The Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena protects sixty-two islands and islets scattered across 180 square kilometers of the Bocche di Bonifacio, the strait separating northern Sardinia from Corsica. Established in 1994, the park preserves granite coastlines shaped by millennia of wind and wave, waters that shift from cobalt to jade depending on depth and seabed, and Mediterranean maquis that clings to pink and grey stone. The archipelago's strategic position made it a naval outpost for millennia—Phoenicians, Romans, and the House of Savoy all maintained garrisons here—but its remoteness preserved ecosystems now rare elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Today, the seven principal islands—La Maddalena, Caprera, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli, and Santa Maria—draw sailors and day-trippers to anchorages that remain roadless and largely uninhabited. Spargi's Cala Corsara and Cala Conneri offer swimming in water so clear that anchored boats appear suspended in air. Budelli's Spiaggia Rosa, once famous for its shell-fragment sand tinted pale pink by Miniacina miniacea, has been closed to foot traffic since 1998 to halt erosion, but remains visible from offshore moorings. Santa Maria's eastern bays shelter Posidonia meadows and grouper populations that have rebounded under fishing restrictions introduced in the early 2000s. Most la maddalena boat tour from palau departures leave from Porto di Palau, the mainland terminal three kilometers across the Passo della Moneta from La Maddalena town. Full-day itineraries typically include three to five island stops, with swimming breaks scheduled between mid-morning and early afternoon when light penetrates shallow bays. Catamarans and motorboats both operate the route; the former offer stable platforms for families, the latter faster passages to outer islets like Razzoli, where the Punta Zanotto lighthouse has guided vessels since 1843. Onboard commentary often covers the archipelago's role as a U.S. Navy submarine base from 1972 to 2008, a chapter that left infrastructure on Santo Stefano and La Maddalena but ended when geopolitical priorities shifted. The national park authority enforces mooring limits in high season—July and August see caps on daily boat numbers at Budelli and Spargi—to prevent anchor damage to seagrass. Winter crossings run less frequently, but the few operators working October through March report sightings of Scopoli's shearwaters and Audouin's gulls, species that nest on uninhabited islets and avoid the summer crowds. The 5-euro per-person conservation fee, collected at embarkation, funds patrol boats and marine biology monitoring stations that track water quality and species recovery across the protected zone.