Summer holidays are coming and the time has come to think about where to spend days in complete peace of mind while enjoying the sun, sea and good food. Our beautiful country is well known for its rich and beautiful beaches and tourists from all over the world compete to dive into our crystal clear waters.
At the top of the list of ideal places to spend dream holidays, also this year is Sardinia, one of the most popular regions for white sandy beaches, sea and clear green waters, wild nature and unspoiled archipelagos.
It is a land that enchants for the continuous change of landscapes that, kilometre after kilometre, create their own universe, characterized by granite rocks, cork, oaks and centuries-old incredible mountain peaks.
Among the jewels that Sardinia holds, there are its numerous islands, the most famous of which is undoubtedly La Maddalena. Known for its unspoiled beaches, scenic beauty and wild nature, the island of La Maddalena seduces visitors with its scents, colors and exceptional flavors. This group of islands in the province of Olbia-Tempio consists of seven islands: La Maddalena, Santo Stefano, Caprera, Santa Maria, Budelli and Spargi.
The enchanting places of La Maddalena
Once you reach La Maddalena, the only inhabited island of the islands with a small vital centre, you can start your tour from the small port of Cala Gavetta, characterized by the presence of boats camping on deep blue waters while around there are picturesque squares and narrow streets. On the seafront near the port, you can admire the typical building, the oldest buildings in the city dating back to '700.
In order to fully enjoy the beauty of the island, you should take a walk through its many alleys until you reach Piazza Garibaldi where you can finally have a drink with a cool slush.
Not far from Cala Gavetta, in the centre of the square of the same name, there is the small church of Santa Maria Maddalena, in baroque style where there is a crucifix and two silver candlesticks offered by Admiral Nelson before the Battle of Trafalgar in 1804.
Entering the old town, you will be struck by extraordinary views, walking down narrow streets, wide open spaces and stairways until you reach the upper part of the city on which stands the former fort of St. Andrew, perched on a granite spur, born as a place of support for the ships of the Royal Sardinian Navy and used as a prison until a few years ago. The suburbs of Moneta are characteristic, where, within the walls of these houses, the ancient local popular dialect echoes, which will catapult you into a surreal world.
Spending your stay in La Maddalena
Visiting La Maddalena means letting yourself be seduced by the enchanting landscapes that can be admired along the panoramic road characterized by junipers, mastic trees and an endless horizon.
Following the panoramic road, you will come across the Museum Nino Lamboglia, opened in 1982, where you can admire interesting findings of underwater archaeology as a Roman ship of 120 BC shipwrecked near the island of Spargi along with many amphorae placed according to the method of stowage used by the Romans, which are joined by tiles, nails, fragments of the cladding belonging to the hull and instruments on board or equipment of the crew clear evidence of the methods of navigation and the life of sailors.
For those who love shopping, along the streets of La Maddalena you can find both characteristic local craft shops where you can buy souvenirs, as well as clothing shops or shops selling local products. Apart from the port stalls, many shops are concentrated along Corso Garibaldi which can become really crowded during the high season.
Particular is the afternoon market of Moneta that is held every week, where you can buy coral objects and handmade carpets at reasonable prices, in any case in summer the alleys also called ''corrugi'' are enriched with stalls where you can find and buy an object characteristic of the island to take with you.
The most beautiful beaches of La Maddalena
La Maddalena is known above all for its numerous little roads and inlets immersed in a splendid setting of sunshine and crystal clear waters.
Every day can thus become an opportunity to dedicate oneself to a tour of the various beaches, first of all that of Monte d'Arena characterized by clear sand and the transparency of its waters.
The beach Bassa Trinità instead, is located in the village of Case Ornano and to reach it you will have to travel 500 meters, but your efforts will be rewarded by a turquoise sea and Caribbean sand surrounded by the typical formations of the rocks of Gallura. The Testa del Polpo beach is distinguished by its pink granite rocks that create enchanting plays of light among the transparent waters.
Finally, you can not help diving into the transparent waters of Cala Spalmatore characterized by a coastline of white sand.
A journey that respects La Maddalena cannot be said to be complete without a visit to the famous ''White House'' in Caprera, the last residence of Giuseppe Garibaldi, where many objects belonged to the hero of the two worlds are preserved: you can see documents, books, photographs and the original desk where the general was based.
Another important place to visit is the Memoriale, a building that presents numerous exhibition spaces obtained from the restoration of Forte Arbuticci.
Among the various rooms you can retrace the life of Garibaldi, his military and political enterprises through a careful selection of documents and objects that testify to his life and guided by a multimedia support.
The simple flavours of the traditional dishes of La Maddalena
Sardinian hospitality, full and authentic flavours of regional cuisine will captivate anyone who chooses to visit La Maddalena.
From the Culunzones or Culurgiones, ravioli filled with spinach, fresh Sardinian cheese, salt and saffron are handed down from generation to generation between the various families. Then there are beans with bacon, the most popular dessert seadas of Sardinian cuisine made with cooked cheese or raw cheese, until you get to the famous is amarettus, sweets made with almond flour, lemon peel and sugar prepared especially on important holidays.
