Daily sailing trip in the La Maddalena Archipelago

We booked this full-day sailing trip around the La Maddalena Archipelago for our family of four on 1 August and had a fantastic experience from start to finish. Communication and information before the trip were very good, and the meeting point in Palau was easy to find. One useful tip for anyone driving is to allow plenty of time for parking. The area around the port was extremely busy and there is very little parking immediately beside the meeting point. I would suggest arriving at least 20 minutes early and expecting to park around a 5–10 minute walk away. We hadn’t allowed quite enough time, so I dropped my wife and daughters at the meeting point to check us in while I went to find somewhere to park. This actually worked very well. Check-in was very simple – they just confirmed the names of the passengers – and we then had some free time before boarding. There are plenty of cafés and shops nearby, so we were able to have a coffee and something to eat and even buy the sun cream we had forgotten! We met the skipper and crew at around 10:45 and boarded the yacht, which was moored almost directly opposite the meeting point. There were eight guests altogether – our family of four and four other adults – plus the skipper and his mate, so only ten people on board. This was a really nice group size and meant there was plenty of space for everyone. We left Palau at around 11:00, initially using the engine as we headed north along the coastline, passing some of the impressive properties overlooking the sea. After around 30 minutes the sails went up and we continued towards Spargi under wind power. This was probably my favourite part of the whole experience. I hadn’t appreciated beforehand how different proper sailing would feel compared with travelling under engine power. The yacht came alive, leaned into the wind and picked up a surprising amount of speed. It was exhilarating, but at the same time very relaxing. Everyone found their own spot around the boat to enjoy the sunshine, warm breeze and incredible scenery. Our first stop was near Cala dell’Amore on Spargi, where we anchored offshore. We were offered a transfer to the beach in the small dinghy being towed behind the yacht and spent around an hour enjoying the beautiful beach and exceptionally clear water. We then continued to two further stops, with plenty of opportunities for swimming and snorkelling. Masks and snorkels were provided. At around 2pm, while anchored at our second stop, lunch was served. It was exactly as described and included appetisers followed by a freshly cooked pasta dish prepared in the galley onboard. Throughout the day there was bottled water, wine, coffee and even a little liqueur available. The yacht also has a toilet and a cabin where you can leave personal belongings or escape from the sun for a while if needed. The skipper was fairly quiet, while his mate did most of the talking with the guests as well as preparing lunch, operating the dinghy and helping everyone throughout the day. Everything felt relaxed and well organised. What really made this trip special was the combination of the scenery, swimming, food and actually sailing. The yacht was spacious enough that, despite being a group trip, we could all spread out and enjoy some quiet time while sailing across the water and taking in the views. A wonderful day and one of the highlights of our time in Sardinia. We would definitely recommend this trip to anyone visiting the area.

We had a great time on our excursion with Skipper Dimitri and First Mate Gabriel. They were very personable, hard-working, engaging and enthusiastic. We sailed all the way back from our last stop practically back to Palau (with no motor), which was both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. Dimitri is an excellent sailor and made the trip thrilling but safe. Food (e.g. pasta, local cheese and crackers, brushetta, beer, mirto) all prepared in galley, was plentiful and delicious. Genuinely caring people. Small group size. Lots of stops. A highlight of our trip to Sardinia and highly recommended. Worth every penny.

Amazing day. Great crew. Nice small group.

It was good, there were 12 of us on the boat and it is comfortable.

Fantastic day, beautiful way to see the Costa Smeralda coastline, the crew were extremely knowledgeable and friendly, we all had a great day!

The boat trip was pleasant and luxury not having to be in the middle of a crowded ship. The booking was easy but TripAdvisor adds 35% of the true ticket price and therefore I recommend to book directly with the tour operators located next to the main marina in Palau. Friendly staff at check in, polite captain and skipper. Gave us a guide of the various islands with anecdotes of the main attractions. Lovely lunch and wine. There could be more offerings of soft drinks, snacks and water in the afternoon going back to harbor as this wouldn’t cost much but enhances the overall experience. The wind was not strong enough for a lot of sailing but we got some on our way back. Very clear water and nice beaches. For safety they could have offered life vests for swimming as the current at one place was strong.

We had such an amazing time in Sardinia but the highlight for the entire family was hands down this boating trip. The captain Dimitri made sure our entire family had a great time and was so knowledgeable and friendly. Edward made us all feel so comfortable and having grown up in the region was also both knowledgeable but more importantly made it fun for everyone. The beaches we visited were beautiful, the food including a pasta lunch prepared by Edward and Dimitri along with the fruits snd cheese, salami and mirto just made the experience such a perfect outing. We sailed on the way out and that was just amazing. A couple of our family were worried about seasickness but had zero problems. All in all a fantastic time that the whole family rates as our best outing among many spectacular days in Sardinia. Highly recommend sailing with this company. Thank you Dimitri and Edward!!

Very friendly crew and the pickup was okay with pretty scenery, however the islands are crowded and victims of overtourism; every stop is the same for all the boats and they dump out several hundred tourists, avoid if you are looking for authenticity and calm

Very good value for money. Hint: come early into palau as it is very hard to park the car. Go ahead for the port long stay park, as if you go into the shop first you'll have half an hour more to get into the near park

Beautiful sailing day. Dimitri and Eddy are top sailors, I recommend you ask for them when you book.