Best Anchorages Sardinia Italy: Skipper's Guide

Best Anchorages Sardinia Italy: A Skipper’s Guide to the Island’s Most Spectacular Stops

There is a moment, unique to Sardinia, when you ease off the throttle, let the anchor chain run, and look up to find yourself surrounded by water so clear it barely seems real. Turquoise shading to cobalt, granite boulders tumbling into the sea, the scent of maquis drifting offshore on a warm mistral. If you have been sailing the Mediterranean for any length of time, you already know that the best anchorages Sardinia Italy has to offer are among the finest on the planet. If this is your first season heading there, consider this your essential briefing.

Sardinia is Italy’s second-largest island, sitting roughly 200 kilometres west of the Italian mainland and about 12 kilometres south of Corsica. Its 1,800-kilometre coastline is a relentless parade of sea caves, hidden coves, and wide turquoise bays. The sailing season runs from May through October, with July and August bringing the strongest crowds — and the most reliably settled weather. Shoulder season, particularly late May, June, and September, is when experienced skippers claim the best spots for themselves.

Understanding Sardinian Waters Before You Sail

Before we dive into specific anchorages, a word about the conditions. The Maestrale — the northwest mistral — is the dominant wind in these waters, and it can arrive with very little warning, building from a gentle breeze to a 25-knot blow within a couple of hours. Holding ground varies dramatically from bay to bay: white sand over posidonia seagrass meadows (a protected habitat where anchoring is increasingly restricted), rocky bottoms, and patches of mud. Always carry a good sand anchor and a kellet, and make sure your chart plotter is loaded with the latest coastal data.

We sail with Navionics+ on our tablet and a Garmin GPSMAP 943xsv at the helm — the Garmin retails around £1,200–£1,500 and is genuinely worth every penny in waters this intricate. The combination of real-time sonar imagery and up-to-date community edits on Navionics has saved us from several embarrassing groundings in Sardinian shallows. (You can grab a Navionics subscription for around £29.99 a year — one of the best value purchases in cruising.)

The Northeast: Costa Smeralda and Beyond

Cala di Volpe

The Costa Smeralda needs no introduction. Developed in the 1960s by the Aga Khan IV, it remains one of the most glamorous sailing destinations in the world. But behind the superyachts and the Porto Cervo marina fees (expect €150–€400 per night for a 12-metre boat in high season), there are still wild, beautiful anchorages within easy reach.

Cala di Volpe — the Bay of the Fox — is one of the loveliest. You’ll find good holding in 4–8 metres over sand, sheltered from the northwest by the headland. Drop anchor in the morning before the day boats arrive. The water is extraordinary: shallow, glassy, and so transparent you can watch your anchor bite from the cockpit. Bring a paddleboard and explore the fringes of the bay where the granite meets the sea.

Cala Liscia Ruja

Just south of Cala di Volpe, Liscia Ruja is a wider, less glamorous bay — which means it’s often quieter. Pink-tinged sand, good depths of 5–10 metres, and reasonable protection from the west. The holding here is excellent over a sandy bottom. There’s no infrastructure whatsoever, which is exactly the point.

The North: Maddalena Archipelago

If you are serious about finding the best anchorages Sardinia Italy offers, you cannot skip the Maddalena Archipelago. This national park — comprising seven main islands and dozens of islets — is arguably the finest cruising ground in the entire western Mediterranean. The water colour alone justifies the trip: shallow pools of pale aquamarine giving way to deep channels of intense blue, all within a few boat lengths.

Cala Corsara, Spargi

Spargi is the westernmost of the main islands, and Cala Corsara on its southern coast is legendary among cruising sailors. Two pristine sandy beaches, surrounded by juniper and wild rosemary, with anchoring in 3–8 metres over sand and weed. In June you might share it with a handful of boats; in August you will need to arrive by 0800 to claim a spot. The snorkelling around the rocky headlands is spectacular — bring a mask and fins and explore the sea fans and moray eels that live among the boulders.

Cala Brigantino, Budelli

Budelli is famous for its Spiaggia Rosa — Pink Beach — named for the fragments of coral and shell that give the sand its distinctive blush. Landing on the beach itself is now prohibited (it has been since 1994), but anchoring offshore is permitted and the view from the water is magical. Depths of 4–6 metres over good holding sand. Watch for the ferry wash from vessels transiting the Bocche di Bonifacio.

Cala Coticcio, Caprera

Known locally as “Tahiti” — and once you see it, you’ll understand why. Cala Coticcio is a narrow inlet cut into Caprera’s granite coast, accessible only by sea. The water is an almost fluorescent turquoise. Anchoring is in 4–7 metres with generally good holding, though the bottom is mixed sand and rock in places. Arrive early or late in the season. This is one of the jewels of the best anchorages in Sardinia, Italy, and word has thoroughly gotten out.

