Areas in Detail -

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N Spain Quiet, unspoilt cruising around N Spain

Balearics The busy  area of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and the sandy bays of Formentera

Corsica & Sardinia Brilliant white undeveloped beaches and coves, stunning scenery.

Sicily & Malta Unique; bubbling volcanoes and ancient sites

Greece The stunning variety of the many Greek cruising areas

SW Peloponese Every harbour, cove and anchorage. Good bars, too. _____________

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Copyright Jim Baerselman.
Updated 1 Apr 2008 - and many thanks to CA member Vyv Cox for his detailed contribution on Sardinia

Please email us with your corrections and comments

Areas in Detail

Corsica & Sardinia

Corsica and Sardinia offer some of the most pleasant cruising grounds in the western Mediterranean, especially if you include Elba. There are hundreds of coves with brilliant white beaches, and little intrusive development. Some of the older town centres are very attractive, and West Corsica has some dramatic coastal scenery.  Periods of brisk westerly winds add excitement, especially between the islands and past the north cape. You pay for all of this with crowded waters in peak season.

Each island can be circumnavigated day sailing (anticlockwise is best), with perhaps one rather long hop of 60nm down W Sardinia and relatively boring trips north up the east coasts.

 The most popular cruise area is between the two islands, from Porto-Vecchio to Olbia. This stretch is dense with islands, anchorages and harbours. In the peak season it's also dense with yachts scrabbling for space in highly priced marinas, although free anchoring is widely available.

Southern Sardinia is distant from the main cruising areas, but it's a favourite for yotties migrating east or west; a useful pause en route between the Balearics and Sicily.

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 When to go

Weather. The sunny season is long, with only occasional interruptions of unsettled weather,  May to early October. Summer winds around Corsica include periods of strong westerlys - an extension of the Mistral. These blow particularly strongly (F7 is quite common) past the north cape of Corsica, and between Corsica and Sardinia. Otherwise, quite brisk sea breezes characterise afternoons on the west coasts, with lesser winds on the east coasts. The frequent winter Mistrals make winter sailing around Corsica very uncomfortable indeed, with big winds and significant swell. In South Sardinia winter cruising in periods of settled weather is feasible, although the usual unsettled weather threat - of fierce winds - means that it's prudent to stay within short distance of shelter.

Peak Season. During peak season (French and Italian holidays; mid-July to late August) the cruising area between Corsica and Sardinia becomes grossly crowded. Marina prices hit the roof - if you can get into one - with Porto Cervo taking the prize for the highest charges in the world (several hundred euros overnight for a 10m yacht). In addition, there was a seasonal charge around the Costa Smeralda for yachts over 14m during 2007; the legality of this charge has been challenged, but it is possible it will be repeated for 2009.  Luckily, free space can usually be found in the many nearby anchorages, although some of these buzz with jet ski and RIB activity. Charges on laid moorings are reasonable. If you need a marina for fuel or water, nip in around mid-day. Things improve away from Porto Cervo, but if you must have a marina berth overnight, it's still best to book ahead.

The shoulder seasons (the further from the peak the better) are still busy, but cruising is then much more relaxed. Again, book ahead to guarantee marina space. 

Wintering spots are:

Corsica, Any marina you can find space in! But Ajaccio probably the best.

Sardinia, Alghero, two yards, Fertilia and the town marina. Both are convenient for flights. Before you haul out in Fertilia, make sure you have a written agreement for the cost of being re-launched again - from the boss, and insist on receipts - from him - for any payments made for services rendered while you're out of the water. There has been a history of mis-understandings here; and you're over a barrel when demands for extra payments arrive when you wish to re-launch. Cagliari is also a fine town, with three nearby marinas to choose from for wintering afloat or ashore.

Unique Attractions. Pristine white beaches. Magnificent mountain scenery. Attractive old town centres. Gawping at super yachts.

Snags. The hassle of an excessively crowded peak season.

Where to Go

Elba & Corsica

Elba (7/10) is a delightful Italian Island with a deeply indented coast providing many anchorages. It's a natural part of the N Corsican cruise area, only 30nm from the busy Corsican port of Bastia. Porto Ferraio was a favourite harbour, but the omeggiori seem to have formed a union there to push prices up - and if you leave the boat at anchor instead, it may be moved, with a few hundred euro cost to recover the vessel. Be warned! In contrast the harbour at Marcia Marina (not a marina!) offers free mooring - and water for a small charge.

