Three of the Most Perfect Days in La Maddalena, Sardinia
Here's my September guide to La Maddalena: the beaches, boat day, winery, and little things I’d do all over again.
A quick summary: fly into Olbia, spend at least 3 days in La Maddalena, pack running shoes as most of the beaches you must hike to, and pack some multi-use beach pieces for an easy carry-on wardrobe. Here is a Google map of my bookmarked places.
I’ve traveled to a lot of beautiful places, and I live by the sea in Miami. But I’m still thinking about three days we spent in Sardinia. They were three of some of the most perfect days of my life, in a row.
My husband and I spent six full days in northern Sardinia. We planned the trip around La Maddalena, an island off the northeast coast, because we wanted a peaceful getaway. We also wanted to get away from the crowds, so we chose to go in September - which was a wonderful choice. We’d heard from locals how busy the water can get in peak summer; during our visit, we still had warm beach days and found little coves with only a handful of other people.
If you’re planning a trip, here are 3 of the most perfect days, I would plan a trip to Sardinia around these days... so you can repeat some of the most special days of my life!
How we got to La Maddalena
We flew into Olbia Airport and spent our first night in Olbia since we got in late. The town was cute, and the slow evening was exactly what we needed after a long flight, but one night felt right for us since it's a pretty small town.
The best way to get around is car, so renting a car is a must! It gave us the freedom to stop wherever we wanted, bring our things onto the island, and explore the mainland later. We rented a car straight from the airport. Make sure you book a reservation before since we did not and found it hard even during off season. The next morning, we drove a short 40 minutes from Olbia to the port in Palau (40 minutes). The ferry took about 20 minutes to La Maddalena, and runs every 30 minutes. It was incredibly easy to book and no need to schedule ahead of time just grab a ticket at the port before you drive/walk on. Our round trip ticket for two people and the car cost €37; check the current schedule and fare when you travel.
We live by the water in Miami Beach so when looking for a place to stay on vacation, the view is a must. We loved our stay at Maddalena Lux House. It was a perfect apartment for us because every morning, I sat outside with my book and coffee and listened to nature and every evening, we came back for an aperitivo and the sunset. The apartment also thoughtfully started us out with water, milk, coffee, snacks, and even a couple of beers, which meant we could settle in before making a grocery run. It was such a peaceful place to come home to after a full day outside - highly recommend!
View from our seaside apartment, wearing Baliawear - Pant to Jumpsuit Cheetah
Perfect Day #1: Rent a scooter and discover all the beaches around the island
This is my favorite way to travel on vacation if you’re comfortable riding a scooter. This also allowed us to see both La Maddalena and neighboring Caprera Island. We rented one for the day and it was about €80. Ours even dropped it off and picked it up at our apartment to make it easier.
My husband is an experienced rider, which made this fun for me as a passenger. However, I wouldn’t suggest learning to ride here: some roads are rough, and you need to pay attention. If scooters aren’t your thing, take the car...but give yourself a whole day to wander.
We started the day in town for a coffee so we could pack some goodies for our day out. We grabbed coffee and focaccia in town and then headed to a local charcuterie shop for Sardinian meat and Pecorino cheese at Miro dal 1891 which is apparently has been family run for 3 generations!
We spent the day zipping between beaches with the sun on our faces and the sea appearing around every turn. There are SO many beaches you'll feel spoiled for choice, so let me help you make one decision easy: go to Bassa Trinità. It was our first stop and by far the best beach in Sardinia imo, and in hindsight I wish we’d stayed longer. The water spotted with super clear light blue and dark blue which I found so unique to Sardinia. The beach itself isn’t huge, and there were other people so the sand felt a bit crowded, but it was still my most favorite beach in Sardinia because of the sheer breathtaking water!
The rest of the day we spent exploring the islands and stopping by hidden gems of beaches, walked down to little coves, and sometimes had a stretch of sand almost to ourselves. That freedom was what made the day feel so special. Here is a Google map of my bookmarked places including some hidden gem beaches!
Must-bring packing tip: bring sneakers. Most of our beach stops involved hikes down uneven, unpaved paths, which is part of the beauty of the island and I wouldn't recommend hiking down in flip flops. Your beach choices may be different, but hiking/tennis shoes are great because there are plenty of hikes all around Sardinia.
Every vacation, we usually try to do one picnic at sunset so our last stop was hiking Mount Teialone which was magnificent. This is not an easy hike unlike how it's advertised. Even though we are avid hikers, I thought this hike was rather advanced involving climbing rocks and stairs with no guardrails to get to the top of the mountain. Not sure if I'd recommend it for children or the elderly. Nonetheless, it was super fun for our adventurous side with the most stunning 360 views of the islands from the top. We even snagged a private spot at the very top to set up our picnic at sunset. It was magic!
Perfect Day #2: Book a sailing tour to discover remote islands
If you do one planned excursion in La Maddalena, make it a boat day. Some of the most beautiful places in the archipelago are reached by boat, you'll be able to see the epic Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli, Santa Maria islands. Be sure to also book a tour that is all inclusive of drinks and lunch as it makes the trip extra special.
There are a ton of boat tours available, but I truly believe we booked the best one...a hidden gem that may get super popular post me writing this!
