Sardinia
by catamaran.

Geographic overview

Most charters work the northeast corner of the island — the Costa Smeralda and the La Maddalena Archipelago. Distances are forgiving: Olbia to Palau is a relaxed half-day, Palau to the Spargi anchorages is under an hour, and the longest hop on the classic week (Bocche di Bonifacio to Lavezzi) is a 12-mile crossing you time around the wind. Water depth between the islands rarely drops below 30 metres, and most of the marquee anchorages sit on hard sand at 4 to 8 metres — perfect for catamaran ground tackle.

The southern coast (Cagliari, Villasimius, Costa Rei) and the western coast (Alghero, Stintino) are also chartered but typically by guests with two or more weeks. For one-week charters, stick to the northeast — the sailing economy is built around it, the marina infrastructure is purpose-built for catamarans, and you waste no day repositioning.

The Bocche di Bonifacio is the only stretch on a Sardinian week I plan around the forecast, not the calendar. I want a settled-weather window of 24 hours either side of the crossing — Mistral funnels through the strait and turns 18 knots open-water into 28 knots inside the channel. We swap days with the archipelago if the GRIB says no.

Key destinations within the area

Spargi and Cala Corsara

Spargi sits in the centre of the La Maddalena archipelago and is usually the first mainland-island swap on a Saturday-start week. Cala Corsara on the southern side has hard sand, a small village beach, and a sheltered anchorage that holds well in the prevailing Maestral. Lunch on board, snorkel the granite shelf on the western arm, and — if winds allow — move to Cala Granara in the afternoon for a quieter sundowner anchorage. Park rangers patrol Spargi waters most mornings; have the permit receipt visible on the chart table.

Caprera and Cala Coticcio

Caprera is Garibaldi's old island, a national park covered in pink granite and juniper. Cala Coticcio on the eastern side is the most photographed anchorage in the archipelago, sometimes called “the Tahiti of Sardinia” for the stripe of white sand and the water colour. Permit fees inside the park are paid per person per day; we book them with your charter so you do not lose a half-day at the park office on Saturday morning. Landing on the beach itself is regulated to 60 people at a time — your boat slot is automatic with the entry fee but the queue can be long mid- August.

Budelli and Spiaggia Rosa

Budelli's famous pink-sand beach is off-limits to landings (protected since 1992), but the surrounding shelf is exceptional for swimming. Anchor on the eastern side in the channel between Budelli and Razzoli, take the dinghy to a designated viewing zone, and continue on to Cala di Roto on Razzoli for a quieter afternoon stop. On a clear evening you can watch the sun drop behind Corsica from this anchorage.

Bonifacio and Cap Pertusato (Corsica)

Sardinian charters routinely cross the Bocche di Bonifacio to spend a night under the limestone fortress walls of Bonifacio. The crossing is short (12 miles) but the strait is funnel-shaped and Mistral can build quickly — pick a settled-weather window. Tie up in the inner harbour, climb the cliff stairs to the old town for dinner, and time the morning departure around the channel current. Booking the marina the night before is non-negotiable from mid-June through early September; we handle the radio call at 17:00 the day prior to confirm a stern-to slot.

Lavezzi and the granite reefs

The Lavezzi Islands are a French nature reserve a short hop from Bonifacio. Anchor on sand off the southwest beach (no facilities ashore — bring lunch from the boat), swim the shallow channels between the granite slabs, and come back to the Sardinian side by mid-afternoon. This is one of the most memorable lunch stops in the western Med, and the mooring buoys around the reserve are tagged €18 per buoy per day inside the protected zone — cash only at the ranger boat that swings by mid-morning.

Tavolara

On the way back south to Olbia, the limestone slab of Tavolara rises 565 metres straight out of the sea. The west-side anchorage is sheltered from the prevailing wind, the small village (Spalmatore di Terra) has a couple of family-run trattorias, and the contrast against the white-sand beaches inland makes for a perfect last-night stop before Saturday morning return.

Best catamarans for Sardinian waters

Most charters in our fleet are 40 to 46 ft sailing catamarans — Lagoon 40, Lagoon 42, Bali 4.2, Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42, Bali Catspace. They handle the typical Sardinian conditions (10–18 knots Maestral, calm mornings) without effort and seat 8 to 10 guests comfortably across 4 cabins. For larger groups, the Lagoon 46 or Bali 4.6 opens up to 12 guests with a full owner's cabin layout. Generator and full air-conditioning are standard above 42 ft and worth specifying for July–August nights at anchor.

