Hotel Miralonga
Why we like it: Three-star hotel with 50 rooms on La Maddalena's panoramic road, 800 m from the harbour, with a pool on a terrace over the archipelago.
Duration2 nights, Friday to Sunday
From Olbia45 min by car to Palau · 20 min ferry
BoatFrom €52.50 with Elena Tour Navigazioni
CarUseful on the second day for Caprera
Best timeMay, June and September
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive in Olbia on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday evening, from May to October. The first night in Palau, 150 metres from the boat that leaves at 10:00; the second on La Maddalena, to have the island and Caprera to hand without depending on the last ferry.
Friday
- 117:00From Olbia to Palau
Three-quarters of an hour by car. Leave your luggage at La Vecchia Fonte.
- 218:15Monte Altura fortress
The last guided visit leaves at 18:15 from June to early August and in September; in May and October, at 17:15. €5.
- 320:00Dinner at La Gritta
Seafood on the terrace at Porto Faro, facing the islands. Book by phone.
Saturday
- 109:00Boat around the archipelago
Check-in from 8:45 to 9:15 at the ferry terminal. Cala Corsara, Cala Santa Maria and the Budelli pools, with the Spiaggia Rosa from the boat. From €52.50, plus the landing tax. Bring your own lunch.
- 217:30Roccia dell'Orso
Ten minutes by car. An hour for the climb, the view and the descent. €3.
- 319:30Ferry to La Maddalena
With the car. Leave your bag at the Miralonga and go down to eat pizza at Sergent Pepper's, open until 23:00.
Sunday
- 109:30Old town and Cala Gavetta
A stroll before the excursion boats arrive.
- 211:00Compendio Garibaldino
On Caprera, a quarter of an hour away. Booking compulsory; €8, free for under-18s.
- 313:30Lunch at La Grotta
Fish by weight or the house lobster, in the centre since 1958.
- 415:30Coves on the panoramic road
Or, from mid-June to September, guided snorkelling or an introductory dive with Argonauta at Abbatoggia.
- 519:00Ferry to Palau and back to Olbia
You arrive around 20:30.
La Maddalena offers two journeys: the sea one, among the islands without roads, and the land one, around La Maddalena and Caprera. With two nights you do both without rushing. The first you spend in Palau, beside the port, to leave on Saturday on the ten o'clock boat to Spargi, Santa Maria and the Budelli pools. The second, on the island of La Maddalena, to devote Sunday to Caprera, Garibaldi's house and the coves.
How do you get there from Olbia?
From Spain, fly to Olbia (OLB), with a direct flight from Barcelona. Hire a car at the airport: Palau is 45 minutes away. On Saturday you do not need it, because the boat leaves from the port of Palau. On Sunday morning you take it across on the Delcomar or Maddalena Lines ferry, twenty minutes to La Maddalena, to get around the island and Caprera.
Where to stay?
| Accommodation | Where | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel La Vecchia Fonte | Palau, 150 m from the port | To go out on the boat without moving the car |
| Hotel Miralonga | La Maddalena, 800 m from the ferry | Rooftop pool and a view of the channel |
| Abbatoggia Camping Village | North of La Maddalena | Mobile homes by the sea, with the diving centre next door |
The first night, at the Hotel La Vecchia Fonte, a four-star with a garage in the centre of Palau. The second, at the Hotel Miralonga, on the panoramic road of La Maddalena; with their booking you get a 20% discount on the return Maddalena Lines ferry. If you prefer the sea at your door, swap the Miralonga for the Abbatoggia Camping Village.
Where to eat
Three different tables. La Gritta, in Palau, is the terrace dinner with Sardinian wine, in the Michelin guide. La Grotta is the seafood house of La Maddalena's old town, opened in 1958 by a family from Pozzuoli. And Sergent Pepper's is the simple pizza, open all day.
What if you change a day?
Cala Coticcio. From June to September, the Maxi Tour swaps the Budelli pools for a swim at Cala Coticcio, on Caprera.
Underwater. With Argonauta, an introductory dive of about three hours costs €130, and guided snorkelling €65.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
La Maddalena Archipelago, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to La Maddalena Archipelago
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Flying to Olbia and Driving to Palau
The nearest airport is Olbia, with 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, where the ferry to La Maddalena and the boat excursions leave from, it is about 42 km, three-quarters of an hour along the coast road.
