La Maddalena Archipelago
Cala Goloritzè
Spiaggia di Chia
Porto Pollo
Cala Brandinchi
Explore the Gulf of Orosei by tender
Visit the Su Nuraxi nuraghe complex
Hike the Sea and Stars Trail near Cala Gonone
Dive the wrecks and caves off Alghero
View Budelli’s pink beach from the water
La Maddalena Archipelago National Park
Costa Verde
Cagliari
Alghero
Su Nuraxi di Barumini
June through September gives the most settled weather and the warmest water, with July and August the busiest months around the Costa Smeralda. May and October extend the season with fewer crowds, though water in the Gulf of Orosei and along the west coast can feel cooler outside peak summer. The mistral and other strong northerlies can build quickly, so most captains keep a flexible schedule.
Olbia (OLB), about 30 kilometres and a half-hour drive from Porto Cervo, is the main gateway for the Costa Smeralda and northeast coast. Cagliari (CAG) in the south and Alghero (AHO) in the northwest serve the rest of the island, useful when the itinerary focuses on the Gulf of Orosei or the west coast instead. Many charters fly into one airport and disembark from another to avoid backtracking.
The La Maddalena Archipelago offers the widest choice of sheltered water within easy reach of Porto Cervo, while Cala Goloritzè in the Gulf of Orosei is dramatic, framed by a limestone spire and reachable only from the sea. Cala Brandinchi near San Teodoro suits calmer family days, and the Costa del Sud in the southwest gives a quieter alternative away from the northeast crowds. Mooring buoys are mandatory at several popular spots in peak season.
A week lets guests combine the Costa Smeralda and La Maddalena Archipelago with a couple of nights further south or along the west coast. Sardinia rewards a slower pace than some Mediterranean itineraries, since many of its best anchorages sit away from marinas and reward time spent swimming and exploring rather than moving on. Ten days to two weeks allows a fuller loop of the island without feeling rushed.
No. La Maddalena National Park has prohibited walking on Budelli’s Spiaggia Rosa and swimming from it since the 1990s, protecting the coral fragments and shell debris that give the sand its colour. Boats can still cruise past on a day trip and guests can walk a path behind the beach, but stepping onto the sand itself is not permitted. Rangers patrol the area during peak season and fines apply for violations.
