I have just returned from 10 days in the paradise, also known as Sardinia. I was based in San Teodoro (part of the marine protected area of Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo) and the La Maddalena archipelago. My purpose for the trip was to take part on ‘Swim the Island’ open water race at San Teodoro, and then find some beautiful open water swim experiences in the area. I don’t usually write guides for places after the first-visit but I found such little information about La Maddalena during my own research I think even a basic guide will be helpful to anyone traveling to this part of Sardinia.
My La Maddalena Trip – Who should use this travel guide?
If this is your first time visiting the La Maddalena islands this guide will help you plan your trip. I only spent 10 days in this part of Sardinia and only a few of those were on La Maddalena so I’m not claiming to know everything there is about these islands. However, since I work as a travel planner full-time I always research my own trips with great detail so I can pass that on here. My travel style is laid-back, outdoor activity and adventure so if that’s also your vibe you should find this guide useful.
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Travel in Northern Sardinia – for beach and ocean lovers
I have yet to visit the south of Sardinia but thanks to a recent trip to the Sassari region I can definitely recommend visiting the north east of Sardinia if you love beaches and islands.
What and where is the La Maddalena archipelago?
La Maddalena is an archipelago of islands and natural park in northern Sardinia, Italy. The “major” islands in the archipelago are:
- La Maddalena (the only permanently inhabited island)
- La Capera
- Santa Maria
- Santa Stefano
- Razzoli
- Budelli
- Spargi
The yellow marker shows La Maddalena island
Why Visit La Maddalena Archipelago?
Two words: Natural beauty. I’ve been lucky enough to visit some unbelievable beach destinations in my lifetime, including remote islands in Thailand, Indonesia, and Fiji. I’ve swum in some of the bluest, clearest water in the world. The islands of La Maddalena are right up there with the very best. If you love the ocean, and landscapes untouched by modern man then you’ll love the islands of La Maddalena. With that description it’s easy to see why so many people have La Maddalena on their trip wish list.
In addition to the natural beauty beaming from the archipelago, La Maddalena island is a charming town to spend a few days or more. The town centre, although a little touristy is very pretty, with pastel-hued houses and colourful shutters, it’s very enjoyable to stroll around. Rent a bicycle or scooter and circumnavigate the island to find quiet beaches and vast ocean views. You can even see Corsica from the right spot. What I was most surprised about is if you take a few streets back from La Maddalena town centre you’ll see local life exists. Head down to the port at the right time in the morning and you’ll see fishermen offloading their catch. It was less hectic than I envisioned from reading the posts I had before I arrived, but maybe in the middle of summer that is the case.
Overtourism in La Maddalena?
Like anywhere as jaw-droppingly beautiful as this archipelago, the islands are under pressure from over-tourism. Thankfully, La Maddelena has put regulations in place to mitigate the effects and that was clear during my time on the islands. There is a daily cap on visitor numbers keeping the beaches and waterways less busy and causing less disturbance to the wildlife and ecosystems.
Of course, the best thing for natural environment like uninhabited islands is no tourism at all, and all of us who chose to travel to these places have to recognise that we are contributing to the disturbance. Before visiting a popular tourist destination, check which (if any) regulations have been put in place to protect it physically and culturally. If it is obvious the country/region/council cares about preservation in addition to the capital that tourism brings, there will be rules and regulations you have to follow to enjoy the area. This is a good thing.
A few rules when visiting La Maddalena:
- Do not take food on the beach – there are wild boar that will rummage through bags to find it. Our food should not be entering the ecosystem on the islands.
- Leave no trace. No litter, no human waste, no paper, nothing.
- Do not remove anything from the beaches such as sand or shells
- Use reef/ocean-safe sunscreen if you are swimming
- If you do see wildlife such as fish, birds or boar, watch from afar. Do not enter their personal space or try to touch them.
- Do not take photos of fishermen or other people carrying out their daily work without asking them. Respect their space and privacy.
- Don’t climb over fences, enter closed spaces or do stupid sh*t just to get a photo for instagram.
The famous Cala Rosa (pink beach) is now no longer accessible in order to preserve it after tourists were taking sand from the beach (we are an idiotic species sometimes). The decision to close places like this is something I wish more regions did. Tourism doesn’t need to be and is not entitled to be everywhere. Nature has to keep winning and I am fully behind the bodies that limit numbers or close areas to tourists if necessary.
Pink beach aside, the majority of other beaches on the islands can be reached by ferry or private boat, and I hope that everyone that visits recognises what a privilege it is to be able to do this.
How to get to La Maddalena Archipelago?
If you want to stay on La Maddalena island, unless you have your own boat you’ll need to catch a ferry from Palau. Palau is a 50 minute drive from Olbia airport or a 1.5 hour bus. The buses in this corner of Sardinia are not very frequent and it does require some pre-planning. You can book an extra urban ticket online using an app called CTM Bus Finder. In most cases, you cannot buy your ticket directly from the driver.