We booked a small group tour from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for roughly €180 per person. By incredible luck, the other booking canceled, so we ended up with the boat to ourselves. That private day was a surprise although most boats also allow you to book a private tour, but the tour we book was beyond what we expected! We felt like we booked the most special tour on the water, as the other boats we saw on the water had 10-200 people onboard!
Book the Lybra boat tour here for an elevated authentic Sardinian sailing experience!
The boat was a stunning vintage wooden vessel built in the 1950s, and our all female crew made the day. We had an amazing crew: our captain, Malin, had 30 years of sailing experience, and her daughters were the deckhands with us. They were warm, thoughtful, and knew exactly how to make us comfortable. It was chilly while we were underway, and they lent us waterproof jackets. I’d pack a warm waterproof layer for the ride even if the forecast looks hot.
Our first stop was Spargi. We had white sand, clear water, and it was private at first and then only a few other people stopped by after. They provided snorkels, and we spent our time swimming around the rocks and soaking it all in.
Back aboard, we started the the unlimited service.. the first glass of Sardinian Vermentino tasted especially good after that swim. As we sailed, the crew chose our next stops around the wind and the calmer water. I loved watching them make those decisions as nature truly took the wheel! We passed by the infamous Budelli to see the pink beach but unfortunately it hasn't been pink for ages but we saw a sliver!
Then came aperitivo, picture this: wine, olives, bread, cured meats, and Sardinian cheese, laid out while we floated in the most beautiful blue water. That was just the first meal, because after we were served a full plate of fresh pasta with tuna. We swam, read in the sun, jumped off the boat, ate, and did it all again. It felt luxurious in the most memorable way: nothing to manage, nowhere to hurry, and an entire day to enjoy where we were.
Check out my video recap of the day here: @alvinabalia
What we ate in La Maddalena, and where we went next
La Maddalena town is lovely to wander around with little shops, restaurants, and some incredible gelato. We got gelato almost every night, sometimes hurrying through dinner to make it before closing. Check hours rather than assuming somewhere will stay open late.
I went in expecting the kind of meal I associate with Rome or Florence, but Sardinian traditional dishes are super unique. One of our best meals was at Sole di Sardegna Ristorante, where we had traditional Sardinian roast suckling pig and culurgiones, potato stuffed pasta. The traditional Sardinian dishes are not what I expected for an island town but super cool to see how they've kept their specialties.
After La Maddalena, we returned to the mainland and stayed in San Pantaleo, a tiny village mountainside, for a few days. I’m glad we saw a different side of the area after our island days. You could also visit for the day if you’d rather keep another base. We decided to stay here mountainside (a different scene from home) and spent the last few days exploring the mainland of Sardinia. San Pantaleo is tiny but so so charming. We spent a morning doing a mini photoshoot around the streets showing some new Baliawear pieces!
Puerto Cervo was on my list to see because it's known, but I found it to be just a shopping mall.
Perfect Day #3: An afternoon of wine tasting + food pairing at Capichera Winery
I love wine and have done plenty of tastings. I'm from northern California so I've done my fair share of Napa Valley but Capichera (pronounced Capikera) was one of my favorite winery experiences... period. It was another luxurious day like a scene straight out of a movie.
We drove to the estate near Arzachena, where we had our own private guide pick us up by golf cart to tour through the vineyards as she told us the history of the winery. She then brought us to the hilltop tasting garden to a table tucked into the landscape, overlooking vines and mountains. It felt like our own little private corner of the winery.
I’d originally booked the shorter tasting of 5 wines, but when I saw the setting, I changed to the premium tasting of 8 wines simply because I wanted the afternoon to last longer! We spent the afternoon tasting each Sardinian wines with a local food pairing matched to each pour. It was such a special experience! Our guide was knowledgeable and lovely to talk with. When I told her how much I loved olive oil, she even brought us some of the estate’s oil to taste.
We stayed around three to four hours, taking our time between glasses and plates. We didn’t tour the production rooms, but I didn’t miss them. Sitting outside among the vineyards was the experience I wanted. Afterward, we found a nearby beach La Fantasia to spend the rest of the day.
For sunset, we drove back to Zi Antò at Punta Tegge for sunset, an aperitivo, and dinner. We loved it enough to visit twice. You’re sitting right by the water, with two gorgeous little beaches in view. We ordered a whole branzino, and I still think about the olive oil. I asked if we could buy a bottle. The setting alone made it our favorite restaurant of the trip.
What I packed and wore
This trip was a good example of why I love clothes that do more than one job. I wanted to fit everything into a carry on, be comfortable getting around, and still feel dressed for an aperitivo or a long lunch. Which is why I packed a ton of multi-way Baliawear pieces (seen throughout this blog post). I also recommend a long sleeve swim cover-up for sailing days and beach sunsets as it gets a bit chilly a night.
Along with sneakers, swimsuits, sunscreen, bug spray, a backpack/beach bag and a warm layer for the boat, I packed Baliawear pieces I could wear more than once and style differently.
I started writing travel guides for friends when I was 18 because I love passing along the details that make a trip better. So here is my most sincere recommendation: give La Maddalena at least three unhurried days. Ride around the island, spend a full day on the water, and make time for a long wine tasting. We came home with three days I know I’ll remember forever!
