La Maddalena, the only one with an urban center, is but a quarter of an hour away by ferry from the port of Palau. It is the largest of the islands and is the only one to host a more permanent population. Maddalena boasts expanses of rather unspoiled coastline, where sandy beaches collide with rugged masses of granite sculpted into quirky forms by the winds.
Caprera, connected to Maddalena island by a bridge, is famous for its Centro Velico, its shoals, its rocky cliffs and sandy, its fauna and interesting archaeological digs. Caprera's natural beauty is unlandscaped and willful. The island is covered by pines, junipers and typical Mediterranean vegetation.
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The Centro Velico in Caprera, the most famous sailing school in Italy, was born in the 1960's as an initiative organized by the Lega Navale Italiana and the Touring Club Italiano. For details look up: http://www.velanet.it |
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Budelli is characterized by small, gleaming beaches beside crystalline water, solitary and wind-blown. Budelli is privately owned and is completely uninhabited. It is famous for a most enchanting beach with rose-colored sand which owes its unusual hue to the surrounding coral reef. The beach has paled over the past few years, as the reef has fallen victim to coral poachers, and threatens to disappear completely. Budelli is home to the archipelago's only species of land tortoise as well as a colony of Royal seagulls. |
The tiny islands of Santa Maria and Razzoli are the dream of every seaman! They are gathered around a mirror of sea called Porto Madonna, a natural basin whose waters are always calm. These islands, facing the Bocche di Bonifacio, along with the nearby Spargi, are perhaps the most raw and therefore most interesting links in the island chain. The low vegetation is typically Mediterranean, consisting of rosemary, myrtle and other aromatic shrubs fighting a constant battle with the winds and arid conditions. The surrounding sea is home to sharks, dolphins, squid, octopus, mullet, giltheads and moray eels, while the rocky tide pools are vibrant with the elegant "blossoms" of the sea anemone.
 
For further information on scuba diving in Arcipelago della Maddalena
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