In 1793, a young Napoleon Bonaparte experienced his first combat here, failing to capture a territory that Admiral Horatio Nelson would soon use as a strategic base for his fleet against the French. Known to the Romans as Ilva, Fussa, and Bucina, later called Bicinara in the Middle Ages and Santa Maria Magdalena in the 16th century, the La Maddalena Archipelago comprises 62 islands and islets mapping 180 kilometres of coastline in the Strait of Bonifacio, just two kilometres off northeastern Sardinia. Abandoned after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the islands were settled in the 12th century by Benedictine monks, sparking territorial disputes between the Republics of Pisa and Genoa. Following Ottoman raids that destroyed the monasteries in 1584, the archipelago saw only wintering shepherds until 1767, when Savoy-Piedmontese occupation established the nucleus of the modern town.
What to see
La Maddalena, recognized as one of "I Borghi più belli d'Italia" (The most beautiful villages of Italy), is the largest town with 10,449 residents, where a native Sardo-Corsican dialect called Maddalenino is still spoken. The civic center revolves around Piazza Umberto I—still commonly referred to by locals as Piazza Comando—and Via Garibaldi, which connects the commercial port to the city hall. The main island features a rocky granitic terrain, beaches like Bassa Trinita and Spalmatore, and the historical Cala Francese granite quarries, part of the Historical and Environmental Geomining Park of Sardinia since 2001. A causeway links La Maddalena to Caprera, famous as the final residence of the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi. The archipelago's strategic importance left a heavy architectural footprint: military fortifications built from the late 18th century through World War II dot the landscape. Notable historical sites include Villa Webber on La Maddalena, where Benito Mussolini was imprisoned from August 7 to 27, 1943, and the island of Santo Stefano, which hosted a US submarine base for 36 years until 2008. The former Naval Arsenal at Moneta was even slated to host the 2009 G8 Summit before it was relocated. Excursionists frequently target the smaller, uninhabited islands of Spargi, Budelli, and Santa Maria, the latter holding a small number of summer houses.
Visiting
The archipelago is accessible exclusively by boat, with car ferries making the short crossing from Palau in Sardinia. Since 1994, the entire terrestrial and marine area has been protected as the Arcipelago di La Maddalena National Park. Visitors on private vessels must obtain specific authorizations from the park authority for boating, sport fishing, scuba diving, and commercial activities. Due to growing environmental awareness, access to highly sensitive ecological zones is strictly regulated; the famous Pink Beach (Spiaggia rosa) on Budelli can now only be visited under controlled conditions. Navigation in these waters requires care: at 6:35 AM on January 1, 1994, the French ferry Monte Stello ran aground on the rocks of the Barrettini islet with 77 passengers and roughly thirty cars on board.
Our editors' tip
Dedicate time to the historical granite quarries of Cala Francese. Acknowledged by the 1998 UNESCO Cagliari Charter, the site provides a distinct look into the island's industrial mining culture, offering a stark contrast to the surrounding coastal environment.