Sardinia (Costa Smeralda)

The Costa Smeralda was invented in the 1960s when the Aga Khan and a consortium of investors bought a stretch of north-east Sardinia's coast and built Porto Cervo. The result is a peculiar landscape: genuine natural beauty — granite headlands, juniper scrub, water that shifts between emerald and turquoise — overlaid with a concentration of wealth that can feel dislocating. Porto Cervo's marina berths some of the largest private yachts in the Mediterranean, and the waterfront shops cater accordingly. Charter sailing here focuses less on Porto Cervo itself and more on the Maddalena archipelago, a national park of seven main islands and dozens of smaller islets sitting in the strait between Sardinia and Corsica. The water clarity is exceptional — five to ten metres of visibility over white sand and granite boulders. Budelli's Spiaggia Rosa, a beach tinted pink by crushed coral, is protected and off-limits to landing but viewable from the water. Spargi and Santa Maria offer anchorages where the holding is good over sand and the crowds thin outside August. The Strait of Bonifacio, separating Sardinia from Corsica, is the navigational challenge. It funnels the maestrale — the north-westerly — and can produce steep, confused seas even when conditions on either side are moderate. The crossing to Bonifacio, the Corsican fortress town perched on white limestone cliffs, is roughly 7 nautical miles from the Maddalena and should be timed for a morning with a settled forecast. Charter bases cluster around Olbia and Portisco, both close to Olbia's airport. Marina di Portisco is the more common charter departure point — modern, well-serviced, with a short taxi ride from the terminal. The Maddalena islands are a half-day sail north. Provisioning in Olbia is straightforward; the town has large supermarkets. Once in the Maddalena, options are limited to the town of La Maddalena on the main island, which has a small market and several restaurants. Porto Cervo provisions are available but priced for the superyacht crowd. This is a premium-to-luxury cruising ground. Marina fees, mooring charges, and restaurant prices reflect the destination's positioning. The sailing itself, however, is not inherently difficult — the distances are short, the shelter is reliable within the archipelago, and the challenge lies more in navigating the Bonifacio strait than in the daily passages.