Arcipelago di La Maddalena National Park
Scattered across electric-blue water between Sardinia and Corsica, the 62 islands and islets of the Arcipelago di La Maddalena National Park form one of the Mediterranean's last truly wild seascapes. Pink-granite boulders, juniper scrub and beaches of powdered quartz make every boat excursion feel like a private discovery.
The Archipelago by Boat
The only way to properly explore the park is by water. Half-day and full-day gommone (rigid inflatable) tours depart daily from the main harbour on Via Amendola, hopping between anchorages that road transport could never reach.
Spiaggia di Budelli is the crown jewel — its pink-tinged sand, coloured by fragments of coral and shell, is now strictly protected, so you admire it from the water rather than walking on it, which somehow makes it feel even more precious.
The island of Spargi shelters Cala Corsara, a double-crescent bay where the water shifts from pale turquoise at the edges to deep cobalt at the centre — bring a mask and snorkel because the posidonia meadows below are alive with bream and octopus.
Wildlife and Conservation
The park protects bottlenose dolphins that regularly bow-ride tour boats in the Bocche di Bonifacio strait — patient early-morning departures give the best sightings.
Ospreys nest on the uninhabited islets, and the low macchia scrubland shelters Sardinian warblers and Hermann's tortoises. Rangers enforce strict no-anchor and no-litter rules, keeping the ecosystem genuinely intact.
Planning Your Visit
June and September offer warm water, lighter crowds and calmer seas than peak July–August. Most licensed operators are clustered along the Palau ferry quay and La Maddalena's Via Amendola waterfront.
Book a tour that includes Budelli, Spargi and Santo Stefano in one loop — around six hours on the water — to see the archipelago's full colour palette in a single day.
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