La Maddalena Archipelago: pink granite islands and water you can see to the bottom.

What is La Maddalena?

It's an archipelago of more than sixty islands and islets of granite and schist on the north-east tip of Sardinia, opposite Palau. Since 1994 it has been a national park, the island's first: more than 20,000 hectares of sea and land and about 180 km of coastline. Only two islands have village life. La Maddalena, the largest, with the town of the same name, founded in 1770 and for a long time a base of the Italian navy. And Caprera, joined to it by a road over the Passo della Moneta, where Giuseppe Garibaldi lived the last 26 years of his life.

The rest are islands with no road, reached by boat: Spargi, with Cala Corsara; Budelli, with the Spiaggia Rosa; Santa Maria and Razzoli, separated by the shallow waters of Porto della Madonna, the so-called natural pools; and Santo Stefano, opposite Palau. The water is so clear that from the deck you can see the sandy bottom several metres down, and the rocks have shapes carved by the wind.

How do you get there from Spain?

Fly to Olbia (OLB), which has a direct flight from Barcelona. From other Spanish cities there is usually a connection, or you fly to Alghero or Cagliari and cross the island by car. From Olbia to Palau it's about 42 km, three quarters of an hour by car along the coast road towards Santa Teresa. At Palau you take the ferry to La Maddalena: a twenty-minute crossing with two operators, Delcomar and Maddalena Lines, with departures all day and a night service.

If you go by boat from Barcelona, Grimaldi Lines arrives at Porto Torres, in the north of Sardinia; from there it's about two hours by car to Palau.

Where to stay: Palau or La Maddalena?

Palau is the gateway: the ferries and almost all the boat excursions leave from its harbour, and from there you can also visit the Roccia dell'Orso and the Monte Altura fortress. If you only want one day of boating, sleep in Palau and you don't have to take the car across. La Maddalena pays off if you want Caprera, the coves on the scenic road and dinners in the old town without depending on the last ferry. With two or three nights, the best thing is to combine: one in Palau, at the Hotel La Vecchia Fonte, by the harbour, and the rest on the island, at the Hotel Miralonga or at the Abbatoggia campsite. For eating, La Grotta in the old town, the pizza at Sergent Pepper's or the terrace of La Gritta in Palau. There are two day plans from Olbia, by boat round the islands and round Caprera by car, and a two-night getaway.

How do you see the islands?

On an excursion boat. It's the way to see Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria. The big boats leave Palau at 10:00 and return around 17:00, with three or four swimming stops: Cala Corsara, Cala Santa Maria and the Budelli pools. With Elena Tour Navigazioni from €52.50 per person, plus the municipal landing contribution, which is paid separately: €2.50 in May, September and October and €5 from June to August. Children under 6 don't pay it.

By car round La Maddalena and Caprera. A scenic road circles the island of La Maddalena and passes near coves such as Spalmatore, Cala Francese or Bassa Trinita; another crosses to Caprera over the Passo della Moneta. You can take your car across on the ferry or hire a car, a motorbike or a bike on the island.

Underwater. The park's seabeds have granite, posidonia meadows and shoals with red gorgonians, such as the Washington shoal between Budelli and Spargi. Guided diving or snorkelling is done with authorised centres, such as Argonauta, at Abbatoggia.

The park rules

The park keeps a close watch, and these rules affect your visit:

• The Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli can't be set foot on. Since 1998 landing, swimming and anchoring in front of it have been forbidden so the pink sand wouldn't vanish into visitors' pockets. It can be seen from the boat or from the nearby Cavaliere beach.
• Don't take sand, stones or shells from any beach.
• Diving, fishing and water sports need authorisation from the park. If you dive with a centre, it takes care of that.
• Boat routes change with the wind and the park's instructions. An operator may skip a cove on a day when the mistral makes it dangerous or the park closes it.
• The landing contribution is charged on excursions from May to October.

The park's website (lamaddalenapark.it) wasn't responding when we prepared this page; before going, check the season's rules there, especially if you want to walk to Cala Coticcio, on Caprera, which has restricted access.

When to go?

May, June and September. The sea is already or still good for swimming, boats run every day and the coves aren't crowded. July and August are high season: more boats at Cala Corsara, ferries full with cars and high prices. In October there are still excursions and the water keeps the summer's warmth, but the wind cancels more departures. From November to March the ferry still runs and the island can be visited, but the boat excursions, the diving centre and many restaurants close.

What to see on land

On La Maddalena, the old town: 18th-century lanes, the church of Santa Maria Maddalena and the port of Cala Gavetta, with a column bearing Garibaldi's effigy. On Caprera, the Compendio Garibaldino, the white house where the hero lived and died, with his tomb, the mill and the oil press he built with his son. It needs a reservation and closes on Mondays.

In Palau, the Roccia dell'Orso, a granite rock shaped like a bear above Capo d'Orso, and the Monte Altura fortress, a military citadel from 1887 camouflaged among rocks that is visited with a guide.