Budelli and Spiaggia Rosa

Budelli is one of the outer islands in the northern part of the archipelago, and its Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach) is the most photographed sight in the Maddalena National Park. The sand gets its colour from crushed coral and shell fragments, which give it a faint but unmistakable pink tinge — particularly visible when the sand is wet.

Since 1994 it has been illegal to land on the beach; you can only view it from a boat. This is actually a reasonable experience: day-trip boats slow down and circle the bay long enough for photographs, and seeing the colour from the water is striking. The rest of Budelli is also beautiful — rocky inlets and clear water typical of the archipelago. Most day-trip boat tours from La Maddalena include a stop here.

beaches sight swimming
A story
The pink sand of Spiaggia Rosa is the result of crushed fragments of a coral species (Miniacina miniacea) and pink-red foraminifera shells mixed with white quartz. For decades tourists walked the beach freely and took the sand as souvenirs — a practice that visibly reduced the pink colouration and eventually prompted the landing ban in 1994. Custom authorities at Italian airports occasionally confiscate jars of the sand; the maximum fine for taking it is over 3,000 euros.