Capraia (6/10) was an island penal colony until 1996. Now it is a popular diving location, and a pleasant spot to anchor off (or moor up on a buoy) between Elba and Corsica. We've been recommended 'Vecchio Scorfano' as a fine restaurant with moderate prices - on Via Assuncione.

Bastia old port (8/10) is a delightful place to stop, with a lovely old town centre and a lively market, but it's never easy to find a berth. If you do find one, and feel like a really good meal, we can recommend 'La Citadelle' - not cheap, but very good. It's in the centre of the 'La Citadelle' on the south side of the old port.

The coast to the north has several quiet sandy coves, good for lunch stops, leading to the busy marina in Macinaggio (6/10). Anchoring off is a possibility if the marina is full. This is a good spot to wait if the mistral is doing its periodic westerly blast past the north cape.

Only once have I been able to find a berth in pretty Centuri (7/10 for prettiness, 2/10 for yacht access), just around the corner on the west facing coast, so usually it's on to the big marina at St Florent (6/10). Again, if the marina is full, there are reasonably sheltered anchorages just west, though they are subject to refracted swell. This is a pleasant holiday town with good nearby beaches, whose main square comes to life in the evenings as families stroll around the cafés and restaurants.

The next stretch of coast from L'Île Rousse (5/10) to Calvi (8/10 for its buzz) is serious holiday country, with many quiet coves and beaches between the towns. These are, however, exposed to the sea breezes which pick up each afternoon. Both towns have marinas, with shelter for anchoring off in each case. And both are very lively in season, with expensive ranks of beach brollies and sun beds hiding the beautiful sands. Calvi looks really beautiful as you approach it, and it is easily the more interesting town, not to be missed. It's full of restaurants and cafés, but, as usual in holiday towns, the best value for money lies in the back streets, away from the sea views.

12nm SW of Calvi along the coast is the stunning 'Réserve Naturel de Scandola' (8/10 for dramatic scenery) a headland of amazing slabs of multicoloured rocks, clefts and caves rising straight out of the sea, rich with rare wild life. Seals and dolphins are common around here, and some osprey. Just around the corner it's possible to anchor off Girolata, a tiny village only accessible by sea. In peak season trippers crowd the place by day, but they disappear at night, leaving a quiet anchorage with a lovely stetting. The restaurants are nothing special. Porto, at the head of the gulf just south, is an anchorage only in fair winds, but again, stunning scenery - especially the needles of pink granite on the south side as you exit the gulf.

Ajaccio and Propriano are good stops for southbound sailors. Ajaccio (4/10), in particular, has two marinas (crowded in high season, as usual round here) and an area for anchoring off town. Wintering is feasible, with the airport close by; but book well ahead. Propriano (6/10) is favoured more as a holiday destination, with first class beaches nearby.

If you're returning north to Elba after cruising S Corsica, go up the east coast. It's a bit boring, but much easier sailing, with a couple of marinas (in the middle of nowhere in particular) to break the journey. Meantime, the windy southern corner of Corsica is a cruising gem, all the better for being so close to N Sardinia.

Bonifacio (9/10) is a 'must see', just for its exotic cliff-top setting above layers of limestone carved by the strong straits winds. The harbour is excellently sheltered, and the town above (big flight of steps to climb) is an interesting place to explore. Restaurants and cafés up top are much better value for money than the posh joints around the marina.

Heading east from Bonifacio, there's challenging pilotage around the Lavezzi Archipelago nature reserve (8/10 for rock dodgers) a 3nm x 2nm mass of islands, islets, rocks and lovely small anchorages. The area is 'regulated' to control potential damage to the sea bed. See this link  (which takes some time to download!) for more information - in French.

North of the Lavezzi, after the first rather muddy inlet, is a 20nm succession of spectacular and bays and beaches until the Golfe de Pinarellu. Some are big, some small. Largest is the brilliant turquoise bottomed Golfe de Porto-Vecchio, which has a marina, lots of anchoring space, and some fine stretches of sand, although ugly developments spoil parts of the shoreline. The town of Porto-Vecchio (6/10) is a lively holiday resort. Watching smart Italians displaying around the square of the old town is good entertainment in high season. We didn't check out the restaurants very thoroughly, having been diverted by the hundreds of beers available at the noisy 'Pub de Bastion' in the NE corner of the old town.  Nearby bays to north and south are lovely, even though rather crowded in peak season.

