PARCO NAZIONALE DELL'ARCIPELAGO DI LA MADDALENA

With its 50 ha and 180 km of coastline, it is the first national park created in Sardinia in 1996. The park includes the sixty or so islands and islets and the marine area that surrounds them. It was about time, because every year cohorts of tourists disembark there, attracted by its granite rocks sculpted by the wind, its crystal clear waters and its small heavenly beaches. The archipelago is an exceptional nature reserve thanks to its low anthropization. Only the island of La Maddalena is inhabited all year round. Most of the islands have remained untouched by construction. Its strategic position in this part of the Mediterranean basin has allowed some celebrities to land there. Napoleon Bonaparte or Admiral Nelson have walked on its soil. Guiseppe Garibaldi landed on the island of Caprera and remained there until the year of his death in 1882. The islands of La Maddalena and Caprera, linked by a breakwater, can be visited by car. Nevertheless, it is better to approach the archipelago by boat to enjoy the more isolated islands, the curaçao blue waters, the playful dolphins and the splendid sea beds. Numerous companies offer sea excursions from Palau, La Maddalena, Santa Teresa Gallura and all the small surrounding ports. Diving enthusiasts will be seduced by the excellent visibility and the underwater archaeological trails. The National Park of La Maddalena is definitely worth a visit.