The water around La Maddalena doesn’t look real. That’s the first thing everyone says, and honestly, they’re underselling it. Imagine the most absurd shade of turquoise you’ve ever seen in a travel photo and then realize the actual colour is even more intense. This archipelago off the northeastern tip of Sardinia is the kind of place that makes the Caribbean feel like it needs to try harder.
Seven main islands, over 60 smaller ones, a national park, pink sand beaches, and water so clear that boats look like they’re floating on air. And the best part? It’s still Italy. So the food is incredible, the espresso is perfect, and nobody’s trying to sell you an all-inclusive wristband.
Getting here is straightforward, the boat tours run like clockwork, and you can do the whole thing as a day trip from almost anywhere in northern Sardinia. Here’s everything you need to know.
Most visitors see the archipelago on a full-day boat tour from Palau (about 6-7 hours, around $59-65 per person). You’ll hit 3-4 islands, swim in water that shouldn’t exist outside a screensaver, and usually get lunch on board. The ferries from Palau to La Maddalena island run every 15-20 minutes and cost around $12 round-trip if you’d rather explore on your own. Peak season is July-August, but June and September are better in every way: fewer people, same weather, cheaper everything.
- How to Get to La Maddalena
- Boat Tour vs. DIY Ferry: Which Is Better?
- Best Boat Tours of the La Maddalena Archipelago
- 1. Full-Day Archipelago Tour from Palau (Best Overall)
- 2. Comfort Boat Tour with Stops (Best for a Relaxed Day)
- 3. 4-Stops Boat Tour from Palau (Best Value)
- 4. Catamaran Tour from Cannigione (Best for a Premium Experience)
- 5. Half-Day RIB Tour (Best if You’re Short on Time)
- When to Visit La Maddalena
- Best Beaches in the Archipelago
- Practical Tips That’ll Save You Hassle
- More Sardinia and Italy Guides
How to Get to La Maddalena
The gateway to the archipelago is Palau, a small port town on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda coast. From Palau, car ferries run to La Maddalena island roughly every 15-20 minutes from early morning until late evening. The crossing takes about 20 minutes and costs around $12 per person round-trip ($30-40 with a car).
Getting to Palau:
- From Olbia Airport: About 40 minutes by car. Rent at the airport or take a bus (seasonal service, about 90 minutes).
- From Alghero Airport: Roughly 2.5 hours by car along the northern coast. Beautiful drive, but long.
- From the Costa Smeralda (Porto Cervo, Arzachena): 20-30 minutes by car.
If you’re staying elsewhere in northern Sardinia, places like Cannigione, Santa Teresa Gallura, and even Olbia all have boat tours that go directly to the archipelago, so you don’t necessarily need to get yourself to Palau.
Boat Tour vs. DIY Ferry: Which Is Better?
This is the big question, and the answer depends on what kind of trip you want.
Take a boat tour if you want to: See multiple islands in one day, swim at beaches you literally can’t reach any other way, and not worry about logistics. The tours stop at places like Spiaggia Rosa (the famous pink beach on Budelli, viewable from the boat since walking on it is banned), the natural pools of the Piscine Naturali, and secluded coves on Spargi and Santa Maria. Most include snorkelling gear and a pasta lunch.
Take the DIY ferry if you want to: Explore La Maddalena town at your own pace, rent a scooter or bike on the island, spend the whole day at one or two beaches, eat at local restaurants, and save some money. The island has its own gorgeous beaches (Bassa Trinita, Spalmatore, Monti di Rena) that you can reach by road.
My take? Do the boat tour at least once. The islands and coves you’ll see from the water are impossible to access otherwise, and the swimming spots are on another level. If you have two days, do the tour one day and the DIY ferry the next.
Best Boat Tours of the La Maddalena Archipelago
I went through hundreds of tours to find the ones actually worth your money. Here are the top picks, sorted by what they’re best for.
1. Full-Day Archipelago Tour from Palau (Best Overall)
This is the one almost everyone books, and it’s popular because it works. Six to seven hours on the water, with stops at three or four islands depending on conditions. You’ll typically visit Spargi, Budelli (the pink beach viewpoint), Santa Maria island, and the natural swimming pools between Razzoli and Santa Maria.
Lunch is included on board (usually pasta, and it’s surprisingly decent), plus snorkelling gear and all the swimming time you want at each stop. The boats are mid-sized, so you get a social atmosphere without feeling like you’re on a cruise ship.
Duration: 6-7 hours | Price: From $59 per person | Departs: Palau
2. Comfort Boat Tour with Stops (Best for a Relaxed Day)
If the idea of being on a packed boat makes you twitchy, this is your pick. Smaller vessel, fewer passengers, and a generally calmer pace. The route covers the same highlights but with more time at each stop and less herding. The crew on this one gets consistently strong praise for being attentive without being overbearing.
The comfort factor really shows at the swim stops, where you actually have space to float around without bumping into forty other snorkellers.
