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Why Sardinia Is the Mediterranean’s Greatest Anchorage Ground
There is a moment, somewhere between dropping the hook in a turquoise Sardinian cove and watching the anchor chain disappear into sand so clear it looks painted, when you understand why sailors return here season after season. Finding the best anchorages in Sardinia, Italy by boat is not just a navigation exercise — it is the whole point of the voyage.
There are over 1,800 km of Sardinian coastline to explore, and the island rewards those who come prepared. North Sardinia is the most popular area, rich with anchorages, while South Sardinia is useful for cruisers travelling east or west through the Mediterranean. But every coast — north, east, west, and south — holds its own secrets. This guide covers the anchorages that genuinely earn their place in your log book, with the practical details you need to get there safely and happily.
Before you leave the dock: load the Navionics+ Boating app on your tablet or phone. The internationally renowned Navionics charts can be used offline along with multiple overlays, and the nautical chart lets you study port plans, anchorages, and safety depth contours. Upon purchasing any Navionics+ mapping solution, you receive a one-year subscription, which includes daily updates and advanced features — genuinely worth every cent in waters as intricate as these.
The La Maddalena Archipelago: Northern Sardinia’s Crown Jewel
The Maddalena islands — Razzoli, Santa Maria, Budelli, Spargi, La Maddalena, San Stefano, and Caprera — were made a National Park in 1994 and have been preserved ever since with pristine beaches, rocky bays, and crystalline blue waters. Sailing into this archipelago for the first time feels implausible, like the Mediterranean decided to concentrate its entire beauty into a single postcode.
Cala Coticcio, Caprera
Often referred to as the “Tahiti of the Mediterranean”, Cala Coticcio is one of Sardinia’s most iconic anchorages. Granite rocks, crystal-clear water, and unspoilt nature define this extraordinary bay within the La Maddalena archipelago. The seabed is primarily sand, offering good holding when anchoring on clear patches, though environmental protection is strict and anchoring is regulated to protect Posidonia seagrass — mooring buoys are often the safest and most responsible option. The bay is exposed to stronger northerly winds, so weather forecasts should be carefully monitored. Aim for a morning arrival when the Mistral has not yet built.
Cala Francese and Stagno Torto, La Maddalena Island
The main harbour is Cala Gavetta on the south side of La Maddalena island. There are many excellent anchorages here; Cala Francese is a favourite and provides good protection from easterly and northerly winds, while other excellent choices include the deep cove of Stagno Torto, Cala Portolungo, and Cala dello Spalmatore. The waters are outstandingly clear and much of the seafloor is covered in white sand interspersed with intriguing granite formations, tunnels, canyons, caves, and steep drop-offs that make ideal habitats for marine life.
For a boat between 35 and 45 feet, the La Maddalena anchorages tick every box. Depths in the main coves typically run 3–8 metres over sand — enough scope for a 20 kg Rocna or Spade anchor without drama. With no keel to worry about, a catamaran is the perfect choice for those wishing to anchor closer to the shore in the shallower waters of the La Maddalena Archipelago, though a well-found monohull handles it beautifully too.
The Costa Smeralda: Glamour Anchorages and Hidden Coves
Set up by the Aga Khan in the early 1960s, this jagged piece of granite coastline between Cugnana and Cannigione is now home to some discreet and very expensive real estate, high-fashion shops, and in season, beautifully turned-out people in expensive cafés. But you don’t need a 50-metre superyacht to love the Costa Smeralda. You just need to know where to drop your hook instead of your wallet.
Cala di Volpe
The Cala di Volpe bay is a very popular anchorage for yachts in the height of summer. It is worthwhile spending a free night at anchor here just to admire the most wondrous collection of boats, though you should beware the marked rock deep into the bay. Fox Mooring operates a managed mooring field here, with a peculiar anchoring system that ensures the preservation of the seabed and protects it from the ploughing of large yacht anchors, with great benefit for the Posidonia oceanica and the whole ecosystem. Pick up a buoy, pour a Cannonau, and watch the procession of floating palaces pass by.
Cala Pevero and Piccolo Pevero
From the La Maddalena Archipelago you can sail down to the Costa Smeralda and discover Porto Cervo and Cala di Volpe, but one of the preferred areas is the cove of Pevero and Piccolo Pevero beach — it is much quieter and calmer, making it a great place to set up anchor. You can also moor in some of the most beautiful bays around the islands of Soffi and Mortorio, which are just a short cruise across from Pevero, and discover the fantastic wildlife and walking trails.
A word on Porto Cervo itself: a 10-metre yacht staying in high season will be asked some hundreds of euros to stay overnight; no anchoring is permitted in the marina itself. Anchor out in Cala Pevero for free and dinghy in for the evening. Nobody needs to know.
The Gulf of Orosei: Sardinia’s Wild East Coast
If the Costa Smeralda is Sardinia showing off, the Gulf of Orosei is Sardinia being itself. The Golfo di Orosei stretches along the east coast of Sardinia with its steep limestone cliffs and hidden beaches such as Cala Luna and Cala Goloritzé. This is genuinely remote cruising — plan your fuel, carry extra water, and relish every mile of it.
Cala Goloritzé
Anchor off Cala Goloritzé — it’s an only-by-boat beach so breathtaking that it was declared an Italian National Monument. After just under an hour’s sail from Cala Gonone, you reach this small, secluded bay, often described as one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. The characteristic pyramid-shaped rock needle, the “Goloritzé Point”, rises above the beach and forms a unique picture together with the white sandy shore. Like most bays along the Gulf of Orosei, Cala Goloritzé can only be reached on foot or by water, and the bay has been a nature reserve since 1993. Use a bow anchor plus a stern line to shore to keep your boat from swinging in the confined space.
