How is it possible that Calangianus, a remote village in the hinterland of Gallura, was listed among the 100 most industrialised municipalities in Italy in the last century? The answer is very simple: cork. Cork processing, which officially began in 1851, soon brought prosperity to Calangianus: in a short time, workshops sprang up that provided employment for hundreds of people from neighbouring villages. Finally, this resource, which had always been so widespread in the area, was used on a large scale. The cork stopper was successfully presented at the 1906 International Exhibition in Milan. The first edition of the Cork Fair dates back to 1978.

This remarkable story is told by the Cork Museum, housed in the town’s former Capuchin convent. From the extraction of the bark from the plants, the so-called decortica (bark stripping ), to the finished product (not only corks, but also shoes, bags, furnishing panels, thermal insulators, clothing accessories and even baseballs), the guided tour illustrates each phase of the complex production process. Films and photographs help visitors understand how the rudimentary machinery works. Arranged here and there along the route are workbenches, lathes and even a nativity scene, all made entirely of cork. And at the exit, as a souvenir. Made of cork, of course.