On a quiet stretch of the Mediterranean, just northeast of Italy’s Sardinia, sits the tiny island of Tavolara – often called the “world’s smallest kingdom.”
Measuring just three miles long and one mile wide, it’s easy to miss, but this hidden gem is packed with history, beauty, and a little touch of royalty.
Rising 1835ft above the sea, Tavolara’s limestone cliffs make it impossible to ignore for anyone flying into Olbia Airport in Sardinia.
Its flat, table-like shape even gave the island its name (“tavolo” means table in Italian). But Tavolara is more than its looks – it’s a kingdom with a fascinating story.
The tale begins in 1807 when Giuseppe Bertoleoni, a Genovese settler, came to the island to escape bigamy charges after marrying two sisters.
With his family, Giuseppe claimed the uninhabited island as his home, unknowingly starting the Bertoleoni dynasty.
Years later, in 1836, King Carlo Alberto of Sardinia visited Tavolara to hunt its golden-toothed goats, stained by the seaweed they ate.
As legend has it, when Carlo introduced himself as “the King of Sardinia,” Giuseppe’s son Paolo famously replied, “Well, I’m Paolo, the King of Tavolara”.
Carlo took a liking to the Bertoleoni family, even giving them a royal scroll confirming their “kingdom.”
From that point on, the Bertoleonis ruled their little paradise. Queen Victoria of England even sent a photographer to capture a portrait of the “world’s smallest kingdom” for her collection at Buckingham Palace.
Today, Tavolara is home to King Antonio Bertoleoni, a direct descendant of Giuseppe.
Better known as “Tonino,” the 91-year-old king keeps things simple. “I’m probably the world’s most ordinary king,” he previously told the BBC, running a beachside restaurant called Da Tonino with his family.
Visitors can hop on a ferry from Porto San Paolo, a short 25-minute ride, to explore the island and perhaps catch a glimpse of royalty serving up seafood dishes.
Tavolara remains an untouched haven. There are no roads or hotels, just white sand, crystal-clear waters, and rugged cliffs.
The island, now part of a protected marine reserve, is a popular diving spot where visitors can swim alongside turtles, whales, and basking sharks.
While most of the kingdom’s population was displaced in 1962 with the arrival of a NATO base, the Bertoleoni family continues to honour its royal legacy.
King Tonino said: “Who needs a crown when you have a palace?”