Click for the big picture!

North East Sardinia

There are many good reasons why NE Sardinia is enormously popular in peak season; many islands, many anchorages, beautiful beaches, strong winds but flat water, good food, and some of the smartest resorts in the world with big fashion on display. The really attractive part of the coast starts about 10nm SE of Olbia (3/10 - a rather ugly workaday town and port, but with good facilities), and stretches over some 40nm to the NW, ignoring all the ins and outs. Every mile or two there's another beach to anchor off, an inlet to poke into, a marina, pontoon or quay to peer at to see if there's any space available. Explore - it's fun.

A few highlights (there's much more) of the NE facing coast are:

La Magdalena Nature Reserve (8/10), a dense archipelago off much of the coast. Areas of laid moorings for visitors and some superb anchorages. Also quaysides and pontoons. It's a bit difficult to understand how the US manned naval base qualifies as a nature reserve, but it does only affect a couple of small patches. There's a fee for over-night stops, irregularly collected. 

Costa Smeralda (8/10), where the super-rich come to display. Set up by the Aga Khan in the early 1960's, 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. Anchoring off is advised . . .

Porto Cervo (9/10) The marina at the centre of the Costa Smeralda. Super-yachts on display. By all means motor in and look around, but a 10m yacht staying in high season will be asked some hundreds of euros to stay overnight; a little less on the moorings laid in (what was) the anchorage. Supermarket, smart shops, fascinating architecture - all very posh.

Cannigione (7/10)  is an attractive small town, with good shopping. It has a well sheltered and spacious anchorage off its marina. A useful centre for exploring the area. 

Porto Pollo (5/10) the bay of Porto Pollo has to be one of the most windy in the region. It attracts legions of windsurfers. Tough guys enjoy the waves to the windward side of the peninsula, wimps stick to the flat water lee. A yacht anchoring in here will be unpopular, and lucky if his anchor holds, but the windsurfing activity is fascinating to behold.

The Northern Headlands, best appreciated as a land trip. The granite rocks around these headlands have been carved into fantastic shapes by sand erosion in the regular Westerly F6 to F8 which blows through the straits. Windy alley indeed.

Santa Teresa di Gallura, the ferry port for Bonifacio, has a marina, reasonable local shopping, and good nearby beaches, one of which, Marmorata (aka Baia Reparata?) - just east - makes a good and attractive anchorage among wind eroded rocks.

North West Sardinia

NW Sardinia is the 45nm long sweep of coast from Santa Teresa di Gallura to Alghero, neatly punctuated every 15nm or so by small  marinas, some of which are rather isolated. Sassari, a town inland, makes this western corner a good destination.

Isola Rossa (3/10) The first part of the coast up to the marina and small holiday development of Isola Rossa is a harsh granite coast with no shelter. Then a sweep of brilliant white sand curves most of the way to the next marina.

Castelsardo (5/10). Castelsardo is a small town with limited shopping, and a marina 15 minutes walk away. The marina is excellent value, and has a travel lift for wintering ashore. The place is very quiet in winter, but Porto Torres is only about 15nm away.

Porto Torres (6/10) is a bustling small ferry town with a convenient marina and good variety of shops. Ferries to Genoa. From here consider an inland trip (bus, train) to Sassari.

Sassari (8/10) is the regional capital, and many would say the most interesting town in Sardinia. The mediaeval quarter is all alleys and piazzas clustered around the inevitable cathedral (duomo). If you're in the area late May, check the date of the Ascension - when the stirring Cavalcata (9/10) takes place. Horsemanship is the theme, with parades, decorated costumes, dashing equestrian feats and traditional song and dance in one of the piazzas afterwards.

Stintino (6/10) is a small fishing village which offers a crowded marina, and anchorage and a 'no cost' town quay which may have space. Nearby is the much praised beach of Ancora, a beautiful anchorage facing the islands and nature reserves (Asinara) to the north. The small holiday development behind the beach is described as quiet. An exciting short cut west through the sound is possible, only by day, and with care when there's not too much swell the other side.