If you are arriving at Olbia airport you can also buy tickets from the machine. At Olbia airport take the 514 line to Olbia centre, then take bus 601 to Palau. Again, the buses from Olbia to Palau are not very frequent, about 1 every 2 hours and they don’t always link up well so be prepared to be waiting around.
Taking a Ferry to La Maddalena
Once you make it to Palau. You’ll be pleased to know the ferries run frequently. There are two companies Delcomar and Maddalena Lines. Between them you can expect ferries every 20-30 minutes. Buy your tickets at Palau ferry port, next to the bus stop. They only accept cash but there is an ATM next to the ticket station and there is no charge to use it.
How to Get Around La Maddalena
Your options for getting around the island are foot, bicycle, scooter, car or boat.
Renting a Bicycle/ Electric bike or scooter in La Maddalena
There are plenty of options to hire a scooter or bicycle (normal or electric) on the primary island La Maddelena. I didn’t do this while I was there but I did ask one company who gave a quote of €15 a day for a normal bike. If you shop around you can probably find a lower price for longer.
Renting a car in Sardinia
If you’re coming to La Maddalena as part of a longer/multi-island trip you may have a rental car. You can take a car ferry from Palau to La Maddalena but double check with your rental company that you are covered to take the car off the mainland. You can hire from Olbia airport or any of the major airports in Sardinia if you are travelling around the region. I recommend the broker Zest for car hire in Sardinia. I’ve been using them since 2019 all over Portugal, Spain and Italy because they have fantastic insurance and customer service. When selecting a car rental company – Avoid the company Centauro who have been caught running a scam.
When to Visit the La Maddalena Islands?
Shoulder season (May-June, Sept-Oct) is always the best time to visit islands in the med – when the weather is predictably good, but without the main haul of tourists that come with the summer months. I visited the last week of May and although it was noticeably busy, it was manageable and I was able to find quiet on the island very easily by simply walking a few streets back from the centre. There were even a few empty beaches. If I were to go back I would try early October to compare. Come in winter and you have the potential to be enjoying islands and beaches almost to yourself but remember the weather will be more unpredictable and boat tours may not run. Always stay safe on beaches and don’t swim alone.
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How Long to Spend in La Maddalena?
Some people come as a day trip or on a boat tour from Palau and there are plenty of options to do this if time doesn’t allow a longer stay.
Alternatively, stay a few days on La Maddalena. If you have the time, I really recommend this. Sunrise/sunset is always a special time on the islands and at these times you definitely feel like you have more of the island to yourself. Thanks to the frequent ferries to and from Palau, if you have a car you could actually use La Maddalena as your base and hop on and off to visit other areas of northern Sardinia. 4-5 days would be a great time to maximise seeing different islands and enjoying La Maddalena without rushing.
Best way to see La Maddalena Archipelago?
The best way to see and experience the archipelago is by boat, preferably your own, but if like me you are lacking in said boat, then you can join a day tour to see the islands.
I don’t usually use Get Your Guide for booking tours in Portugal but I found it useful to compare boat trips in Sardinia specifically and I booked this one via them (It was fantastic).
On La Maddalena island you can get around easily by bike, scooter or car. It’s not that big so you can even walk but please be careful on the roads as they aren’t really set up for hikers.
Where to stay in La Maddalena
La Maddalenda is the only one of the 7 islands you can stay. The small town centre is really pretty and there are several options to choose from. Be aware that it can be noisy with music in the evenings so if you would prefer a quieter stay I would consider staying a few streets back from the town centre/port.
Apartment option central:
Holiday Apartment | Bella Vista Capera, Panoramic Apartment
Boutique hotel | Hotel Solas
5 star | Grand Hotel & Spa
Where to stay in Palau
The other option is staying in pretty Palau and taking the regular ferries to La Maddalena or make the most of the boat tours that depart straight from Palau.
La Ville Le Saline One bedroom villa with incredible view
What to do in La Maddalena island
La Maddaena is about island living, natural beauty and experiencing life in a small town. It’s a place to slow down but also enjoy activites on the water.
Best Experiences and Activities in the islands of La Maddalena
The majority of things to do in the archipelago of La Maddalena involve being in or on the water. You’re going to be spending time on boats, swimming the gin clear ocean, looking for fish or sailing around looking for deserted bays.
Boat tours in La Maddalena
The most popular way to discover the La Maddalena archipelago. There are several companies that offer tours and you can choose from a more budget conscious options (bigger boat, more people) or more refined option (smaller boat more comfortable boat like a catamaran, less people). I’m not usually one for using Get Your Guide but I did use them during this trip as I found it the easiest way to compare the tours. I booked this one which was around €50 for the day and thought it was well organised and good value. You can either buy a pasta meal on board or bring your own. There is also a bar serving drinks, coffees and snacks. It was busy, most seats were taken but I felt there was still enough space to enjoy the boat and we were able to move around quite freely. If I were to come back with friends I would definitely choose a private boat option for a more personal experience.
