La Maddalena: the blue heart of Sardinia that enchants the world

In the northeast of Sardinia, a true earthly paradise is hidden among the most crystalline waters of the Mediterranean: the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park. It extends for about 20,000 hectares between sea and land, with 60 islands scattered between Sardinia and Corsica.

La Maddalena is the only permanently inhabited island and is indeed the main one, offering a picturesque historic center that is well integrated with the surrounding environment. The other islands—Caprera, Budelli, Spargi, Razzoli, Santa Maria, and Santo Stefano—are also very famous and feature some of the most beautiful coves in Sardinia. Budelli is famous for its Pink Beach (Spiaggia Rosa), which in the past was a destination for many tourists who came to Sardinia specifically to witness this almost Caribbean spectacle. The area is now no longer accessible and is considered a protected area, but it can be admired from the sea itself or from a distance. Caprera, on the other hand, was the last residence of Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose complex is now a visitable museum.

The island also includes beautiful beaches such as Cala Coticcio. For those who love snorkeling or scuba diving, this archipelago is ideal. Kayak excursions and sailboat trips are very frequent, and from there it is possible to see schools of fish, Posidonia seagrass, and the seabed is always rich in life.

The park was established in 1994 and is the first national park in Sardinia; it is also considered one of the most important natural laboratories in the Mediterranean, and is part of the Natura 2000 protected areas that protect biodiversity.

So, if you want to immerse yourself in a dimension parallel to the mundane, made of beauty and uncontaminated nature, crystalline waters, white, and sometimes pink, beaches, then the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park is the ideal place, a postcard visitable by all.

cover photo credits leoks