La Maddalena Archipelago Boat Tour with Transfer from Olbia Sardinia

La Maddalena Archipelago National Park

Between Sardinia and Corsica, the La Maddalena archipelago is a group of granite islands and islets sculpted by wind and sea into extraordinary shapes, surrounded by water so clear that boats seem to float in the air. Since 1994 it has been a national park, protecting its beaches, coves and marine life, and it is one of the most beautiful places in the Mediterranean for a day on a boat.

A La Maddalena boat tour from Olbia is the most convenient way to see the islands if you are staying on the Costa Smeralda side: you skip the drive and parking at the busy northern ports, and the crew knows which beaches are sheltered on the day. The route can change with the wind, as the archipelago is often exposed to the mistral.

La Maddalena town

Founded in 1770 and long a naval base, La Maddalena is the only town in the archipelago, a lively harbour of pastel houses, narrow lanes and small squares just 20 minutes by ferry from Palau. During the one-hour stop you can stroll along the waterfront, browse the shops of the main street, have a coffee or gelato, or visit the historic centre and its churches.

Visitors interested in history can step into the Town Hall, which keeps an unexploded bomb from a French attack of 1793, or the Naval Museum and the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. One hour is enough for a relaxed walk; the town is compact and everything is close to the quay.

Spargi island

Spargi is an uninhabited, almost round granite island on the western side of the archipelago, surrounded by small beaches of white sand and pink rocks. Its most famous cove, Cala Corsara, is known for natural pools of emerald water between wind-carved boulders, while Cala Granara and Cala d'Alga are equally lovely.

The boat stops for about an hour, so you can swim off the boat or reach the beach, snorkel over the sandy seabed and rest on the rocks. This is often the highlight of the day for families, as the water is shallow, calm and incredibly clear. Bring a mask and snorkel if you have them. The water around Spargi is among the clearest in the archipelago.

Santa Maria, Budelli and the Manto della Madonna

Santa Maria, on the north side of the archipelago, has a long beach of fine white sand facing a lagoon-like stretch of sea between it and the neighbouring islands. The second swim stop of about an hour takes place here, and around midday the crew serves a simple lunch of pasta with tomato sauce on board.

After lunch the boat glides across the Manto della Madonna, a shallow area between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria where the sea turns every shade of turquoise. It then circles Budelli and its Spiaggia Rosa, a beach coloured pink by fragments of shells and coral; to protect it, landing is forbidden, but the view from the water is unforgettable.

Caprera, Capo d'Orso and the return to Olbia

On the way out, the boat coasts along Caprera, a green island of pine woods linked to La Maddalena by a bridge, and Santo Stefano. On the way back it follows the Sardinian coast past Punta Sardegna, the bay of Porto Raphael, the village of Palau and Capo d'Orso, a granite headland whose top has been shaped by the wind into the form of a bear.

The boat returns to Cannigione or Palau between 17:00 and 17:30, and the minibus takes you back to Molo Brin in Olbia. The best time to visit La Maddalena is from June to September for warm water, or May and October for fewer crowds; a jacket is useful for the breezy ride back.