Sardinia: all the beaches of The Little Mermaid

Who would have thought that Asinara would end up in Hollywood? And conversely, who would have thought that Hollywood would end up in Asinara? It’s an incredible success story for an island that has long remained on the fringes of everything, home to a maximum-security penal colony. The miracle happened in 2023 thanks to the live-action remake of the Disney classic The Little Mermaid: watching Rob Marshall’s film, viewers around the world had the chance to admire the views of Asinara and its coastline, a spectacular and unspoilt landscape, protected by the National Park of the same name. The island’s outline can be seen at various points in the film, viewed from the shores of the kingdom of Prince Eric, the other lead character played by Jonah Andre Hauer-King. In reality, we’re not in an imaginary realm but in the province of Sassari, in the sea surrounding Porto Torres. On the island, which is now uninhabited, the prison was dismantled in the 1990s, when the park was established. The buildings that still stand today house visitor centres that explain where and how visitors are allowed to explore this windswept natural sanctuary, populated by cute white donkeys. The island can be explored on foot or by bicycle, taking advantage of the themed trails that criss-cross it. Although there are few beaches open to tourists, the views of the clear waters and colonies of seabirds make a visit a must for all outdoor enthusiasts. And for those who can’t live without cinema, even on holiday, every year in July Asinara hosts “Pensieri&Parole”, one of the four festivals that make up the travelling Sardinian festival “Le Isole del Cinema”.

The walled village of Castelsardo, with its rocky promontory crowned by the remains of a castle overlooking the blue sea, really has a fairytale feel to it. And Disney, who know a thing or two about fairy tales, chose this village as the location for the castle and capital of Prince Eric’s kingdom in the latest remake of The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall. The building seen in the film was obviously digitally reconstructed, but the views and the cliffside walkways are those of Castelsardo, from which you can enjoy incredible views of the island of Asinara and its gulf. The ancient fortified village, Casteddu, with its unchanged narrow streets and stone steps, is a glimpse into the Middle Ages. There are also colourful houses perched on the promontory, picture-postcard views and the beautiful cathedral of Sant’Antonio Abate, visible even from the open sea thanks to its bell tower decorated with colourful majolica tiles.

Who knows whether the film’s producers, when they chose this location, knew that princes and princesses really did exist in Castelsardo’s adventurous past. It was the Doria family, princes of Oneglia and then de facto “rulers” of Genoa, who founded the castle between the 12th and 13th centuries under the name Castelgenovese. The village then became linked to the fascinating figure of Eleonora d’Arborea, who was almost a queen of Sardinia, and who in 1347 married Brancaleone Doria and gave birth to her two sons here. Becoming Castell’Aragonese after the Spanish conquest, the town passed from one owner to another until 1769, when the House of Savoy, who had become kings of Sardinia, gave it its present name. 

Via Nettuno, Via del Tridente, Piazza Sirenella... In the municipality of Aglientu, you’ll find streets and places that seemed predestined to host the set of the Disney remake of The Little Mermaid. The mayor of the town himself said so, pointing out that the village of Rena Majore, a hamlet behind Rena Majori beach, was founded by a small community of Belgians who were so fond of Andersen’s fairy tale that they named streets and squares after it. The beaches of Aglientu are some of the main locations in the film: Rena Majori is where the Little Mermaid (Halle Bailey) first emerges from the water to save Prince Eric, while the nearby beach of Rena di Matteu was the set of the entertaining carriage ride scene, when Ariel, the Little Mermaid, takes the reins and launches the horses at full speed.

The sea is an integral part of Aglienu’s identity, even though the village itself is located a few kilometres inland, among granite boulders and Mediterranean scrub. There too, the Little Mermaid could soon become a local icon: the town council is working on plans to create a theme park. Time will tell if the project goes ahead. In the meantime, we can enjoy The Little Mermaid on screen and the pristine beaches of Aglientu in person... 

The Little Mermaid had arrived in Golfo Aranci even before Disney brought her to us. The Mermaid who paved the way for Halle Bailey is a bronze sculpture by artist Pietro Longu, which has been one of the most popular attractions in this beautiful coastal town since 2013. Every summer evening, the statue, usually submerged in the waters of the gulf, emerges from the waves for a few minutes accompanied by Sardinian singing, greeting locals and tourists. This work of art has given a strong boost to the Golfo Aranci’s “mermaid-mania”, so much so that “mermaiding” schools (i.e. the art of swimming with a mermaid’s tail) have sprung up, organising courses and shows. Golfo Aranci also boasts excellent transport links, being the arrival point for many connections with the mainland, and enjoys a wonderful location overlooking the picturesque islet of Figarolo. It’s no surprise, then, that one of Golfo Aranci’s beaches, Cala Moresca, was a location for the 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid. It’s in this cove, transformed for the occasion into a fishing village complete with market, huts, fishing nets and Caribbean rhythms, that Ariel comes ashore after being “fished” in her new human form. And it’s where that the prince takes her on her first trip outside the palace.

Speaking of the sea, art and fascinating aquatic creatures: if you enjoy diving or snorkelling, don’t miss a visit to MuMart, an underwater museum of contemporary art with statues depicting subjects related to the marine world, located in the waters of Golfo Aranci. By taking a boat tour from the port, you’ll have the chance to spot groups of dolphins.

The list of the Sardinian coast’s highlights would not be complete without the breathtaking views of the Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Protected Marine Area. And Rob Marshall certainly couldn’t miss them when he chose the locations for his remake of The Little Mermaid. We are in a protected area covering more than 15,000 hectares of sea, along the coasts of Olbia, San Teodoro and Porto San Paolo, which centres on the promontory of Capo Coda Cavallo and the island of Tavolara, the “queen” of a small archipelago. Tavolara itself has a deep connection with cinema thanks to the “Una notte in Italia” festival: it is one of the stops of the travelling festival “Le Isole del Cinema”, which also includes the Asinara festival. Every year since 1991, in June and July, major international actors and directors gather here. Tavolara also has some truly cinematic stories to tell. For example, legend has it that goats with golden teeth once lived here. In 1836, Carlo Alberto of Savoy is said to have visited the area to find out if this was true (or, more likely, for a hunting trip...). He didn’t find those fairytale animals but met Giuseppe Bertoleoni, an eccentric inhabitant of Tavolara who had proclaimed himself king. Probably to go along with the joke, Carlo Alberto is said to have agreed to recognise his sovereignty, and since then the descendants of Giuseppe Bertoleoni have considered themselves a real royal family – rulers of the “smallest kingdom in the world”. Tonino Bertoleoni, the last king of Tavolara, also appears in a film, Gabriele Salvatores’ documentary It Was Spring Outside (2020).