ELRE
Yacht charter Sardinia, read the way you read a villa
Season, ports from Porto Cervo to La Maddalena, weekly costs, APA and the anchoring rules to check.
A yacht charter Sardinia is, in practice, a charter in the north-east of the island: Costa Smeralda, the strait of Bonifacio and the La Maddalena archipelago. It is a compact area. The ports are close together, the anchorages are a short run apart, and Corsica is within a day’s sail. That is why many crewed charters in the western Mediterranean pass through it, and why the details that decide a week there are not the ones in the brochures: the season, the berth, the wind and the rules for anchoring.
This page collects them in one place. It follows the method ELRE uses for properties: data with a named source first, then judgement, then costs. For the general mechanics of a charter (broker, owner, contract) start from our guide to luxury yacht charter.
One clarification before we begin. ELRE does not own or operate vessels and is not a broker. Availability, prices and contract are always confirmed by the operator or broker you deal with.
When to go: season and wind
Boat International describes Sardinia as hot and dry from May to October, with about 300 sunny days a year. July and August are the peak charter months, and August is the busiest because many Italians take their holiday then. The same source rates June as an excellent month. Northrop & Johnson gives June to September as the best window and mentions April–May and October–November as quieter alternatives.
The prevailing wind is north-westerly, and it matters most in the strait of Bonifacio, at the northern tip of the island. When you read a proposed itinerary, ask which side of the archipelago the yacht will shelter on each night, and what the alternative is if the wind turns.
Three airports serve the island for commercial and private flights: Olbia and Alghero in the north and Cagliari in the south. Olbia is the natural arrival point for Costa Smeralda and La Maddalena.
Ports and bases
The berth you board from shapes the week, because it sets how much sailing you do before the first anchorage. These are the ports Boat International lists, with the maximum length it gives:
- Porto Cervo (Costa Smeralda): up to 120 m. It is the central yachting hub of the island.
- Marina di Olbia: up to 80 m, about 20 nautical miles from the Porto Rotondo area.
- Cala Gavetta and the Hotel Excelsior marina, La Maddalena: up to 60 m each.
- Porto Palma, Caprera: up to 40 m.
- Marina di Cagliari (south coast): up to 55 m.
- Porto Rotondo: Boat International counts 25 berths for megayachts; Northrop & Johnson gives berths up to 60 m. The two sources differ, so ask the broker for the exact berth and length limit.
Northrop & Johnson also lists Marina di Portisco on the north-east coast and Marina di Cala dei Sardi on the east coast (berths up to 30 m) for smaller yachts.
The La Maddalena archipelago, and the rule to check before you sail
The islands of Caprera, Spargi, Santo Stefano, Santa Maria, Budelli and Razzoli make up the archipelago that most itineraries aim at. It is a national park and a marine reserve, and the rules on anchoring there have changed more than once in recent years.
What the public sources say, in order:
- In August 2024 the park authority issued an ordinance that made anchoring between 21:00 and 08:00 an offence, with fines reported up to 596 euro (yacht.de).
- The regional administrative court of Sardinia suspended it with a temporary injunction in June 2025 (yacht.de).
- The current text is Ordinance no. 33/2026 of the Capitaneria di Porto di La Maddalena, issued on 2 April 2026 and published on the park’s own website. It provisionally regulates navigation, mooring and maritime activities for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The seasonal measures apply from 1 June to 30 September each year, and the ordinance entered into force on 1 June 2026.
- Anchoring on Posidonia meadows or other sensitive habitats is prohibited, and anchoring is allowed only on sandy or muddy seabeds. Corridors, listed in Annex 1, are closed to anchoring so that rescue vessels can pass.
- Speed limits apply to all vessels except rescue craft: 7 knots within 500 m of the coast and 10 knots between 500 and 1,000 m.
- Mooring to the park’s buoys is governed by the park authority’s own rules. The park’s summary gives no fees or booking procedure. Yacht.de notes that the buoys are paid and too few for the summer crowds.
- The park’s summary of the ordinance says nothing about night-time anchoring. The press reports we read, such as mySKIPPER and Navily, say the new ordinance has no general night-time ban, but they disagree on related conditions such as permits, so we do not repeat them here.
This is the situation as published in April 2026, and an experimental rule can be amended within a season. Put one question in writing to your broker: which anchorages are planned each night, and who checks the current park and Capitaneria rules before departure. A competent crew will already know the answer.
