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Cala Santa Maria

Cala Santa Maria: Our most recommended tours and activities

From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

1. From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

Start your trip at Palau or La Maddalena port, where the crew will meet you and make sure you get comfortable on board. Choose from a variety of drinks and food available for purchase as you enjoy the sea breeze. Take a swim during the first stop at Santa Maria island, known for its turquoise waters. Stop at Budelli to lie on the sand or swim in the natural pools of Spiaggia del Cavaliere, protected from currents and perfect for a relaxing swim. Once back to the boat, admire the Spiaggia Rosa and its unique pink sand. Visit Spargi to discover its white sandy beaches, rocky coasts, and turquoise waters. Go snorkeling in calm waters or lounge on the beach of Cala Granara. Along the way, see the Island of Santo Stefano, Caprera, and the Bear Rock of Palau from the boat. Listen to a multilingual explanation from your expert guide about the history of the archipelago. If you departed from Palau, have 1 hour of free time to shop for souvenirs or Vermentino wine in traditional Sardinian shops. Take a walk around the charming town. Admire the port of Cala Gavetta and the picturesque church of Santa Maria Maddalena before you get dropped off at Palau. If your journey started at La Maddalena, end your trip here.

Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat

2. Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat

Enjoy an unforgettable 7-hour boat trip to the islands of the La Maddalena Archipelago. You will visit all the most beautiful islands: Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and La Maddalena in a unique and informal setting. A restaurant bar service with typical Sardinian products is also available on board. We guarantee new boats with large spaces and the highest standards of safety and comfort. A highly qualified crew, friendly and always caring of every need to offer a top experience. Onboard you will also find a multilingual explanation (Italian, English and French). We are equipped with international certifications ISO 9001 and environmental ISO 14001. Daily departures from both port of Palau and La Maddalena. Discover the historic center of La Maddalena with the church of Santa Maria Maddalena and the "Caruggi", the characteristic streets of the island. Use the Elena Tour card for your purchases in the traditional shops of the island. Stop on the soft white sandy beaches of Cala Corsara on the island of Spargi for a swim in its crystal-clear waters. After skirting the east coast of Spargi, admire the Island of Budelli with its Pink Beach and swim in the natural pools from the boat and on the beach of the isle of Santa Maria. After skirting Punta Sardegna and Porto Rafael with its small square, the boat returns to the ports of Palau and La Maddalena at 5:30 pm.  

Maddalena Archipelago: Full-Day Sailboat Tour with Lunch

3. Maddalena Archipelago: Full-Day Sailboat Tour with Lunch

Start your unforgettable activity either from Palau or La Maddalena Piers. Meet your captain and board our comfortable sailboat to start your full day tour. First, head over to meet one of the most important celebrity in the La Maddalena Archipelago: Mady: The granite rock, dog shaped. He's been looking after Spargi island for centuries. In Spargi, you will be able to enjoy the day's first swim by jumping off into turquoise waters. Then, cruise along the east coast of Spargi and enjoy the panorama. You will pass by extraordinary beaches like Soraya Bay and Granara Bay. Your captain will ask which site you like the most and can stop for 2nd swim and some free time. Then, head to Budelli and pass by the Pink Beach. Although stopping at the beach is not allowed, you can view it from the boat and take some stunning pictures. From here, head to Porto della Madonna. The site is best known for its Natural Pools and is one of the most magnificent and mind boggling sites ever seen. The water is a different color of blue, emerald, green, the beaches are white sand. You will be in for a WOW moment. Here, you will have the option of taking a swim directly from the boat. Your last visit is to Santa Maria Bay. This is the largest, white coloured beach in the Archipelago. Your captain can take you ashore with the tender so that you can relax on the beautiful beach. During the trip, the captain will prepare some appetizer and will open a bottle of quality sardinian white wine. One important thing to note: your captain loves good music and will have a charming playlist for you to listen to during your journey.

From Palau: La Maddalena Islands Full-Day Trip by Boat

4. From Palau: La Maddalena Islands Full-Day Trip by Boat

Embark on an adventure to discover the stunning coastline and outlying islands of Sardinia on a boat. Cruise to the islands of Spargi, La Maddalena, and Santa Maria, and enjoy their pristine beaches, waters, and nature. Check-in between 9:00 AM and 10:15 AM, leave Palau at 10:30 AM, and cruise towards the wonderful island of Spargi. When the boat arrives, take your beach bags straight onto the white sandy beaches of Cala Corsara, and choose to sunbathe, snorkel, or explore some of the cove's historical features. Go along the coast towards the island of Budelli for a photographic stop at the famous Pink Beach, the Spiaggia Rosa. Enter the natural swimming pool of Porto Della Madonna for photos, where the emerald color of the water will take your breath away.  Head to the island of Santa Maria for the next beach stop. Sunbathe, swim, or go on a walk to the old lighthouse. Depending on what day you visit, end the tour at a swimming stop in the natural aquarium at Cala Coticcio or the charming historical center of La Maddalena for shopping and exploring.