The West Coast: Wild, Windswept, and Underrated

Most charterers work the northeast and leave the west coast to the more adventurous sailors. That is their loss and your gain. The western coast of Sardinia faces the open Tyrrhenian and sees more swell and stronger Maestrale gusts — but between weather windows, it delivers anchorages of extraordinary character.

Cala Domestica, Sulcis

A dramatic fjord-like inlet on the southwestern coast, flanked by old mine workings that give it an industrial gothic atmosphere. There’s excellent shelter here from all but southerly winds, with anchoring in 4–10 metres over sand. The ruined infrastructure on the headland makes for fascinating dinghy exploration. Depths are generous and holding reliable. Very few cruising boats make it this far south, so you may well have it to yourself even in summer.

orto Ferro, Northwest

A huge, exposed bay north of Alghero that rewards visiting in settled weather. The bay faces west and is wide open to the Maestrale, so this is strictly a fair-weather anchorage — but when conditions allow, the pale sand, dune backdrop, and complete absence of development make it feel genuinely remote. Anchoring in 4–6 metres.

The South: Cagliari’s Hinterland

Cala Cipolla and the Chia Coast

The coast between Cagliari and Capo Teulada is one of Sardinia’s best-kept sailing secrets. Cala Cipolla sits just north of Chia, a small sandy bay with a Saracen tower on the headland and shallow, glassy water. Anchor in 3–5 metres over fine sand. The nearby Laguna di Chia is a flamingo habitat — genuinely one of the more surreal experiences in Mediterranean sailing, watching a flock of pink flamingos from your cockpit at anchor.

ractical Tips for Anchoring in Sardinia

Respect the posidonia: Seagrass meadows are protected under EU law. Use anchorages with sandy patches clearly visible, and never drag across posidonia. Many areas are now marked on Navionics with anchoring restriction overlays.

Arrive early: The premium bays fill fast. July and August anchorages like Cala Corsara and Cala Coticcio can be full by 1000. Aim to anchor by 0800–0900.

Carry sufficient chain: Rocky, weedy bottoms demand proper scope. We recommend a minimum of 50 metres of 8mm chain for a 12-metre boat, with 60–70 metres ideal.

Watch the Maestrale forecasts: PredictWind and Windy both have good resolution models for Sardinian waters. Never ignore a building northwest wind.

Have boat insurance that covers Italy: Many European boat insurance policies have specific Mediterranean clauses. Check your policy covers Sardinian coastal waters fully — services like Pantaenius offer comprehensive Mediterranean cruising cover worth comparing.

Chartering vs. Your Own Boat

If you don’t have your own vessel, Sardinia has an excellent charter market based out of Olbia, Palau, and Cagliari. A 40-foot monohull in high season will run approximately €3,000–€5,500 per week bareboat, dropping to €2,000–€3,500 in May or September. Catamarans attract a premium of roughly 40–60% over equivalent monohulls. Reputable boat rental platforms with Sardinian fleets include Navigare Yachting and ClickBoat — both worth a look for comparative quotes. When booking, always confirm that anchoring in the Maddalena National Park is permitted under your charter agreement, as some companies have restrictions.

The Best Anchorages Sardinia Italy Has to Offer: Our Final Word

Sardinia is one of those places that makes you want to sail slowly. The temptation is always to cover more ground, to tick off one more bay before sunset — but the island rewards those who linger. Drop anchor in Cala Coticcio at dusk and watch the granite turn gold. Swim in the Maddalena at dawn before a single day boat has arrived. Let the mistral pin you in Cala Domestica for an extra day and discover it’s no hardship at all.

The best anchorages Sardinia Italy can offer are not on a single stretch of coast — they’re scattered across an island that seems designed, at every turn, to make you grateful you sail. Go in June. Go in September. Go as often as you can. If you’re also exploring the wider region, the best anchorages of the Aeolian Islands make a natural extension to any Sardinian itinerary and are well worth adding to your passage plan.

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Every fortnight, the Nautiful newsletter delivers exactly this kind of deep-dive local knowledge — specific anchorages, pilot notes, gear reviews, and seasonal sailing intel from skippers who actually sail these waters. Subscribe to the Nautiful newsletter today and make sure you’re ready for wherever the season takes you next. No spam, no filler — just beautiful, useful boating writing, straight to your inbox.

Best Anchorages Sardinia Italy: Skipper’s Guide

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