Back in the day, Corsica and Sardinia were one island joined together by a massive land bridge. L’Arcipelago della Maddalena (lar-chee-PEH-la-go DEL-la ma-da-LEH-nah; pop. 11,902), Caprera, and the over 50 smaller islands that surround them are all that remains of this bridge. Though visitors swarm the streets and relax on placid, white-sand beaches, tourism has not spoiled the islands. The entire archipelago was declared Sardinia’s first national park in 1996, and ever since, commercial development has been strictly regulated. In addition, Italian patriots mob La Maddalena for their own reasons: their national hero and unifier, Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), made the nearby island of Caprera his home while in exile. Until January of 2008, La Maddalena was home to a US Navy support base, located on V. Principe Amadeo. The closure of this base after 35 years of operation was an emotional event for the approximately 20,000 Americans who reside in the islands.
EneRmaR (☎ 0789 73 54 68 or 70 84 84; www.enermar.it) and Saremar (☎ 0789 70 92 70) run ferries between Palau and La Maddalena. For a taxi, call ☎ 0789 73 65 00 or 0789 72 20 80. Rent bikes and motor ...more
Though a 20min. walk from the centro and hidden away on a hill, Hotel Arcipelago , V. Indipendenza 2, is a good deal. From P. Umberto, follow V. Mirabello along the water until the intersection with the ...more
The islands surrounding La Maddalena are paradises of natural beauty, well protected from overdevelopment by their national park status. Some claim that these waters, which radiate brilliant shades ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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