A week in Sardinia: La Maddalena and the Costa Smeralda
North-east Sardinia is two different routes in one: the Costa Smeralda with its marinas, and the La Maddalena archipelago, which is a national park in its entirety. Legs are short but the waters are busy, and anchoring in the park is regulated — this is not an area where you drop the hook wherever you like.
Day by day
Olbia
- Olbia40.922, 9.512
Boat handover, provisioning in town. Olbia is the main charter base of the north-east; most one-week routes start here.
Olbia → Tavolara
- Tavolara40.902, 9.700
A rock of an island over 500 metres high at the mouth of the Gulf of Olbia — the most recognisable silhouette on the coast.
Tavolara → Porto Cervo
- Porto Cervo41.135, 9.536
The heart of the Costa Smeralda: a marina, shop windows and the most expensive berths in the Mediterranean. A night in the marina here costs noticeably more than the route average.
Porto Cervo → La Maddalena
- La Maddalena41.213, 9.405
Into the archipelago via the Strait of Bonifacio. The archipelago's main town is on the island of the same name — a convenient place to plan the next days from.
Caprera and Spargi
- Caprera41.200, 9.468
- Spargi41.240, 9.340
- La Maddalena41.213, 9.405
Caprera is joined to La Maddalena by a bridge; Garibaldi's house is on the island. Spargi and its neighbours are about the water and the anchorages.
La Maddalena → Porto Rotondo
- Porto Rotondo41.024, 9.541
Back to the mainland along the coast. Porto Rotondo is a calmer and cheaper marina than Porto Cervo.
Porto Rotondo → Olbia
- Olbia40.922, 9.512
A short final leg, the fuel dock and handover. Night on the boat in the marina, fly out the next day.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- The La Maddalena archipelago is a national park: transit and mooring are paid, the permit is arranged online or through the base, and some bays are closed to anchoring. Check the current rules with the fleet before you leave.
- The Strait of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica is known for strengthening winds — plan the crossing for the first half of the day.
- Costa Smeralda marinas are the most expensive on the route in August; budget for berths separately from the boat.
When to go and what it costs in Italy
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Italy
All boats in Italy
How long is the Olbia — La Maddalena route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 100 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Olbia. Overnight stops in order: Olbia, Tavolara, Porto Cervo, La Maddalena, La Maddalena, Porto Rotondo. The longest leg is day 6, 22 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Olbia — La Maddalena route?
Italy's season runs May to October. June and September give the best balance of weather and price; July and August are the peak, with expensive, busy marinas, which is why in Sardinia you anchor out. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler water, cheaper boats. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is November: a median of ≈€254 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€280. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 52%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Italy for a week starts from €934 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Italy”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