- Getting thereOlbia Costa Smeralda (OLB), 45…
- Getting aroundHire car at Olbia airport…
- Where to stayHotel La Vecchia Fonte, in…
- ServicesDelcomar ferry, with night service
Getting there
- Olbia Costa Smeralda (OLB), 45 minutes from Palau
- Alghero (AHO) and Cagliari (CAG), further away, if you cannot find a flight to Olbia
- At Palau, a 20-minute ferry to La Maddalena with Delcomar or Maddalena Lines
Getting around
- Hire car at Olbia airport, for Palau, Caprera and the panoramic road
- Without a car: the boat day leaves from Palau harbour and La Maddalena's centre can be covered on foot
- Taxi from the airport to Palau with Hotel La Vecchia Fonte, from €105 per trip
Where to stay
- Hotel La Vecchia Fonte, in Palau, 150 m from the harbour, for the first night
- Hotel Miralonga, in La Maddalena, 800 m from the ferry
Services
- Delcomar ferry, with night service
- Maddalena Lines ferry
La Maddalena by Car
A car is useful for getting from Olbia to Palau in 45 minutes and, taken across on the ferry, for driving round La Maddalena and Caprera on the panoramic road. For boat day you do not need it: the excursions leave from Palau harbour.
90–160 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel La Vecchia Fonte, in…
- Getting aroundCar ferry by Delcomar or…
- Where to eatSergent Pepper's, pizza from €5…
- ServicesDelcomar ferry, with car and…
Where to stay
- Hotel La Vecchia Fonte, in Palau, with a ten-space garage at €19 a day
- Hotel Miralonga, in La Maddalena, with covered parking and a garage
- Abbatoggia Camping Village, with parking next to the mobile homes
Getting around
- Car ferry by Delcomar or Maddalena Lines, about 20 minutes
- La Maddalena's panoramic road and the paso della Moneta bridge to Caprera
- In July and August, the car ferries are full at peak times
Where to eat
- Sergent Pepper's, pizza from €5 all day
- La Grotta, fish by weight in the old town
- La Gritta, in Palau, with a terrace facing the islands
Services
- Delcomar ferry, with car and motorbike fares on its website
- Maddalena Lines ferry, with a 20% discount for Hotel Miralonga guests
How much does it cost?
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Where to stay
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Hotel La Vecchia Fonte
Why we like it: Four-star hotel in the centre of Palau, 150 m from the excursion harbour and the ferry to La Maddalena, with two suites with a jacuzzi on the terrace.
Abbatoggia Camping Village
Why we like it: Campsite and mobile homes on a small peninsula in the north of La Maddalena, inside the park, between four coves. Pitches for tents and motorhomes, bar and restaurant.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in La Maddalena Archipelago
La Grotta
What to order: the aragosta alla Sette-Otto, the family's lobster recipe for more than sixty years; if you do not want lobster, the spaghetti alla Grotta with seafood and the fish of the day alla Filomena
Open every day in season. Book in summer. €5 cover charge; fish is charged by weight.
Sergent Pepper's
What to order: the Gallurese pizza, with fresh sausage and pecorino, or the Sarda, with cured sausage; if you do not want pizza, the zuppa gallurese, the northern Sardinian soup of bread, broth and cheese
Open every day from 12:00 to 23:00. No need to book; it has a waiting list with SMS alert and takeaway.
La Gritta
What to order: the fish of the day in the version the chef suggests and a Sardinian wine from a small producer on the list; ask for a terrace table for the sunset over the islands
Open from April to October. Closed on Sundays, except from 15 June to 15 September, when it is open every day. Book by phone.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the boat and the Compendio beforehand
Both fill up in summer, and the Compendio requires a booking.
- 2Check the wind on Friday
If the mistral cancels Saturday's boat, swap the days.
- 3Travel light
You change accommodation and cross by ferry.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many nights do you need on La Maddalena?
Two to see the islands by boat and Caprera; with three or four you add coves and diving.
Where is it better to sleep, in Palau or on La Maddalena?
In Palau for the boat day; on La Maddalena for Caprera and the coves. This getaway does one night in each place.
Do you need a car?
To get to Palau and for Caprera, yes. For the boat day, no.
When should you go?
From May to October, when the boats run; best in May, June and September.