Snorkeling in Maddalena Archipelago from Porto Rafael
Four island stops, turquoise bays, lunch cooked on board
A full-day catamaran snorkeling tour from Porto Rafael visits four islands of the Maddalena Archipelago, with snorkel equipment, lunch and drinks included. The boat departs around 9:45 and returns around 17:30, stopping at Spargi for snorkeling in transparent water, passing Pink Beach (a protected natural monument), anchoring at Porto Madonna lagoon, and visiting Razzoli and Santa Maria. A guide leads the tour in English, Spanish or Italian. The itinerary may shift based on weather and sea conditions.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Maddalena Archipelago by catamaran
- Depart from Porto Rafael at 9:45
- Stop at Spargi island for swimming and snorkeling
- View Pink Beach from boat without landing
- Visit Port of the Madonna for swimming and beach time
- Explore Razzoli and Santa Maria islands
- Enjoy typical Sardinian aperitif on board
- Have fish-based lunch cooked on board
- Finish with fruit and Sardinian liqueur
- Return to Porto Rafael around 17:30
The experience
The catamaran leaves Porto Rafael in the morning and heads straight into the Maddalena Archipelago, a geomarine national park north of Sardinia. Your first real stop is Spargi, where you slip into water so clear you can see the white sand beneath you from the surface. Snorkel masks are provided on board, and the shallow bays here are built for it. You're swimming above granite formations and the kind of seabed that makes the water glow turquoise. The boat carries you past Pink Beach next, a coral-colored strand on Budelli that is so protected you can only photograph it from the water. The island sits inside a nature reserve and the beach itself is off-limits to walking or swimming, a rarity that makes the moment stick.
By midday the catamaran anchors at Porto Madonna, a lagoon enclosed by three islands (Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria), where the water turns an almost unreal shade of emerald. This is where lunch happens: fish-based dishes cooked on board in the Sardinian style, with fruit and the local liqueur served after. Wine, beer, coffee and soft drinks are available throughout the day. If you have a fish intolerance, a vegetarian option can be arranged when you book. The boat idles here long enough to snorkel again in the reserved areas the park has set aside, or simply float and let the granite cliffs and the silence do their work.
The afternoon takes in Razzoli and Santa Maria, the northernmost islands in the chain. Razzoli rises with dramatic cliff faces and rock formations. Santa Maria holds the ruins of a medieval convent and a wide beach called Cala Santa Maria, one of the largest in the archipelago. The boat returns to Porto Rafael by late afternoon. Weather can shift the order of stops or swap one island for another: the captain adjusts the route to keep the crossing safe, so the exact sequence is not guaranteed, but the four main stops and the snorkeling time are the spine of the day.
What’s included
- Snorkel masks and equipment.
- lunch cooked on board based on fish from Sardinian cuisine (vegetarian or no-fish option available on request).
- Vermentino di Gallura white wine, beer, coffee, soft drinks, fruit and typical Sardinian liqueur.
- bottled water.
- restroom on board.
Before you book
Lasts 7h–8h, from € 129 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Italian, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.
Prices and times updated today
Operated by Sardinia Sailing Tour
Is this one for you?If your guide speaks English, Spanish or Italian, you'll follow the commentary without strain. The boat holds small groups and suits all fitness levels: children ride free if they sit on an adult's lap, and the day is built around swimming and floating rather than hiking or climbing.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (under 3).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's the water like for snorkeling at Spargi?
Spargi sits in the Maddalena Archipelago and the water is incredibly transparent, letting you see white sand and granite formations from the surface. The bays are shallow and calm, built for snorkeling, and masks are provided on board.
Can I swim at Pink Beach?
Pink Beach on Budelli is a protected natural monument inside the geomarine national park, so swimming and walking on the sand are not permitted. You can photograph it from the water and see the coral-colored sand and the chromatic intensity of the sea from the boat.
What does lunch include?
Lunch is cooked on board and based on fish from Sardinian cuisine, with fruit and the typical Sardinian liqueur served after the meal. Wine, beer, coffee and soft drinks are available throughout the day. A vegetarian or no-fish option can be arranged at the time of booking.
How long is the full tour?
The tour runs from around 9:45 in the morning to around 17:30 in the afternoon, giving you roughly seven to eight hours on the water across four islands and multiple snorkeling stops.
Will the itinerary change?
The captain may vary the route based on weather and sea conditions to ensure safe navigation, so the order of stops or the specific islands visited can shift. The core snorkeling time and the main attractions remain the focus of the day.
Snorkeling in Maddalena Archipelago from Porto Rafael
7h–8h · EN · ES · IT
from € 129 per person