La Maddalena Archipelago is one of the jewels of Mediterranean charter sailing, a national park of seven main islands and numerous uninhabited islets spread across the channels between northern Sardinia and the southern tip of Corsica. The water in these channels rivals anything in the Caribbean for clarity and colour, ranging from pale jade in the sandy shallows to deep sapphire in the passes between islands. Nineteen motor yachts operate in the Sardinia region, and La Maddalena is the destination that most of them will visit during a northern Sardinia itinerary, whether as a waypoint or as the primary destination of the week.
Motor yacht charter in La Maddalena combines the infrastructure of the town’s well-equipped marina, where fuel and provisioning are straightforward, with the total solitude of the outer islands. Budelli’s famous pink beach, Caprera’s military and historical heritage, and the drift-dive passes around Razzoli and Spargi are all within a morning’s reach of a La Maddalena base. Corsica’s Lavezzi Islands are a four-hour passage north.
Charter weeks based in or around La Maddalena cost between 30,000 and 250,000 euros per week for motor yachts, with the advance provisioning allowance adding around thirty percent. La Maddalena’s national park status means some anchorages require a permit, and the busiest passes fill quickly in July and August, making June and September the favoured months for guests who want space and quiet alongside the scenery.
Captain briefings invariably cover permit requirements, anchoring restrictions and the low-speed zones within the park before departure.
