What to see in the La Maddalena archipelago, island by island
Seven granite islands at the mouth of the Strait of Bonifacio, with Corsica in the background. Two are reached by ferry (La Maddalena and Caprera) and the other five are only seen with the trips, and not all can be landed on. This is what each one has.
Budelli
The island of the Spiaggia Rosa, the pink-sand beach that names half the archipelago and is seen only from the boat, protected. Where you do swim is the Porto della Madonna, the natural pools between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, a stop on almost every trip and on the sailing boat.
Spargi and Santa Maria
Spargi is the island of swimming coves: Cala Corsara, where the lunch boat anchors for an hour, and Cala Granara, last stop of the classic trip; the sailing boat makes two stops here. Santa Maria, the northernmost next to Razzoli, has pale-sand coves and an old monastery visible from the anchorage. Neither has any services: whatever you need, in your bag.
La Maddalena and Caprera
The two islands the ferry reaches. La Maddalena has the archipelago’s only town, with its historic centre (a stop on the lunch boat), and Caprera, joined by a bridge, has coves such as Cala Coticcio, nicknamed Tahiti, and a handful of residents. These are the islands to explore by car or on foot, without a trip.