Power catamarans (Lagoon Sixty 5, Sunreef 60 Power) appear in the fleet at the larger end and suit guests who prefer faster region hops with full-luxury onboard amenities. Range under power is typically 500+ nautical miles which covers a Sardinia–Corsica– northeast-Sardinia week without refuelling stress.

Where to start — marina bases

Olbia

The most convenient base. Olbia Costa Smeralda airport is 10 minutes from Marina di Olbia by taxi, and provisioning supermarkets are walking distance. Most large charter fleets keep their boats here. Check-in from 17:00 Saturday, first-night briefing on board, supermarket delivery slots run until 19:00 Saturday for the largest provisioner (Conad) — book online by Thursday.

Portisco

A boutique marina north of Olbia, in the heart of the Costa Smeralda. Quieter than Olbia, with high-end provisioners and a small selection of harbour-front restaurants. Transfer from Olbia airport is 30 minutes by taxi (around €60). Best base for guests who want a calmer Saturday arrival and a 30-minute head-start into the archipelago on Sunday.

Cannigione

Inside the Gulf of Arzachena, Cannigione is the most central base for La Maddalena itineraries. The marina is family-run, parking is free for the week, and you are an hour and twenty minutes from the airport. Worth the longer transfer if your week is built around the archipelago — you save an hour of sailing each way compared to Olbia.

Season and weather

Sardinia's charter season runs from late April to late October. The prevailing wind is the Maestral — a northwest breeze that fills in around 11:00, peaks at 15-20 knots in the afternoon, and typically drops at sunset. Mistral events (gusty northwest 25-35 knots) can build in spring and autumn, sometimes lasting 2-3 days; flexible itineraries pay off. Sea-temperature climbs through 22°C by mid-June and peaks at 26°C in late August.

Best months: June (warm sea, settled weather, prices below July rates), September (peak-quality conditions, smaller crowds, water still 24°C). Peak season July-August is busy but reliable; book six to nine months ahead. Late April and October are charter-able for sailors who do not mind sweater weather at anchor — flat seas, empty bays, and the granite headlands at their most photogenic.

Sample 7-day Sardinia catamaran route

Saturday — Olbia / Portisco. Check-in 17:00, briefing, dinner ashore. Sunday — Spargi (Cala Corsara). First crossing into the archipelago, afternoon swim, anchor overnight on sand. Monday — Caprera (Cala Coticcio). Park permit cleared at check-in. Sundowner anchorage with view of the Bonifacio cliffs. Tuesday — Budelli & Razzoli. Spiaggia Rosa channel for the morning, Razzoli's Cala di Roto for the afternoon. Wednesday — Bonifacio crossing. Light-wind window, stern-to under the cliffs, dinner in the old town. Thursday — Lavezzi Islands & back south. Lunch on the granite reef, afternoon hop back to Santa Teresa Gallura on the Sardinian side, refuel and restock. Friday — Tavolara. West-side anchorage, last-night dinner ashore. Saturday — return Olbia by 09:00.

Most charter guests overpack the route. The win is one fewer move per day — anchor by 16:00, swim before dinner, dinner on board with a sundowner. Sardinia rewards the slow itinerary. The archipelago is not big enough to need 50-mile sailing days, and the beaches you remember are the ones you stayed long enough to actually swim from.

Food, wine and local culture

Sardinia eats differently from mainland Italy. Plan one dinner around fregola con arselle (toasted couscous-pasta with clams), one around porceddu (the Sardinian whole roast suckling pig), and don't leave without trying the local sheep cheese — pecorino sardo is younger and softer than its Tuscan cousin. Drink Vermentino di Gallura with anything from the sea, and Cannonau reds with the meats. The bakeries in Palau and Cannigione produce pane carasau (the paper-thin Sardinian bread) — the version you buy in mainland supermarkets does not compare. Most onboard chefs we work with happily build a single-island dinner around these — ask at provisioning.

Families and first-time crews

The northeast Sardinian sailing area is one of the most family-friendly in the western Med. Distances are short, anchorages are sheltered, the water is shallow enough to see the bottom at most mooring stops, and rangers actively police anchoring behaviour so the bays stay clean. We routinely charter to families with toddlers — the catamaran's netting trampolines and stable platform make a difference small kids feel immediately. For first-time crews without a licence, a skippered catamaran with a hostess is the right pairing: the captain handles routing, the hostess handles provisioning runs, breakfasts and tender shuttles to the beach.

Ready to start? Browse the Sardinia catamaran fleet, check out our Sardinia sailing itineraries, or send us your trip details and we will reply with matching catamarans, real photos, and a transparent quote — usually within a few hours.