Private Boat Tours
This would definitely be my preference if I was traveling with a partner or friends/family. With this option you can customise the day to spend shorter or longer on any of the islands. That freedom will give you much richer experience.
Rent a Boat
It’s possible to rent a boat on La Maddalena but I recommend you have experience doing this in other areas before committing here. It is busy. Be wary that there may be people in the water swimming or doing other activities. There are a few stories of drunk tourists renting boats and running over people. Taking a private tour with a skipper would be a better option so you can enjoy the islands stress-free.
How to check the weather on the islands
If anything is going to stop or hinder your. boat tour and swimming it is the wind. A really useful app is Wind Finder which shows you wind direction and strength using an easy to understand map. It can help you plan which days to do what. I use this frequently to find sheltered beaches.
Accessible beaches in La Maddalena
La Maddalena has a wheelchair friendly beach (Punta Tegge), with a boardwalk put in place that take you right to the water’s edge. The boat company I used was also wheelchair/buggy friendly and has a ramp which allows you to be lowered into the sea without steps, however please contact them in advance to check they have everything you need.
Open water swimming around the La Maddalena Archipelago
This is quite niche but I wanted to share my experience as an open-water swimmer while traveling. I love adventure or scenic swimming and these islands were ideal for it. If you are a keen open water swimmer or love to snorkel, La Maddalena islands are an amazing experience to add to your open water memories. Since La Maddalena has a lot of boat traffics and not so many accessible beaches joining a boat tour to visit the other islands is the best way to make the most of swimming. Most boat tours visit Santa Maria, Budelli and Spargi.
The Santa Maria stop has a 500m long beach and a rocky headland. The beach area is cordoned off from boats so you can swim safely. I managed a 1200m swim while we stopped here.
Budelli island has a shallow, sheltered area known as the ‘piscine di Budelli’ (swimming pool of budelli). The water is ridiculously clear. There are a lot of boats here, big and small so if your tour boat drops you here they are conscious of you swimming too far. Pay attention to your surroundings. I recommend taking a colourful buoy and swim cap as an extra precaution.
Spargi island. This island is one of, if not the most beautiful place I have ever swum. It is a true natural beauty with azure water and giant bouders. It’s a popular boat tour stop so there are a lot of people swimming in the shallow areas, but there is a large section cordoned off from boats and I was able to swim 1.3km in the ocean with freedom. Absolutely beautiful.
Other Activities on La Maddalena
- Visit Capella della Madonnetta. If you want to spend some time on terra firma, La Maddalena makes a lovely spot for some easy hikes including a walk out to this tiny chapel perched on the cliffs. Our boat guide told us it’s a popular wedding destination and I can see why.
- Spend Sunset at Punta Tegge. This south west corner of La Maddalena is only 25 minutes walk from the town centre but blissfully peaceful. It’s the best spot for sunset on the island. While you’re there, definitely drop by Zi Antò to sink some sundowners with a picture perfect view or stay for a local dinner. Book in advance for dinner.
- Boutique treasure hunt. There are some cave-like but wondrous small fashion and homeware boutiques hidden amongst the ramble of tourist tat shops, seek them out and you will be rewarded.
Best Restaurants and Bars in La Maddalena
La Maddalena island is only small but it has plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes to fill your days.
Best Restaurants La Maddalena
- Pizzeria Civico 49 has some of the best pizza on the island (and amazing prices!) with a small patio that does get filled up quickly so book in advance
- Pizzeria Ristorante La Marachella is another favourite if you don’t mind sitting indoors
- For take-away pizza, walk to the residential part of town to visit La Mula’s. Join the queue (mostly locals) and choose from a long but exciting list of pizzas while you wait your turn.
- For picnic supplies and cheese fans drop by La Casa del Formaggio (open 08:30-1pm and 5-8pm)
- Dolci Distrazioni For gelato you need to stop at this unassuming place. The artisan flavours are delish. If you are dairy-free, they also do a safe chocolate scoop here that is so rich and tasty.
- Gastronomia da Anselmo Head here to pick up antipasti for a beach picnic or eat in for traditional homecooked primi, secondi and dolce.
- Zi Antò’s is a must-visit while on the island. Whether it’s for a few post-beach drinks or a family dinner under twinkly lights this restaurant is a special place. Drinks are a little pricey in my opinion, (€5 for a non-alcoholic beer) but there’s no denying the unique location and the atmosphere and friendly staff make it totally worth it.
Best Bars in La Maddalena
- Zi Antò’s see above
- The Duke Cocktail bar with a romantic setting and metal chairs on the street. They have all the favourites including meat and cheese boards.
- Old Cafe Don’t go for food but if you want something easy, and comfortable to rest your legs for a while pull up a sofa chair and order a coffee or spritz. It’s very close to the port so it’s a good place to wait for your ferry or your check in. Kid-friendly
There you have it. A mini travel guide for The Maddalena islands in Sardinia. Happy Planning!
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