Isola Gallinara

Gallinara is the small island off Albenga whose wooded profile forms a distinctive feature of the coastal landscape. A regional nature reserve since 1989, it brings together Mediterranean habitats, monastic history and nearby underwater archaeology.

Why it matters

The island preserves coastal vegetation and seabird habitat within sight of the developed mainland. Its religious traditions and the Roman wrecks in the surrounding waters add human histories to that natural setting.

What to notice

Holm-oak growth, tree spurge and other Mediterranean plants cover the island, including the western Ligurian bellflower Campanula sabatia. Rocky cliffs provide habitat for yellow-legged gulls and other seabirds. The contrast between the green slopes and exposed shore gives Gallinara its recognisable silhouette.

Context and history

The island is associated with Martin of Tours, who took refuge here in the fourth century, and with the later abbey of Santa Maria and San Martino. The monastery accumulated mainland possessions before declining in the later Middle Ages. The island passed into private ownership in 1866. Finds from Roman wrecks nearby connect its waters with ancient Mediterranean trade and form part of Albenga's maritime archaeological heritage.