Italy · Sardinia
Costa Smeralda and the Strait of Bonifacio
Seven nights from Olbia — La Maddalena, Budelli and the crossing to Corsica, in the clearest water Italy has.
7 nights · Round trip from Olbia
Thirteen yachts sit at Olbia, which makes this the base with the widest choice in the fleet. The water north of it is the reason: a granite archipelago inside a national park, an hour from the mainland, with anchorages that hold their colour even in August. The route crosses into Corsica halfway through, which is a passport and a different country for lunch.
The route, day by day
Day 1
Porto Cervo
Board at Olbia and run north the same afternoon. Porto Cervo for the first night if you want the harbour, Cala di Volpe if you would rather not.
Day 2
La Maddalena
Into the archipelago proper. Cala Corsara on Spargi and the anchorages on the east side of Caprera, where Garibaldi spent his last years.
Day 3
Budelli
The pink beach, which you look at rather than land on — it is protected and has been closed to footfall for years. The anchorage next to it is the point.
Day 4
Bonifacio
Across the strait into Corsica. The town sits on a chalk cliff above a fjord-like inlet and the approach is the most theatrical entrance in the Mediterranean.
Day 5
Îles Lavezzi
Back south through the granite islets between the two countries — a marine reserve, shallow, clear, and almost lunar above the waterline.
Day 6
Tavolara
South again to the limestone slab standing off the coast north of Olbia, with an anchorage under it and a beach on the sheltered side.
Day 7
Olbia
The short run back in, with time for a last swim on the way. Golfo Aranci if the wind makes the gulf uncomfortable.
Worth knowing
- Thirteen yachts are based at Olbia — the widest choice of any base in this fleet
- The Strait of Bonifacio is a border crossing: passports aboard, and the paperwork is simple but not optional
- The strait funnels wind and can be lively in the afternoon; the crossing is usually made in the morning
- The Maddalena archipelago is a national park with anchoring zones — the crew hold the permits and know the limits
- Olbia airport is twenty minutes from the base, which makes this the easiest week to arrive for
Where this route goes
Yachts that sail this route
Itineraries
Sail this route
Tell us your dates and how many are coming, and we will say which yacht suits the week — including when a different route suits you better.