Sailing and Boat Tours in Sardinia
Many of Sardinia's most beautiful coves are barely reachable from land, or only after a long hike – from the water, the island often looks completely different.
La Maddalena – island-hopping in the north
The archipelago off Palau consists of seven main islands and numerous rocky islets, largely a national park. Day trips from Palau or Golfo Aranci usually stop at several spots for swimming breaks in the turquoise water between the islands.
Golfo di Orosei – caves and cove beaches
The steep coast between Cala Gonone and Santa Maria Navarrese is superb to explore by boat: coves like Cala Luna, Cala Sisine, Cala Mariolu, and Cala Goloritzé are much easier to reach from the sea than on foot. Many operators combine several coves into a single day tour.
Costa Smeralda and surroundings
The "Emerald Coast" in the northeast is also the centre of Sardinian charter and yacht sailing, with numerous marinas (including Porto Cervo) and rental options – from small motorboats requiring no licence up to large sailing yachts with a skipper.
Your own boat or a guided tour?
- Without a boating licence, many coastal towns rent small motorboats (usually up to 40 hp) by the day.
- Guided group tours are the simplest way to see several coves in one day, usually including food and often with snorkeling stops.
- Charter with a skipper is worthwhile for multi-day trips, for example around La Maddalena.