Sardinia and Corsica

Cruise through Cala Figari, Oliba Gulf and between the Islands Tavolara and Molara.
In the 19th century and 20th century Tavolara used to be the smallest Kingdom in the world, which considering the Island is only 5km long and 1km wide is pretty astounding.
When you arrive at Tavolara you can anchor in Spalmatore Bay, a great little place to see and spend a night in tranquil surroundings and enjoy the beauty of the sea world.

The “Bay of the Fox” is a deep bay, well protected and surrounded by beautiful sandy beaches. It is actually a satellite of Porto Cervo to its immediate north.

Its crowning feature is the spectacular five star Hotel Cala di Volpe at the end of the bay, overlooked by the Pevero Golf Course.

The Cala di Volpe resort is arguably the grandest in all of Sardinia and the beach lies in a sheltered bay.

The main island is this beautiful archipelago, La Maddalena is only 12 miles square and surrounded by some of the most spectacular beaches in Italy and the clearest and cleanest waters. Many of the beaches are only accessible by boat, so it is a blissfully peaceful place to sail.
The town of La Maddalena however is as lively and sophisticated as the resorts on the mainland coastline, but there are plenty of quiet corners to explore on the archipelago, both onshore and off.
While in the area:

• Walk up to the Guardia Vecchia for panoramic view of the Strait of Boniface
• Visit dune-backed beaches such as Bassa Tinita on the north coast
• Check out the other islands, such as the uninhabited Spargi, with its pristine beaches.
• Sail to the three most northern islands of Budelli, Razzolli and Santa Maria, if time allows.

It is time to sail away from the chic resorts to the peace and tranquillity of the La Maddalena archipelago. Although linked to the mainland of Sardinia by a bridge, Caprera, a 10 mile square island, has been declared a wildlife sanctuary and is protected from development, and is gloriously wild and rugged inland.
Things to do and see in Caprera:

• Giuseppe Garibladi spent his last days on the island and his house is open to the public.
• Centuries-old wrecks in the small inlet of Cala Coticcio.
• Beautiful scenery including Mount Tejalone and Poggio Stefano, surrounded by striking pink granite rocks and reached by beautiful walks.

Time to raise anchor and start exploring the Smeralda Coast. Your destination today is the Gulf of Poltu Quatu. This narrow fjord was once a popular hideout for pirates, but now the gateway to the charming port of Poltu Quatu, meaning ‘hidden port’. The village and marina blend perfectly into the landscape but the resort was in fact built as recently as the 1970s!
There are many top restaurants and shops to exlore.

• A good place to stop en route here includes Baia Sardinia, which overlooks the Maddalena archipelago. The entire bay has wonderful white beaches and turquoise blue waters. It is a popular spot for watersports too, particularly windsurfing.

Secluded cove beach bordered by rocky hills, offering turquoise water ideal for diving & snorkeling.

Imagine a Thai-style Eden lost in the Mediterranean Sea. Welcome to Cavallo, an island paradise the A-list prefers to keep to themselves. Roman prisoners were once interned here, safe in the knowledge that only a private boat may venture to and from. Left abandoned until the 19th century, Cavallo’s tiny yacht harbour was only constructed a decade ago. Paradise is situated midway between Corsica and Sardinia and is ringed by sandy shores. Island transport is by Mustique-style ‘mule’ electric cars, so tranquillity is assured.

Paradise! If you love to splash in tranquil lapis-lazuli waters, this protected clutch of uninhabited islets was made for you.

Enjoy lunch at the superb Hotel des Pecheurs.

Bonifacio offers yachtsmen a breathtaking welcome. Security-conscious locals constructed a town that clings to a clifftop redoubt. But the more this Mediterranean port was attacked, the more beautiful it became. Successive waves of Vandal, Lombard and Tuscan raiders raised the citadel walls even higher, until it resembled a Disney-like castle on the sea. Visitors travelling under their own steam can witness more playful delights. A quicksilver necklace of bays and islands sweeps east from Bonifacio marina. Yours could be the day’s first footsteps on the white sands of Balistra Plage. Or try the clifftop golf course at Sperone, which lies balanced on the southernmost tip of France.

Perched impressively high, overlooking the waters, the town of Bonifacio offers a spectacular arrival by yacht; a narrow entrance hidden at the foot of the cliffs leads into the harbour.

The town has many restaurants, bars and nearby Sperone Golf Club. On its limestone pedestal, Bonifacio is one of the most spectacular towns in the Mediterranean.

If you like lobster, langoustine and chilled Laurent-Perrier, you’ll love Propriano. In such a manner does Corsica’s most luxurious marina effortlessly cater to its clientele. The passerelles at Propriano also serve as a bridge into the ‘real’ Corsica. The bucolically sited Bronze Age sculptures of Filitosa and the timeless town of Sartène are a short drive away. Two of Corsica’s finest beaches sit within a 20-minute sail of Propriano. Both are frequented more by stray donkeys than superyachts. Cupabia Plage is a triple-bayed gem with one beach bar serving three miles of golden sand. Plage de Verghia is a sheltered paradise for paddleboards and kayaks.

The natural harbour of Porto Vecchio has been used since Roman times. The handsome town is now part modern, part medieval. A colourful scatter of markets, churches and restaurants tumble down to the port. There’s no settlement south of here until you hit Sardinia. The surrounding sea is crystal clear. Highlights for divers are the Cerbicales and Lavezzi archipelagos, which lie protected in a marine park. Even novice snorkellers can float over banks of barracuda and grouper – A kaleidoscope of undersea life.

Shamelessly seductive, fashionably alluring, Porto Vecchio has been dubbed the Corsican St-Tropez.

It’s split between the ancient core, aloof on a hilltop, the modern marina in the marvellous bay below, and enough urban sprawl across the inland plain to mean it’s now Corsica’s third most populous town.