La Maddalena Hotels: Best Places to Stay in 2025

Within the Strait of Bonifacio, you’ll find a sprinkle of islands sitting closely to the ever so popular Costa Smeralda on Sardinia. These islands are part of the Maddalena Archipelago (Arcipelago di La Maddalena in Italian).

The archipelago can be overshadowed by the glamour that is Sardinia which means many visitors are missing out on beautiful beaches and waterfront hotels found on La Maddalena instead.

Aside from lower prices, La Maddalena hotels are also less frequented but still offer the same idyllic experience of mainland Sardegna.

In this guide, you’ll find the best places to stay in La Maddalena.

Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that some links found in our posts are affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What and Where is La Maddalena?

Sardinia is one of the most beautiful islands in the world and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does.

A hop and skip from mainland Sardegna will get you to Maddalenda Island, or Isola Maddalena, with access to the Italian national park of Maddalena Archipelago. The natural and spectacular wonder that is the archipelago sits promptly in the Tyrrhenian Sea and is made up of around 60 islands.

Although most of these micro islands are technically islets and often unnamed, the landscape is undeniably distinct.

The scattered islands are a result of our earth’s movement, millions of year ago. It left us with an assortment of sandy inlets, rocky cliffs, smoothed boulders and peaks with views from anywhere on the islands.

Land area is rather scarce and the archipelago is made up of only a few primary islands with Isola Maddalena being the largest. The remaining notable islands include Santo Stefano, Budelli, Caprera, Spargi, Santa Maria, and Razzoli.

Only a couple of these are connected by bridges and accessible by car. The rest of the islands are only available to visit by boat.

Maddalena Archipelago was a notable asset during war periods such as WW2 and even dating back to Napoleon’s days. You’ll still find old bases and building structures which are mostly rusted but still interesting to see for any history buffs.

Isola Santo Stefano even served as a NATO naval base with ships departing rather recently in 2008.

Is La Maddalena Worth Visiting?

Without hesitation, YES. If we may be so bold, it’s so worth visiting that if you’re short on time, you can choose to only explore La Maddalena and save mainland Sardinia for a different trip.

Especially for travellers looking to make visiting beaches their main priority, you do not need to go any further than La Maddalena. If you are a traveler looking for a variety of things to do on your trip, a couple of days on the Maddalena Archipelago will suffice.

Aside from remarkable swimming, snorkeling, boat tours and other water based activities, there isn’t too much else to do.

How to Get to La Maddalena

Don’t get intimated by traveling to another island while already on one island. The easiest, quickest and most affordable way to get to La Maddalena is by ferry.

A ferry from Palau to Isola Maddalena departs regularly during peak season and even accommodates cars. A brief guide on how to get to La Maddalenda can be found here.

Types of Accommodations on La Maddalena

La Maddalena hotels are outnumbered by the number of apartment and home stays available. Due to the pure nature of La Maddalena’s landscape and location, it’s more difficult to develop on.

This is likely a blessing as it contributes to the archipelago’s conservation and overall pristine feel. We will explore some of the island’s best hotels in addition to other types of accommodations such as homes located inland and waterfront apartments with a view.