Corsica and Sardinia - 8 days cruise
From Southern Corsica to the Costa Smeralda

Welcome at the port of Ajaccio at 6 pm and boarding your catamaran. Settle into your cabins, enjoy a welcome drink, meet the crew and attend the safety briefing: your cruise can begin.

The boat leaves Port Ornano and heads away from Ajaccio for its first sail along the coast. Barely an hour and a half later, you are already at anchor in Cacalu, a small cove bordered by Mediterranean scrub.

Depending on the time and your mood, enjoy your first swim straight from the catamaran before gathering for dinner.

First evening, first anchorage and first night on board: you are in Corsica, and the holiday has truly begun.

After your first morning waking up at anchor and breakfast on board, the catamaran continues south towards Arbitru, a beautiful cove on Corsica’s western coast. Beach, Mediterranean scrub and hardly a building on the horizon: the perfect setting for a long swim before lunch.

In the afternoon, it is time to change islands – and countries. Next stop: Sardinia! The crossing offers a few hours under sail to enjoy the boat as the coastline of Gallura gradually comes into view.

At the end of the day, the catamaran drops anchor at Cala Sambuco, a small cove surrounded by granite and Mediterranean scrub, for your first Sardinian evening at anchor.

This morning, you woke up in Corsica. Tonight, you dine and sleep in Sardinia.

Depending on conditions, the night may be spent at La Marmorata, facing its broad pale-sand beach.

Your first morning waking up in Sardinia. After breakfast at anchor, the catamaran follows the Gallura coastline, between granite rocks, Mediterranean scrub and small beaches, towards Porto Liccia.

We drop anchor off the beach to enjoy the morning: swimming, snorkelling, paddleboarding or simply relaxing on the sunbeds before lunch is served on board. Here, Sardinia is still far from the bustle, with the sea as your playground.

In the afternoon, the atmosphere changes as you approach the Costa Smeralda. Villas begin to appear among the hills, boats become more numerous and the catamaran reaches Porto Rotondo or Portisco for the late afternoon.

Porto Rotondo is well worth a stroll. Designed in the 1960s, this elegant seaside resort is laid out around its marina, small squares and narrow streets where stone and Mediterranean tones dominate. Terraces, shops and boats set the tone: you have arrived on the Costa Smeralda.

For anyone wishing to discover its most famous address, Porto Cervo is close by: only 14 km from Portisco by road. Created under the impetus of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, this ultra-chic resort has become the social heart of the coast. Its pastel-coloured architecture, designed by Luigi Vietti to blend into the landscape, sits alongside a marina where some of the Mediterranean’s finest yachts are moored.

An easy taxi trip to wander the narrow streets, enjoy a drink on a terrace and discover this other side of Sardinia before returning to the catamaran.

Dinner and overnight at anchor.

After a lovely evening in the heart of the Costa Smeralda, the catamaran heads north again. The coastline slips by as the large marinas are gradually left behind and a quieter shore returns.

At Cala di Battistone, we stop for some time at anchor and lunch. After a few water activities or a good nap, the cruise continues towards one of the week’s most charming stops: Porto Rafael.

Facing the La Maddalena archipelago, this small white village was born in the 1960s from the imagination of Count Rafael Neville. He dreamed of a place that was elegant yet simple, facing the sea and integrated into the landscape. White villas, narrow passageways and staircases converge on a tiny piazzetta right by the water. With its relaxed, bohemian atmosphere, Porto Rafael still has a hint of 1970s Ibiza – Sardinian style.

In the late afternoon, the catamaran picks up its mooring buoy opposite the village. The tender makes it easy to go ashore, explore Porto Rafael on foot and enjoy this stop as the pace of the day begins to slow.

A Spritz on the piazzetta, a stroll through the narrow streets, sunset facing the islands, with your catamaran waiting just offshore.

Return on board for dinner and overnight on the mooring buoy at Porto Rafael.

