When facing Palau, which takes 15 minutes to reach by ferry, La Maddalena is the biggest island of the Archipelago. Once here, if you want to discover its true soul, you must lose yourself amongst its 18th century buildings, small shops, colourful houses, coffee shops and restaurants. It is the only inhabited town, with many streets and alleys which cross and create a charming and lively ambiance. 

Founded in 1770, it played a pivotal role during several historical events thanks to its strategic position in the Mediterranean.
To name just two, strategically speaking, Admiral Nelson considered it more important than Malta and thus decided to spend more than a year in the Archipelago. In 1793, La Maddalena’s history linked Napoléon Bonaparte when he tried to invade the island, but was unable to. We owe Domenico Millelire, as Commander of the Sardinian fleet, for Bonaparte’s defeat.

Must-see!

There is plenty to do on the island, but we will just suggest three. Make sure you put them on top of your list! 

If you want to be surrounded by La Maddalena’s breathtaking nature and live it all-round, you must take the panoramic road: its nearly 20 kilometres will make you discover the island from different vantage points. Besides passing through some of the most beautiful beaches, this road will also lead you to one of the most evocative places facing Spargi island: Punta Tegge. 

Thanks to its lunar charm, Punta Tegge cliff is the perfect location to enjoy an unforgettable sunset. In addition, the beaches here keep an intact allure, as well as being equipped with a boardwalk to meet the needs of people with physical impairments.

In the historic centre you will find another essential site for the locals: the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena. Here you will see a collection of many valuables, for instance the Candelabra and the silver crucifix with Baron Giorgio Andreas De Geneys’ emblem, given by Admiral Nelson as a gift. Adjoining the church, there is the Diocesan Museum, whose main goal is to preserve the religious cultural heritage.

Cala Francese is another place worth visiting, being authentic and full of history! It is a site of great importance for both the mineralogical point of view and the old presence of stonecutters, considered true masters of granite working. 
The quarry began its activity in the second half of the 19th century and worked at full speed until 1930. Engineer Bertlin launched ‘Cava Francese’ internationally and his initiative made La Maddalena’s granite popular worldwide.

Beaches 

Covered with the typical vegetation known as ‘Mediterranean scrub’, La Maddalena island consists of stunning natural landscapes consisting of very white beaches and bays - which seem almost dug into the rocks - overlooking crystal clear water.

Among the best beaches, we cannot forget ‘Capocchia du Purpu’, or ‘Testa del Polpo’ in Italian, located in Giardinelli peninsula - linked to La Maddalena through an isthmus and opposite Caprera. The beach takes its name from a huge natural rock whose shape reminds that of an octopus head. The sand here is clear and extremely thin, the water is extraordinarily light blue and quite shallow.

If you follow the panoramic road, you will easily get to Cala Spalmatore, which offers visitors a genuine experience since it is highly frequented by local people. This beach is the ideal location on windy days, being sheltered from northwest wind - typical on the island - and thus always offering a calm and transparent sea.

Bassa Trinita beach represents another fantastic spot to spend a day at the seaside. Within easy reach, through a slight detour from the panoramic road, you will get to appreciate its white sand, enchanting flora, crystalline waters and postcard-worthy colours.
The whole area has a landscape relevance for its sand dunes. To protect this fragile ecosystem, the Park has created a walkway with boardwalks, thus allowing access to bathers, without walking on the dunes in full respect of the surrounding nature.

Monti da Rena beach, easily reachable via the panoramic road, has transparent water and awonderful scenery, when there is no wind. Its name is derived from a suggestive sand dune placed on a hill on the eastern side. Even here you will find a boardwalk which provides direct access to the sea for people with special needs or physical impairment.