Asinara, an island which was once a penal colony is now being developed (!) as a nature reserve. Access is controlled, but visitor's moorings are available off the east coast at Asinara Marina (not a marina!) €30 for a 12m yacht.

Alghero (8/10) is a busy fishing port with strong Catalan connections. Fine beaches curving around to Fertilia make it a strong holiday destination, but this remains a lively place all year. There are good restaurants, and a lovely old town with the usual maze of alleys and piazzas clustered around a central cathedral.  There are several places of historic interest nearby, one of which is the town of Sassari, mentioned above, with it's unique May time Cavalcata festival. Less historic, but just as much fun, is the winery of Stella and Mosca near Fertilia, which offer good wine tasting. Two neighbouring town marinas (Aquatica and St Elmo), and one at Fertilia (60 ton crane), are suitable for wintering, though in winter 2007 upgrading work limited access to Fertilia and St Elmo. Some past difficulties with the Fertilia owner (one Cesare) can be avoided if you ensure you have a written quote for re-launching before you lift out, though new management may now be in place. Ryan Air fly year round to Stansted from Fertilia airport, and additional charters fly through the summer.

The Rest of Sardinia

The Bare West Coast. (2/10) The 80nm or so miles south from Alghero is a coast of transit, as is the east coast between the same latitudes. Each is punctuated by occasional marinas.

Bosa (4/10). A pleasant small town with fine beaches, and a marina with a travel lift. Useful if you've wintered afloat in Alghero and want a lift and a scrub before moving on. A pier is being built to shelter the river entrance (winter 2007), which used to be a bit hairy in onshore winds - progress reports please!

Capo San Marco has an anchorage on its east side, recently populated with 40 to 50 public moorings, a useful stop on the way south

Buggeru,  An isolated new marina which was very shallow, though I've had a recent report that it is now dredged to 3m. True?

The Bare East Coast. (2/10) The other coast of transit, better than the west coast if you want to go north. There are several stops en route, going north. Some of them are:

Porto Corallo. A neat new marina In the middle of nowhere! Very quiet off season.

Arbatax. There's good shelter in this small ferry port (Civitavecchia and Genoa), which is also geared to fishing and drilling rig support. There's free quay space, or a marina. A shipyard covers all types of repairs, and there are frequent buses to Cagliari. A suitable place for wintering afloat or ashore. 

La Caletta is quiet little town with a very well sheltered port. Supermarket and restaurants, and a yacht club accepts visiting yachts (when there's space). Alternatively there is quay and pontoon space in harbour - no charges.  

The South. This is the coast of transit for migratory yachts going to Sicily or the Balearics. It is much less busy then the north of the island, is a good area for a week's quiet pottering, and had some good wintering options.

SW Corner. Inside the islands of San Pietro and Sant' Antioco arrivals from and departures for the Balearics have a choice of three good value for money locations. Carloforte on San Pietro seems to be the favourite, with two marinas and a free town quay. It's quite lively in summer and I've seen some poetic observations of local town life. The other two are Calasetta on Sant'Antioco (a marina) and Portoscuso on the mainland (another marina) but I can't enlarge on these, so I look forward to reports!

Teulada and Porto Colombo are a couple of marinas en route to Cagliari on the south coast, and there are a number of attractive day anchorages too. Of particular interest is the waterside archaelogical site at Nora, on the Capo di Pula, a small peninsula south of Porto Columbo. This abandoned Phoenician city is partly submerged, but there's a well preserved theatre, some mosaics, and a clear town layout to be seen.

Cagliari (8/10) is the bee's knees. Although it's a large industrial centre with 250,000 population, the centre of the city is unaffected. There's a wonderful old citadel (a mediaeval maze) which is exceptionally well preserved. And just below it is the main shopping and café area, in which the (very smartly turned out) locals parade in the evenings. Good restaurants, nearby airport, Cagliari is a good wintering choice.  The two town marinas (the yacht club, and Marine del Sole, just east) are just over a mile from the city centre, and there's a large hard standing area and boatyard ashore. The small marina in Saline (3nm SE) is another choice for wintering afloat.

Villasimus is a marina (I'm told, very expensive) with travel lift at the base of a peninsula in the SE corner of Sardinia. Anchorages off beautiful sandy beaches outside this small holiday town are a good alternative in all except southerlies.