Sardinia

Sardinia

Although Sardinia’s coastline is an extraordinary sailing destination with hundreds of secluded coves, idyllic beaches and dramatic rock formations, surprisingly it remains off the radar for many British sailors. Sardinia’s attraction for many that venture that way is its coastline’s diversity; from the dunes of the Costa Verde to the deep emerald coves and dramatic cliffs of Cala Gonone, no stretch is the same as the next.

A stand-out is the fantastic Costa Smeralda (“Emerald Coast”) with its magic beaches and villages. The area is a luxurious tourist destination, with highly affluent European and Arabian VIPs visiting from entertainment, politics and industry. The wind conditions around Porto Pollo in northern Sardinia are probably the most constant, which means that most sailors are to be found on the Costa Smeralda. The Emerald Coast is also an excellent base from which to explore the famous Maddalena islands on the way up to the French island of Corsica.

Weather and Winds

There are two winds here which promise great conditions for dynamic sailing; the Sahara wind Chirocco (as per the Sirocco in Greece) and the Maestrale (as per the meltemi in greece), which blows down from the North. The Maestrale mostly blows along the west coast, a very powerful W to NW wind; while a S to SE wind prevails on the east coast. While not a destination for beginners, those with a few sea miles under their belt will love the exciting sailing in Sardinia.