This morning, the catamaran leaves Porto Rafael and sets course for Corsica. Crossing the Strait of Bonifacio brings one of the week’s most striking changes of scenery.

Along the way, the Lavezzi Islands appear: a string of granite islets lying between Corsica and Sardinia. Here, the sea winds between enormous rounded rocks, creating small coves and channels in remarkable shades of blue. This particularly fragile environment is protected, in particular to preserve the Posidonia seagrass beds: the site is explored in accordance with local navigation and anchoring regulations.

The catamaran then continues towards Bonifacio. This legendary town really has to be approached from the sea. Gradually, the high white limestone cliffs come into view, followed by the citadel perched almost 70 metres above the sea. The boat follows this dramatic coastline before entering the natural inlet leading to the harbour, almost invisible from offshore.

The catamaran docks in Bonifacio for the night, giving you plenty of time to discover this truly distinctive town, built between the sea and the cliff.

From the harbour, make your way up to the old town and its narrow streets, lined with tall houses once designed to protect their inhabitants from the winds and attacks from the sea. Walk along the ramparts to look back, this time from land, over the Strait of Bonifacio and Sardinia, which you have just left behind.

The more intrepid can take the famous King of Aragon’s Stairway, its 187 steps carved directly into the limestone cliff and descending almost to the sea. Then simply take your time: little squares, shops, and terraces in the citadel or around the harbour… Bonifacio is particularly suited to an evening with no fixed agenda.

Dinner and overnight alongside in Bonifacio.

In the morning, the catamaran leaves Bonifacio, rounds the southern tip of Corsica and heads up the island’s western coast. After the limestone cliffs of the previous day, the landscape gradually changes: granite reappears, the Mediterranean scrub reaches down towards the sea and broad beaches punctuate the journey.

Next stop, Roccapina, easily recognisable from offshore thanks to its famous Lion. Naturally sculpted by erosion, this huge granite rock seems to watch over the bay and its long white-sand beach. The catamaran drops anchor in this setting for the morning. Swim, head to the beach, enjoy the water activities or simply spend a few hours relaxing on board before sharing lunch overlooking the bay.

In the afternoon, the cruise continues towards the Gulf of Valinco and Campomoro. At the end of a wide bay, the village stretches along a large beach, overlooked by an imposing Genoese tower built in the 16th century.

Campomoro is easy to explore from the anchorage. Take the tender to the beach, wander through the village or simply settle down by the water. Those who feel like walking can climb towards the tower and enjoy the view over the gulf.

Return on board to enjoy the end of the day in the bay.

Dinner and overnight at anchor in Campomoro.

After breakfast facing Campomoro, the catamaran resumes its journey north. This final full day of cruising follows the rhythm of Corsica’s western coast, alternating sailing with long, leisurely stops.

Around lunchtime, we head for Cala d’Orzu. Sheltered by the Mediterranean scrub, this broad sandy beach reveals a wonderful palette of blues from the sea. Over the pale sandy seabed, the water becomes clear and luminous, immediately tempting you in for a swim.

Enjoy the anchorage for swimming, paddleboarding or taking the tender ashore. Ashore, those who wish can settle in at Chez Francis, right on the beach, for a drink with their feet in the sand and quietly extend the stop at this famous beach restaurant.

In the afternoon, the catamaran heads towards the Bay of Ajaccio. The contours of the gulf gradually appear, but the cruise is not over yet: rather than heading straight back to port, the boat stops at Stagnola for one last evening at anchor.

A swim in the clear waters of the gulf, an aperitif at sunset and one final night on the water.

Dinner and overnight at anchor or alongside.

A final breakfast on board and a few last moments with the crew before returning to Ajaccio.

After a week spent crossing from one shore to another, it is time to leave the catamaran. Corsican beaches, Sardinian coves, villages and sea crossings: memories of a Mediterranean discovered from the water.

Disembarkation in Ajaccio at 9 am.