Capo Carbonara by sailing boat, Isola dei Cavoli, the Madonna del Naufrago and Sardinian lunch on board.

Off Villasimius, the southeastern tip of the Gulf of Cagliari, lies the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area: created in 1998, it covers about 14,360 hectares of sea including Isola dei Cavoli, Serpentara and several islets. There are posidonia meadows, red gorgonians and, with luck, dolphins. The most relaxed way to see it is to spend a day on a sailing boat that stops for swimming, lands on the island and serves lunch on board. The Matilda II is a 22-metre schooner authorised by the marine area to carry passengers.

The day on board

You meet at pier M of the Villasimius marina, no later than 10:00. After a first stretch under sail, a tender takes you to a beach: Punta Is Molentis, Cuccureddus, Simius or Is Traias, depending on the wind and sea of the day.

Then, if conditions allow, the boat anchors at Isola dei Cavoli, at Cala Is Scasciu or beside the small harbour. You have an hour to walk its short paths and climb up to the old lighthouse, with a view over the whole cape. The next stop is the buoy of the Madonna del Naufrago: about 30 minutes of snorkelling to see the submerged statue by the sculptor Pinuccio Sciola. For the rest of the day there are one or more swims from the boat at Porto Giunco, Simius, the Proceddus pools or the bay of the island of Santo Stefano. At 16:30 you are back in the harbour.

Lunch

It is served around 12:30 and is included: malloreddus alla campidanese, the Sardinian pasta with tomato and sausage sauce; then cured sausage, pecorino and spianata bread; for dessert, filled biscuits. To drink, water, wine, soft drinks, coffee and mirto.

Price and booking

€80 per adult and €70 for ages 2 to 12, from 1 May to 30 September, every day. It holds up to 40 people, and in July and August it is best to book days ahead: online on its website, by WhatsApp or by phone. The website does not publish the cancellation policy; ask when booking what happens if the wind forces a cancellation. The sailing stretches depend on there being enough wind, neither too little nor too much.

Getting there

Villasimius is a little over an hour from Cagliari by car. Park near the marina and arrive with time to spare to find pier M. If you are staying in the town, the harbour is a few minutes away by car.