cistus salvifolius ''Cistus salviifolius'', common names sage-leaved rock-rose, salvia cistus or Gallipoli rose, is a shrub of the family Cistaceae. Etymology The genus name ''Cistus'' derives from the Ancient Greek words ''κίσθος'' (''kisthos'') meaning bas ...

''). Sea fennel ('' Crithmum maritimum''), chamforosma (''

Camphorosma monspeliaca ''Camphorosma'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Amaranthaceae, found in northern Africa, southern and eastern Europe, Crimea, Russia, Anatolia, the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, the Altai, western Siberia, Xinj ...

''), senecio (''

Senecio leucanthemifolius ''Senecio leucanthemifolius'' is a plant common in sea-side in Mediterranean area. Common names * en, Coastal Ragwort * it, Senecione costiero, Senecione pigmeo *french: Séneçon à feuilles de Marguerite Taxonomy ''Senecio leucanthemifolius'' ...

'') mesembryanthemum (''

Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum ''Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum'' is a species of succulent plant in the genus '' Mesembryanthemum'' known by the common name slenderleaf iceplant. It is the type species for the genus. It is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin, M ...

''), sea cabbage (''

Brassica insularis ''Brassica'' () is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called ''cole cro ...

''), crag mallow ('' Lavatera marittima'') grow among the cliffs of Cape Caccia and Punta Giglio, Aleppo rue ('' Ruta chalepensis''), wild leek ('' Allium ampeloprasum'') and wild wallflower (''

Matthiola tricuspidata ''Matthiola tricuspidata'', the three-horned stock, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants comm ...

''), while southern polypodium ('' Polypodium australe''), cedargrass (''

Ceterach officinarum ''Asplenium ceterach'' (syn. ''Ceterach officinarum'') is a fern species commonly known as rustyback. Description It is characterised by a short rhizome which gives rise to several green fronds that have a pinnated lamina with trichomes on t ...

'') and yellow narcissus ('' Narcissus bertolonii'') vegetate in shaded areas.

Fauna

Mammals that inhabit the Mediterranean scrub and garrigue areas are the wild rabbit ('' Oryctolagus cuniculus'') and the Sardinian hare ('' Lepus capensis mediterraneus''). In the 1970s, fallow deer ('' Dama dama''), Giara ponies ('' Equus caballus giarae'') and white donkeys ( ''Equus asinus'' var. ''albina'') from Asinara were reintroduced in the area of the forestry yard managed by the Forestry Authority. Other common mammals include the Sardinian wild boar ('' Sus scrofa meridionalis''), weasel ('' Mustela nivalis'') and fox ('' Vulpes vulpes''). Among birds, the most common species are the Sardinian partridge ('' Alectoris barbara''), Sardinian warbler (''

Sylvia melanocephala The Sardinian warbler (''Curruca melanocephala'') is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most ''Curruca'' species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underpart ...

''), magnanine ('' Sylvia undata''), black bunting ('' Emberiza cirlus'') and wren (''

Troglodytes troglodytes The Eurasian wren (''Troglodytes troglodytes'') or northern wren is a very small insectivorous bird, and the only member of the wren family Troglodytidae found in Eurasia and Africa (Maghreb). In Anglophone Europe, it is commonly known simply a ...

''). Wooded areas are populated by the chaffinch ('' Fringilla coelebs''), chickadee (''

Parus caeruleus The Eurasian blue tit (''Cyanistes caeruleus'') is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae. It is easily recognisable by its blue and yellow plumage and small size. Eurasian blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, are ...

''), great tit (''

Parus major The great tit (''Parus major'') is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and east across the Palearctic to the Amur River, south to parts of North Af ...

'') and great spotted woodpecker ('' Dendrocopos major''). During the migration period, turtle dove (''

Streptopelia turtur The European turtle dove (''Streptopelia turtur'') is a member of the bird family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It breeds over a wide area of the south western Palearctic including north Africa but migrates to northern sub-Saharan Africa to ...

''), wood pigeon ('' Columba palumbus''), woodlark ('' Columba livia'') and woodcock (''

Scolopax rusticola The Eurasian woodcock (''Scolopax rusticola'') is a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. It has cryptic camouflage to suit its woodland habitat, with reddish-brown upperparts and buff-coloured underparts. Its eyes ...

'') can be spotted. The most common waterfowl, are the black-winged stilt ('' Himantopus himantopus''), the little egret ('' Egretta garzetta''), the grey heron ('' Ardea cinerea''), the pink flamingo ('' Phoenicopterus roseus''), mallard ('' Anas platyrhynchos''), little grebe ('' Tachybaptus ruficollis''), great crested grebe ('' Podiceps cristatus'') cormorant ('' Phalacrocorax carbo''), coot ('' Fulica atra'') and little tern (''

Sterna albifrons The little tern (''Sternula albifrons'') is a seabird of the family Laridae. It was formerly placed into the genus ''Sterna'', which now is restricted to the large white terns. The genus name is a diminutive of '' Sterna'', "tern". The specific ...

'').

References

{{Coord, 40.59, N, 8.19, E, region:IT-SS_type:waterbody, display=title Bays of Italy Landforms of Sardinia