Duration: Full day | Price: From $66 per person | Departs: Palau
3. 4-Stops Boat Tour from Palau (Best Value)
Same price range as the standard tours but with four confirmed swimming stops instead of the usual three. The extra stop makes a noticeable difference because you’re not rushing through each one. The itinerary typically includes Cala Corsara on Spargi (jaw-dropping), the Budelli viewpoint, the natural pools, and one or two beaches on La Maddalena itself.
What sets this one apart is consistency. The route is fixed at four stops, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Some other tours are vague about how many stops they’ll make.
Duration: Full day | Price: From $65 per person | Departs: Palau
4. Catamaran Tour from Cannigione (Best for a Premium Experience)
If you want to treat yourself, this is the move. A full-day catamaran cruise that departs from Cannigione (about 20 minutes from Palau). The catamaran is more stable than the smaller boats, which matters if you get seasick easily, and there’s way more deck space for sunbathing.
At roughly double the price of the standard tours, it’s not cheap. But you get a more refined experience: better food, more attentive crew, and the kind of day that feels like a holiday within a holiday. The sailing itself is part of the experience, not just transport between swim stops.
Duration: 8 hours | Price: From $120 per person | Departs: Cannigione
5. Half-Day RIB Tour (Best if You’re Short on Time)
Only got half a day? The RIB (rigid inflatable boat) tours are the solution. Four hours, smaller groups, and a faster boat that gets you to the good spots quickly. You’ll see fewer islands than the full-day tours, but you’ll still hit the highlights. The RIBs can also access shallower coves that the bigger boats can’t get into.
This works well as a morning activity if you want to have your afternoon free for exploring La Maddalena town or heading somewhere else in Sardinia.
Duration: 4 hours | Price: From $56 per person | Departs: Palau or La Maddalena
When to Visit La Maddalena
Best months: June and September. Full stop. The water is warm enough to swim comfortably, the weather is reliably sunny, the tour boats aren’t sardine cans, and accommodation prices are reasonable.
July and August are peak season. Everything runs and the weather is scorching, but so are the prices and the crowd levels. Boat tours sell out days in advance, the beaches are packed by 10am, and Palau turns into a traffic jam. If this is your only option, book everything early and arrive at the port before 9am.
May and October are shoulder months. Water temperature is cooler (fine for some, too cold for others), some tours may not run daily, but the islands feel genuinely wild and empty. If you’re more into hiking and photography than swimming, these months are magic.
November through April: Most boat tours don’t operate. The ferry still runs, and La Maddalena town is open year-round, but it’s a very different vibe. Quiet, windy, and raw. Beautiful in its own way if you’re into rugged coastal landscapes.
Best Beaches in the Archipelago
You’ll visit some of these on the boat tours, but others you can reach on your own from La Maddalena island.
Spiaggia Rosa (Budelli) – The famous pink beach. The sand gets its colour from crushed coral and shell fragments. You can’t walk on it anymore (it’s been protected since the 1990s after travelers kept stealing the sand), but the boat tours pass close enough for photos and the viewpoint is still stunning.
Cala Corsara (Spargi) – Probably the most photogenic beach in the whole archipelago. Four small crescents of white sand separated by smooth granite boulders. Only accessible by boat. The water colour here is almost aggressive in how blue it is.
Piscine Naturali (between Razzoli and Budelli) – Not technically a beach, but a natural pool of shallow, impossibly clear water between two islands. This is usually the spot where people’s jaws hit the deck of the boat. It looks like a swimming pool someone carved out of the ocean.
Spiaggia di Bassa Trinita (La Maddalena) – Reachable by scooter or bike from La Maddalena town. Fine white sand, shallow water that’s perfect for families, and usually quieter than the mainland beaches because most travelers are on the boat tours.
Spalmatore (La Maddalena) – The biggest beach on the main island. Easy to get to, has a small beach bar, and the water is classic Sardinian turquoise. Good for a lazy afternoon when you don’t want to organize anything.
Practical Tips That’ll Save You Hassle
Bring water shoes. Many of the best swimming spots have rocky entries. Not painful, just annoying without shoes.
Cash is useful. La Maddalena town has ATMs, but some beach vendors and smaller restaurants are cash-only.
Sunscreen, and lots of it. The reflection off the white sand and clear water amplifies the burn. Reapply after every swim.
Book tours 2-3 days ahead in summer. Same-day bookings are possible in shoulder season, but July and August tours fill up fast.
The town itself is worth exploring. Most people just do the boat tour and leave, but La Maddalena town has excellent seafood restaurants, a small but interesting naval museum, and the kind of narrow Italian streets that look fantastic at golden hour. Grab dinner at a waterfront restaurant and catch the sunset over Palau. Don’t skip the local fregola with clams if you see it on a menu.
More Sardinia and Italy Guides
If you’re exploring more of Sardinia’s coast, our guide to Cagliari boat tours covers the southern end of the island, where the coastline is just as spectacular but in a completely different way. And if your Italy trip extends beyond Sardinia, have a look at our Capri guide for another island that delivers absurd water colours, or our Cinque Terre from La Spezia walkthrough if you’re heading up the mainland coast.
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