Cala Luna
Just a few miles north along the same limestone wall, Cala Luna opens like a parenthesis in the cliffs. Anchorages with a sandy bottom and a depth of 5–10 metres can be found particularly in Cala Luna, making it one of the most comfortable overnight stops on the entire east coast. There are six bays on the way back to Cala Gonone: Cala delle Sorgenti, Cala Gabbiani, Cala Mariolu, Cala Briola, Cala Sisine, and Cala Luna — any of which could fill a week’s cruising on their own.
This is the stretch where having the right anchor matters most. Plow and scoop anchors hold more effectively in grass, mud, and sand; they do not have projecting flukes that foul easily, and heavier powerboats and cruising sailboats often use plows as primary anchors. A quality 20 kg Rocna or Mantus on 60 metres of 10 mm chain will give you sound sleep in these coves.
South Sardinia’s Secret Bays: Tuerredda and Malfatano
Located on the south coast of Sardinia, this region is known for its white sandy beaches covering miles of immaculate coastlines and its idyllic anchorages. Even though southern Sardinia is less popular than the north, it is just as attractive. The cruising here is gentler, the crowds thinner, and the anchorages — if anything — even more rewarding.
Tuerredda
Tuerredda is a beautiful bay in South Sardinia. Surrounded by typical Mediterranean maquis, it is very appreciated by sailors. “Beautiful bay, stunning clear water with beautiful beach. You can drop anchor relatively close to the beach in the sandy seabed.” Tuerredda is divided into two parts by a small island. You can anchor on both sides — Tuerredda Ovest offers good protection from western to south-eastern winds.
Malfatano Beach
Malfatano Beach has a magical setting that makes it a must-see destination in South Sardinia. Nested in a bay behind Capo Malfatano, this anchorage is isolated and wild and is unsurprisingly one of the best-rated anchorages in the region. For boats with a draft over two metres, stay clear of the buoy field. The seabed rests at about 5–8 metres deep and is made of sand and Posidonia. Arrive before noon in July and August — by early afternoon, every skipper on the south coast will have had the same idea.
Practical Notes: Timing, Costs, and Anchoring Etiquette
When to go: From May through September, daytime temperatures seldom dip below 20°C — with hotter days touching 30°C. From June through August, expect just a couple of rainy days per month. The sweet spot is late May to mid-June or September to early October: settled winds, warm water, and half the traffic.
Winds: The sunny season runs from late May to early October. Summer winds between Corsica and Sardinia of Force 7 in the Bonifacio Strait are quite common and Force 9 not unknown. Sardinia is characterised by constant winds, especially the Mistral from the northwest, which ensures pleasant sailing conditions — but watch for build-ups from early afternoon onwards.
Costs: Mooring fees for a 39 ft yacht range from €20 to upwards of €100 per night, with prices sometimes rising to double the cost when staying over a weekend. Some of the better anchorages have mooring buoys which you do have to pay for, but these are often less expensive than a marina. Planning a charter? Operators like The Moorings, Sunsail, and Dream Yacht Charter all run fleets out of Olbia and Cannigione, with bareboat and crewed options from around €2,500 per week for a 40-footer in shoulder season.
Protecting Posidonia: These meadows form crucial underwater ecosystems in the Mediterranean, but they are fragile and threatened by a number of human activities, in particular anchoring of recreational craft. Do not anchor in Posidonia meadows; opt for sandy bottoms or consider picking up a mooring buoy whenever possible. From the water, sand looks light and beige while Posidonia looks dark and greenish. When in doubt, use your depth sounder and eyes together.
Gear tip: Carry a quality scoop-style anchor (Rocna, Spade, or Mantus) as your primary, and supplement it with the Navionics+ Boating app for real-time depth overlays. Navionics creates 0.5 m bathymetry charts incorporating sonar data shared by the boating community, and with up to 5,000 daily chart updates, you access the most precise and up-to-date information. In a place where a sandbank can appear between the chart revision and your visit, that matters enormously.
The Best Anchorages in Sardinia at a Glance
- Cala Coticcio, Caprera — “Tahiti of the Mediterranean”; sand seabed, 3–6 m; buoys available; exposed to N winds
- Cala Francese, La Maddalena — sheltered from E and N; sand over granite; excellent overnight
- Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda — superyacht spectacle; managed mooring field; beware marked rock inside bay
- Cala Pevero / Piccolo Pevero — quieter Costa Smeralda alternative; sand bottom; 4–8 m depth
- Cala Goloritzé, Gulf of Orosei — national monument; nature reserve; stern-to-shore recommended; no motorboat mooring on beach
- Cala Luna, Gulf of Orosei — sand bottom 5–10 m; one of the most comfortable east-coast overnights
- Tuerredda, South Sardinia — divided by islet; good SW-to-SE protection; fine white sand
- Malfatano Beach, South Sardinia — wild and isolated; 5–8 m sand/Posidonia; deep-draft boats avoid buoy field
Ready to Drop the Hook?
The best anchorages in Sardinia, Italy by boat reward the prepared skipper: the one who has loaded the charts, chosen the right anchor for Mediterranean mixed bottoms, and timed the cruise for shoulder season. Whether you’re swinging in the granite wonderland of La Maddalena, tucked into a limestone cove in the Gulf of Orosei, or watching the stars over wild Malfatano, Sardinia will exceed every expectation you arrived with.
If you’re planning a charter, we recommend booking through a reputable operator well in advance — quality bareboats and crewed yachts out of Cannigione and Portisco fill up fast from May onwards. And before you set a single waypoint, make sure your Navionics+ chartplotter card or app subscription is active and downloaded. Navionics+ features include a full navigation window for following a route and autorouting, which plots a passage between a defined start and end point taking into account your draught and avoiding obstructions — exactly what you need when threading through the Maddalena channels for the first time.
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