TOP FIVE. Five marinas for a winter … in Sardinia, saving money

One of the great false myths of Italian boating is that keeping a boat in Sardinia is impossible for ordinary people. Nothing could be more wrong.

While it is true that in the summer months the cost of a berth rises considerably, in the winter months the rates are among the lowest on the market: averaging over the twelve months, Sardinia in particular turns out to be one of the most affordable regions where you decide to base yourself. It is even more so since the air routes of low-cost airlines have multiplied, making it easy and inexpensive to reach the island from virtually anywhere in Italy.

HEADING SOUTH
For those looking for a lively destination even during the winter, the ideal solution may be the Marina del Sole in Cagliari(www.marinasole-santelmo.com), located right in the center of the Sardinian capital. It consists of a 200-place nautical base dedicated to mooring and a technical area with 60 places in outdoor storage, where technicians are able to perform all service work. In terms of boat handling, the Marina has hauling and launching facilities suitable for the grounding of boats up to 7 meters wide and a maximum load capacity of 40 tons. operational).

A few dozen kilometers east of Cagliari is Villasimius, famous for its white sandy beach and an increasingly popular destination in warm weather. Here the Villasimius Marina(www.marinadivillasimius.it), part of the Marinedi Group, has 840 berths, spread over an area of no less than 72,000 square meters, up to 60 meters in length, making it one of the island’s most prominent ports.

NOT ONLY COSTA SMERALDA
Served by the low-cost flights mentioned earlier are two of the main population centers in northern Sardinia, Olbia and Alghero. The first houses the Olbia Marina(www.marinadiolbia.it), 270 berths for yachts up to 80 meters in length and has become a true hub.

Also convenient from Olbia airport is the marina in Cala dei Sardi(www.caladeisardi.it) located in the Gulf of Cugnana between Porto Rotondo and Portisco: this facility offers 140 berths for hulls ranging from 6 to 60 meters in length and has a special focus on catamarans, which can find space by paying only 10 percent more than monohulls. Among the services offered by the Marina di Cala dei Sardi is certainly noteworthy the shuttle that connects the port with the supermarket and restaurants in the area.

Instead, the Marina di Sant’Elmo(www.marinadisantelmo.it), capable of accommodating boats from 10 to 70 meters, with a maximum depth reaching 4.50 meters, is located in Alghero.