Yacht Charter Guides for Sardinia
A route built around calm water and short hops, the kind of day where the anchorage matters more than the distance covered.
From the port outwards
- 01
09:00 · Depart Porto Cervo marina
Leave the Aga Khan's marina early, before the day's boat traffic builds toward the Maddalena crossing; a 10 to 20 nautical mile run puts you inside the archipelago within the hour, well ahead of the midday crowds.
- 02
11:00 · Swim stop at Cala Corsara
This bay on Spargi island is a standard first anchorage for its clear, sheltered water; check with the crew on permit areas within the national park before dropping anchor, as some spots require prior clearance.
- 03
13:30 · Lunch adrift near Budelli
Budelli's pink-sand beach is a view-only stop — no landing is permitted — so lunch is taken at anchor offshore, admiring the coastline from the water while the crew handles the midday meal.
- 04
17:00 · Return leg, watching the Maestrale
The afternoon northwest wind picks up through the Sardinian Strait most reliably in July and August; the skipper will time the return to Porto Cervo or reroute via a more sheltered channel if it builds early.
About Sardinia
Sardinia's northern coastline is granite rather than sand — weathered rock shelves and low island chains that create the sheltered, emerald-coloured bays the island is known for. The Maddalena Archipelago National Park alone takes in seven main islands and more than sixty smaller ones, lying roughly 10 to 20 nautical miles from Porto Cervo or Palau. Parts of the park are regulated: certain anchorages require permits booked through the park authority, and Budelli's pink beach may only be viewed from the water, with no landing permitted.
The island's yachting identity is concentrated around the Costa Smeralda, where Porto Cervo marina, developed under the Aga Khan, is regarded as the Mediterranean's leading superyacht berth. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda hosts major regattas there, including the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta in September, when premium berths are at their tightest. Guests arranging a luxury yacht charter in Sardinia during July and August should expect berths in the prestige marinas to be committed months ahead.
One practical fact shapes almost every day on the water here: the Maestrale, the north-west wind that can build quickly across the Sardinian Strait, most often during summer afternoons. It is the reason experienced skippers choose anchorages by shelter rather than by postcard appeal, and why morning starts suit the busier bays. May and October usually bring calmer conditions and easier access to permit anchorages, which is worth weighing when you plan when to rent a yacht and which stretch of coast to explore.