La Maddalena boat tour from Cannigione: the motor ships of the Gulf of Arzachena

A La Maddalena boat tour from Cannigione is the obvious choice if you are staying on the Golfo di Arzachena (the Gulf of Arzachena), between Cannigione, Baia Sardinia and the countryside around Arzachena. The boats are big motor ships with lunch on board, calling at Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria and, on some listings, giving you free time in La Maddalena town.

Below are the direct trips published on GetYourGuide, what the sailing is like, where you board, and a table to work out whether to leave from here or cover the 15 km to Palau.

Cannigione in two sentences

Cannigione is a seaside village on the western shore of the Gulf of Arzachena, with a marina and a long beach shaded by pines. It lies about 15 km from Palau and minutes from Baia Sardinia, and it is the second harbour after Palau for the number of archipelago trips leaving each day.

The geographical advantage is obvious: staying around Arzachena means you skip the traffic and the parking hunt in Palau. The limit is choice, concentrated almost entirely on a single format, the motor ship.

The direct trips from Cannigione

These are the departures GetYourGuide lists from Cannigione at the time of writing. Prices are shown on the listings.

How to choose between them:

• The four islands tour is the best rated in the harbour and the one we suggest for a first visit: it takes in Caprera, Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria, which is everything you would want from a single day.
• The full-day cruise is the most booked of the lot, with more than two thousand reviews: two swim stops plus free time in La Maddalena for a wander through town and a coffee on Piazza Garibaldi. If you would rather be in the water all day, you may find it light on swimming.
• The northern Sardinia day trip is the classic formula with lunch, similar in shape.
• The minibus trip from Olbia exists for people based in Olbia without a car: the coach takes you to the boat in Cannigione and brings you back in the evening. If you are already in Cannigione, there is no reason to book it.

What the sailing out of the Gulf of Arzachena is like

The first stretch is quiet, with the motor ship leaving the gulf over water that is nearly always flat. Then comes open sea along Caprera, towards the channel that leads to La Maddalena town and the western islands. In a mistral, the north-westerly, that section can get lively, but the Cannigione ships are large and steady and you feel it far less than on a RIB.

The stops follow the standard archipelago pattern: Cala Corsara on Spargi with its four small beaches, the natural pools of Porto della Madonna between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, and Cala Santa Maria with its white sand. Spiaggia Rosa (the Pink Beach) on Budelli is watched from the deck: according to the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena, landing there, walking on the sand and swimming have all been banned since 1994.

Insider tip: on these ships the shaded seats under the canopy go first. If you are travelling with children or with anyone who cannot take much sun, get on board early and claim the covered side. Leave the upper deck to the sunbathers.

Logistics: harbour, meeting point, parking

The motor ships leave from the marina at Cannigione. Your meeting point and check-in time are on the voucher: turn up at least 20 minutes early, because in July and August these boats load hundreds of people and the queue is real.

If you drive, the village car parks fill as the boats’ departure time approaches. Come early, or walk down if you are staying in Cannigione. Some listings include a pickup from accommodation in the area, and where it is offered it is the easiest solution of all: you will see it among the options when you book.

After the trip, the beach under the pines is a couple of minutes from the quay, an easy way to close the day without getting straight back behind the wheel.

Trip from Cannigione, or drive to Palau?

Who should choose what

Sail from Cannigione if you are based on the Gulf of Arzachena, if you are travelling as a family and want a big boat with lunch included, or if you are in Olbia without a car and need the pickup.

Go to Palau if you want a catamaran or a group of twelve, if you are after a vintage boat or a private charter, or if you would rather leave at 10 or 11 am than at the motor ship’s fixed hour. Our guide to boat trips from Palau compares every format; for anyone sleeping in Baia Sardinia there is a separate page on departures from Baia Sardinia, covering the tour that also boards at Laconia.

Practical advice

• Book through GetYourGuide with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead: if the mistral arrives you get a refund or a new date.
• In July and August the cheaper motor ships sell out first, so book one or two weeks in advance.
• Bring cash: some listings include a small park contribution paid at check-in. Check the “Not included” section.
• Water shoes: the granite at Spargi and the sea urchins are unforgiving.
• Mask and snorkel are not always provided, and in the natural pools off Budelli they make all the difference.
• A light sweater for the way home: on deck at 5 pm, the wind of the crossing is noticeable.

Insider tip: if your trip includes free time in La Maddalena, do not spend all of it in the shops on Via Garibaldi. The Museo Archeologico Navale, with the Roman wreck found off Spargi, is a short walk from the quay and it is the one thing in town you cannot see from the water.

Booking your trip from Cannigione

For a first La Maddalena boat tour from Cannigione, the Caprera, Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria trip is the most complete and the best rated; the cruise with free time ashore is the alternative if you also want to see La Maddalena on foot. The islands you will call at are described in our guide to the archipelago islands, and our overview of trips from the other towns sets Cannigione, Palau, Santa Teresa and Olbia against each other.