Sailing La Maddalena and Costa Smeralda: a 7-day loop
North-east Sardinia packs three sailing areas into one week: the granite bays of the Costa Smeralda, the Tavolara marine protected area south of Olbia, and the La Maddalena archipelago, a national park of more than 60 islands and islets. Legs are short, often 10 to 20 nautical miles, so you have time to swim and to anchor for lunch. A typical week starts in Portisco or Olbia and loops north through the park. If the weather allows, you can cross to Bonifacio in Corsica and back.
Where to charter a yacht for La Maddalena?
Charter yachts for this area sail from the marinas of Portisco, Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Cannigione. Of these, Cannigione in the Gulf of Arzachena is closest to the archipelago. Compare yachts and catamarans across the island on our Sardinia page and book on Ship O'Hoi, bareboat or with a skipper. Charter weeks usually run Saturday to Saturday. To sail bareboat you need a licence the charter company accepts: read our guides to the boat licence in Italy and the ICC certificate. If nobody in your crew has one, hire a skipper or book a crewed yacht.
A 7-day sailing itinerary from Portisco
This loop starts at Portisco in the Gulf of Cugnana, between Porto Rotondo and Porto Cervo. Distances are rough estimates from the chart. Plan with charts, a pilot book and the morning forecast.
Day 1–2: Portisco to Tavolara and back to Porto Rotondo
Approx. 15 nm from Portisco south to Tavolara, then approx. 14 nm back north to Porto Rotondo. After Saturday check-in, most crews stay the first night at the base marina. On Sunday, sail past Capo Figari and Golfo Aranci to Tavolara, part of the Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo marine protected area. At Spalmatore there are marked anchoring areas on sand and mooring buoys. The buoys are run by a concession holder, so ask before counting on one. Overnight in the Marina di Porto Rotondo, a sheltered inlet with about 650 berths. Tip: in zones B and C of the reserve you may only anchor on sand or pebbles and in the marked areas.
Day 3: Porto Rotondo to Cala di Volpe and Porto Cervo
Approx. 6 nm to Cala di Volpe, then approx. 6 nm on to Porto Cervo. Cala di Volpe is a bay in Arzachena with shallow, clear water and granite rocks, and the beaches of Romazzino and Pevero lie close by. Anchor for lunch, then continue to the Marina di Porto Cervo, with about 700 berths across Marina Nuova and Porto Vecchio. Book online, early in summer. Tip: the marina listens on VHF channel 9.
Day 4: Porto Cervo to Caprera and La Maddalena
Approx. 10–15 nm, depending on where you stop. Round Capo Ferro and enter the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park. Buy the park ticket first (see the rules below). Caprera was Garibaldi's home, and his house is now a museum. The island is joined to La Maddalena by a 600 m road bridge, so plan your route around the south of the islands. Anchor for the day in an Mb zone on sand, then overnight in Cala Gavetta, the municipal marina in La Maddalena town, with about 140 berths plus 20 buoys outside the breakwater. Tip: call on VHF channel 74 and watch out for the ferries crossing the harbour entrance.
Day 5: Santa Maria, Budelli and across to Bonifacio
Approx. 7 nm to Santa Maria, approx. 6 nm to the Lavezzi islands and approx. 6 nm on to Bonifacio. Cala Santa Maria is the largest beach in the archipelago: about 200 m of fine white sand and shallow water. Budelli's Spiaggia Rosa, the Pink Beach, is off limits: pass at no more than 3 knots. After lunch, cross the Bocche di Bonifacio to the Lavezzi, a French nature reserve, and on to Bonifacio's harbour under the cliffs. Tip: book the Bonifacio berth in advance. The port takes no phone bookings, and from 1 to 25 August stays are limited to one night for boats under 18 m. If you skip Corsica, spend a second night in Cala Gavetta or in the Porto di Palau.
Day 6: Bonifacio to Spargi and Cannigione
Approx. 13 nm back to Spargi, then approx. 9–10 nm to Cannigione. Spargi is uninhabited, and its beaches include Cala Corsara, Cala Granara and Cala Conneri (Cala dell'Amore). Anchor for the day, then head on to Cannigione for the night. The port sits on the Gulf of Arzachena, the largest and deepest ria in north-east Sardinia. Together with the other landing places in the gulf it has about 1,000 berths, run under municipal concessions. Tip: if Cannigione is your base, finish the week here.
Day 7: Cannigione back to Portisco
Approx. 20 nm. Round Capo Ferro and run down the Costa Smeralda, with a last swim stop. Yachts usually go back to base on Friday evening for Saturday check-out. Tip: Portisco's marina office answers on VHF channel 69, and its fuel station on channel 71.