La Maddalena: Island-Hopping Sailiing Tour with Lunch

5. La Maddalena: Island-Hopping Sailiing Tour with Lunch

Explore the Maddalena Archipelago on a sailboat trip, and enjoy a provided lunch and drinks. Stop at the islands of Spargi, Budelli, and Santa Maria, and enjoy stops for swimming and snorkeling on this daytime sailing tour. Enjoy a journey in a comfortable yacht that departs from the Marina Cala Camiciotto. Leave the marina, and relax while the boat sails for over an hour until Isola Spargi, Isola Budelli, and Isola Santa Maria. Admire a beautiful and unique view of the coastline during the trip to the islands, before dropping anchor in Cala Santa Maria, famous for its white sands and turquoise waters. Then, take an aperitif with snacks, beer, and cold fresh drinks. Savor lunch on board and try pasta, bruschetta, bread, and local sausage and cheeses with a glass of wine. Next, move on to visit the Spiaggia Rosa on Isola Budelli and stop for two hours, where you will travel by dinghy to Isola Budeli and walk at Spiaggia Rosa. Take time to enjoy a delicious lunch with wine, beer, and cold fresh drinks. Sail to Cala Granara, Isola Spargi, and take some free time to swim from the deck, snorkel, and Stand Up Paddle Board experience. Return to Cala Camicotto at the end of the tour.

From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

6. From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

Explore the beauty of North Sardinia on a full-day boat cruise of the La Maddalena archipelago. Sailing onboard the Lady Luna 2, visit the most beautiful islands of a magnificent natural park, stop to swim on sandy beaches, and more. Depart from the harbor in Palau for the short, 35-minute sail to Budelli. Marvel at the pink sand of Spiaggia Rosa, the dramatic rock formation of Roccia del Coccodrillo, and splash in the sea from Piscine Naturali. Continue to Santa Maria island and feel the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea. Make a long stop at the beach there to sunbathe and relax. After the stop, take a break for lunch, and if you wish, you can buy typical Sardinian dishes on board or bring your own food. Arrive next at Spargi island, where the beaches of Cala Corsara or Cala Granara are lapped by emerald waters and protected from the wind to create perfect conditions for sunbathing. End the tour with a stop at La Maddalena island and visit the town of La Maddalena. Wander the colorful streets to find souvenir shops or gaze at the boats in the Cala Gavetta marina. En route back to Palau, sail past Santo Stefano and Caprera islands for the last look at the high life of the seas.

La Maddalena: Archipelago Boat Tour

7. La Maddalena: Archipelago Boat Tour

Visit the islands of the La Maddalena Archipelago with a boat tour. Admire the islands of Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and visit the suggestive historic center of La Maddalena. Choose between 3 different starting points: Cannigione, Baja Sardinia or La Maddalena. First stop: shopping in the characteristic historic center of the town of La Maddalena (one hour); Second stop: 1h15m on the beach in the beautiful Island of Spargi (Beach Connari or Beach Granara) Third stop: photo stop at Spiaggia Rosa Beach and Piscine Naturali di Budelli for a short swim from the boat; Fourth stop: 1h15m on the beach in Cala Santa Maria on the island of the same name. Throughout the tour, everything we are going to see closely will be explained in Italian and English with anecdotes and curiosities! We will go with our boats to see places such as La Madonnetta, Cava Francese, La Roccia dell'Orso, the bridge that connects La Maddalena with Caprera, the Base NATO, the base of the Navy, the Caprera Sailing Center and much more !

Other Sightseeing Options in Cala Santa Maria

Want to discover all there is to do in Cala Santa Maria? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Cala Santa Maria

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 4,233 reviews

Great tour, beyond mass tourism. A maximum of 8 people are taken along, so the sailing boat offers a lot of space. The support was warm and familiar, communication was possible in English, German and Italian. The route can be customized to avoid the crowds of boats, especially in high season. The captain has 35 years of experience and uses this for the benefit of the guests. A dream landscape, crystal clear water, various bathing stops and beaches. Starters antipasti and pizza, the main course is cooked by the captain himself. Everything is local and included in the price, including the drinks! The wine was delicious ;-) Certainly a bit more expensive compared to other tours, but it's definitely worth it!!!

Sailing trip for a day in the islands around Maddalena with Marco, Massimo and Chiara. A day out of time, between admiring the landscapes, swimming, diving, laughing, sharing a local meal carefully prepared by Captain Marco. We have a superb day, all the more pleasant in the off season and in small groups! Grazie Mile

Booked this tour online. The price was good and reviews were good and we were not disappointed at all as everything was perfect

We had a great day, the team is really great! Very nice way to discover the archipelago without the hassle of organizing!

It was really pleasant activity. Our guide had a big knowledge about the area and we had such a great time there!