Costa Smeralda and the racing calendar
On the Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo and the Cala di Volpe area are the social centre. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda runs a summer racing season from Porto Cervo, and Boat International names the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, the Maxi Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup among the regattas. If you want the events, book early and confirm the dates with the club. If you want quiet, avoid the weeks around them.
Sardinia and Corsica in one week
The two islands are close enough to combine. Boat International points to Bonifacio, Porto-Vecchio and the Lavezzi Islands, a protected area, as the natural Corsican stops, with the run north to south ending at La Maddalena. Corsica is in France, so the charter crosses a border: ask the broker how customs, VAT and port formalities are handled for your itinerary, and put the answer in writing.
What a yacht charter in Sardinia costs
The base rate covers the yacht and its crew. Everything else is added.
For orientation, Boat International lists “from” weekly rates for Sardinia charters that start at 18,000 euro for a 19.8 m Nautor Swan sailing yacht and reach 55,000 euro for a 26.9 m Riva, 90,000 euro for a 29 m Ferretti, 230,000 euro for a 40.8 m Benetti and close to a million euro for yachts of 74 and 85 m. Northrop & Johnson shows motor yachts from about 210,000 to 443,000 dollars a week. Listing prices are a starting point, and the two sites quote in different currencies.
As a general benchmark, the broker Denison Yacht Sales reported weekly averages from BOAT International listings (July 2023) of about 40,000 euro under 30 m, about 71,000 euro between 30 and 40 m and about 220,000 euro between 50 and 60 m. These are averages, not a price list.
On top of the rate you should expect:
- The APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance): an advance for fuel, ports, food and drink, usually 30–35% of the fee according to Denison. The unspent part is returned.
- VAT: Italy applied 22% to charters in the 2022 figures published by WI Yachts. Rules change and have exceptions, so ask the broker to state the rate that applies to your itinerary in writing.
- Crew gratuity: WI Yachts indicates 10–15% of the weekly fee in the Mediterranean.
How to structure a week
This part is our editorial judgement, not a sourced rule. A week in the north-east works best when it is not a list of stops. Spend the first night close to your port of embarkation so that the crew and the yacht settle in. Give the archipelago at least two or three nights, because that is where weather and park rules decide the plan. If you add Corsica, keep a day free for the crossing. Leave the last night near the port of disembarkation, so the final day is not a race to the airport.
Three checks before you sign
- Itinerary and weather plan. Which anchorages each night, and what changes if the north-westerly picks up.
- Berth and rules. The exact berth, its length limit, and who verifies the anchoring rules for the park.
- Costs in writing. Rate, APA percentage, VAT, gratuity and cancellation terms, before the deposit.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for a yacht charter in Sardinia? June to September for the classic season, with July and August the busiest. April–May and October–November are quieter, according to Northrop & Johnson.
Where do I embark? Most north-eastern charters start from Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Olbia or La Maddalena. Cagliari serves the south. The broker confirms the berth.
Can I anchor anywhere in the La Maddalena archipelago? No. It is a national park, anchoring on Posidonia is forbidden and the rules on night anchoring have changed since 2024. Ask for confirmation from the Park authority or the Capitaneria di Porto before departure.
How much does a week cost? From listing prices of 18,000 euro for a small sailing yacht to close to a million euro for large motor yachts, plus APA, VAT and gratuity. Only a written proposal gives the real total.
Can I combine Sardinia with Corsica? Yes, many itineraries do. Ask how customs and VAT are handled.
Thinking of a house by the water?
Many of our clients look at the sea and at a villa in the same year. If you are considering a contemporary residence in Italy, Federico Cappellina Architects designs villas in the Triveneto and Lombardy: visit the studio. Or request a private consultation.
Sources
- Luxury yacht charter in Sardinia — Boat International (page undated; footer 2008–2026)
- Yacht charter Sardinia — Northrop & Johnson
- Sardinia, anchoring ban revoked in the national park — yacht.de
- Ordinance no. 33/2026 — Ente Parco Nazionale Arcipelago di La Maddalena (official source, 2–3 April 2026)
- La Maddalena, new rules without anchoring ban — yacht.de
- How much does it cost to charter a yacht — Denison Yacht Sales (July 2023)
- WI Yachts, charter terms and guidance (VAT 2022, gratuity) — already cited on /luxury-yacht-charter/
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