When to go to La Maddalena? Now. To enjoy the triumph of nature.
TheLa Maddalena archipelagois a dive into the beauty of nature. And in history. The myth of Garibaldi, the most loved and hated man of our Risorgimento, was built on the island of Caprera. The hero of the Two Worlds was so fascinated by this earthly paradise that he made it a laboratory to demonstrate to himself and to mankind that it was possible to design a new world with supportive contours.
La Maddalena: the paradise you don’t expect
La Maddalena is an archipelago of islands and islets: Maddalena, Santa Maria, Budelli, Razzoli, Spargi, Santo Stefano and Caprera. Splendid places that stun with landscapes that have captured the love of celebrities or presumed celebrities: from Michael Douglas to Fedez up to Roberto Benigni em>.
Those who have never been there must come at least once in their life and preferably now, when the beaches are not yet crowded and the climate is pleasant. What if it rains? A trip to the Gallura hinterland is organised.
La Maddalena is the triumph of colors, of that wind that smells of salt and floral scents. Not only. Here there are traces of history and villages full of attractions and events.
How to get to La Maddalena and Caprera?
For La Maddalena connections are guaranteed by the ferries. The one departing from Palau It takes about twenty minutes. Since 1891 the two islands have been connected by the dam bridge Passo della Moneta.
What to see in La Maddalena?
Once you arrive from Palau in La Maddalena, you climb up narrow alleys to get to Piazza Garibaldi. The more curious can stop at the Parish Church of Santa Maria Maddalenaand Piazza Umberto I,where the buildings of the Navy Command stand.
On the coastal road you are overwhelmed by the scent of mastic and junipers and spots of floral colours. A triumph of the senses, which I will soon talk about again with my traveling companion Daniela Ferrando </ strong> (in the photo we compete… with poor results… for the General’s attention. We were told that he loved women …)
But to enjoy the view of the most beautiful beaches, a trip by dinghy or vintage shuttle is highly recommended. The City of Chiavari is an 18 meter gozzo, dated 1960, built by masters of Ligurian ax according to the ancient seafaring arts. Daniela Ferrando and I enjoyed the experience of the dinghy.
Captain Marco Cuccu, in addition to making us admire the most beautiful beaches of the archipelago, told us the story of those rocks capable of taking on human or animal shapes.
“La Maddalena – Marco tells us – is a fragment of the Sardinian-Corsican crystalline basement. There are numerous quarries such as Conca della Vacca, La Crucitta, Puntiglione, S. Eremo, which have supplied granite for centuries. The extracted material was worked by Maddalena stonecutters and exported everywhere. And what about those natural monuments that are the tafoni? Typical morphologies of granite areas that develop on the wall or at the base of the blocks, from the bottom towards the inside of the rock, were probably real shelters of primitive man“. A trip with a high cultural level, which offers moments of true pleasure!
What to see in Caprera?
Connected to the Maddalena by a bridge near the Arsenale, it is an earthly paradise made up of woods, indescribable beaches, devoid of inhabited centres, with the only exception of the very small former military village of Stagnali, inhabited by about twenty people and with a small country church where several weddings are celebrated.
Caprera is the island chosen by Garibaldi to spend the last years of his life. He founded a farm there with some companions, where he met the anarchist Bakunin to talk about a dream that is still a utopia today.I was chased. A visit to the house-museum of the famous leader ( www.compendiogaribaldino.it ) and his tomb in the garden is unmissable. About 4 km from the White House of the Hero of the Two Worlds is the Forte Arbuticci, a defensive fortress built around 1895 under the reign of Savoy, functioning until the Second World War and now transformed into the Memorial Giuseppe Garibaldi. A well-studied museum, with multimedia equipment, which allows you to retrace the life of the General. Not to be underestimated is the possibility of enjoying a spectacular panorama.
On the western side, we find the Centro Velico di Caprera, near the gulf of Punta Palma. It is the oldest Italian sailing school. Extremely recommended for lovers of an increasingly popular sport.
When to go to La Maddalena? Now. The first stage of our trip to Galluraconcludes here. Be patient and you will soon discover what we have discovered for you!