| Leg | Distance | Overnight | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portisco – Tavolara – Porto Rotondo | approx. 15 + 14 nm | Marina di Porto Rotondo | Tavolara, Spalmatore |
| Porto Rotondo – Cala di Volpe – Porto Cervo | approx. 6 + 6 nm | Marina di Porto Cervo | Costa Smeralda bays |
| Porto Cervo – Caprera – La Maddalena | approx. 10–15 nm | Cala Gavetta (La Maddalena) | Caprera, Garibaldi's house |
| La Maddalena – Santa Maria – Lavezzi – Bonifacio | approx. 7 + 6 + 6 nm | Bonifacio marina (booking required) | Cala Santa Maria, Lavezzi |
| Bonifacio – Spargi – Cannigione | approx. 13 + 10 nm | Cannigione | Cala Corsara |
| Cannigione – Portisco | approx. 20 nm | Portisco (base) | Capo Ferro, last swim stop |
Rules and safety in La Maddalena and the Costa Smeralda
La Maddalena National Park. To sail, stop, anchor or moor within 300 m of the coast you need an authorisation, known as the ticket. You can buy it online from the park or at its office in La Maddalena. The fee depends on the boat's length, sailing boats get a reduction, and a fee applies from 1 May to 31 October, so check the park's site. Buy it before you enter: boats caught without one pay a 40% surcharge and can be fined. Ask at check-in whether your base has already arranged it.
- In the Ma zones (integral protection), sailing, stopping, anchoring and mooring are forbidden. You may only enter the Mb zones.
- Speed limits: 7 knots within 300 m of the coast and 15 knots beyond.
- From 1 June to 30 October, you may anchor or moor on a buoy in the Mb zones only from sunrise to sunset, and never later than 10 pm. Anchor on sand, never on Posidonia seagrass. You may only stay overnight in a bay on a mooring buoy, and only with a holding tank.
- Protected dive spots (PIP), such as the one at Punta Coticcio, are closed to boats.
- Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli is closed to the public. You may not stop, anchor or swim in front of it, and you may pass at no more than 3 knots.
- Cala Coticcio on Caprera, often called Sardinia's "Tahiti", is not freely accessible on land. Visits need an authorised guide and a park contribution.
Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo marine protected area. Boats may not enter zone A, and there is also a military no-entry area. In zones B and C, motor boats may do up to 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and up to 10 knots between 300 and 600 m. Anchoring there is banned except on sand or pebbles and in the marked areas. Jet skis, towed water sports and spearfishing are banned throughout. The AMP zoning page has the map.
Beaches. During the bathing season, Guardia Costiera ordinances such as Olbia's reserve a strip off the beaches, and 100 m off steep rocky coasts, for swimmers. Red buoys mark the limit. Boats may only reach the shore through marked launch corridors, at no more than 3 knots.
Bocche di Bonifacio. The strait between Sardinia and Corsica has a two-way recommended route with a precautionary area at each end, plus a mandatory reporting system for merchant ships. Pleasure craft not engaged in commercial traffic are exempt from reporting, but you still cross a busy shipping lane, so keep a proper lookout. The Lavezzi and the Corsican shore belong to the Bouches de Bonifacio nature reserve. There, the Préfet maritime has closed four sectors to navigation and mooring: the north of Lavezzu and the islets of Ratino, Porraggia and Perduto. You may only land on the Lavezzi on the marked beaches and paths. With the Italian park it forms the Franco-Italian International Marine Park of the Bocche di Bonifacio. For French licence rules, see our guide to the boat licence in France.
Maestrale. The maestrale (mistral) blows from the north-west, and on maestrale days the wind around Palau can reach more than 30 knots. Don't plan the Bonifacio crossing, or an overnight stop in an open anchorage, when one is forecast.
Licence. In Italy you can drive a boat without a licence only if its engine is up to 30 kW (40.8 hp) and you stay within 6 nm of the coast. Beyond 6 nm, or with a bigger engine, you need a licence. Charter yachts are normally skippered by someone with a licence the charter company accepts, or you hire a skipper. See our Italy licence guide.
Best time to sail La Maddalena
The main season runs from May to October. The park's paid ticket season is 1 May to 31 October, and in Sardinia the bathing season runs roughly from the third week of May to the third week of September. August is the busiest month: from 1 to 25 August, Bonifacio limits boats under 18 m to one night. The maestrale blows in every season, so keep the plan flexible.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to sail in the La Maddalena archipelago?
Yes. To sail, anchor or moor within 300 m of the coast in the national park you need the park ticket, bought online or in La Maddalena before you enter. A fee applies in the season, with a reduction for sailing boats.
Can I anchor overnight in the La Maddalena park?
Only on a mooring buoy, and only if your boat has a holding tank. Otherwise, from June to October, you may anchor from sunrise to sunset and never later than 10 pm.
Can I visit the Pink Beach on Budelli by boat?
You can see it from the water, passing slowly at no more than 3 knots. Stopping, anchoring, swimming and landing are all forbidden in front of Spiaggia Rosa.
Is a crossing to Corsica possible on a week's charter?
Yes, Bonifacio is roughly 12–13 nm from the northern islands of the archipelago. Check that your charter contract allows French waters, book your berth in advance and avoid maestrale days.
Which base is closest to La Maddalena?
Of the bases on this page, Cannigione in the Gulf of Arzachena is the closest. From Portisco or Olbia you need a longer first day, but you also get the Costa Smeralda and Tavolara.
If you are planning more weeks in Italy, read our guides to sailing south Sardinia from Carloforte to Villasimius and to sailing Elba and the Tuscan archipelago.
Across the strait: our guide to South Corsica and the Strait of Bonifacio covers Bonifacio, the Lavezzi islands and Porto-Vecchio.
