Caprera and La Maddalena guided mountain bike tour

As soon as you disembark from the ferry, the first emotion is walking along the main street in front of the port and the Marina, with the Art Nouveau buildings of the town of La Maddalena, the moored boats, the buildings of the Navy Petty Officers School - one of the most renowned in Italy - and the view that then opens onto the median of the Archipelago, with Chiesa Island, Santo Stefano Island and Caprera. This step takes approximately 20 minutes

After the first paths close to the coast, the passage is a must in the small village of Stagnali, which is home to the few residents of Caprera, a small port, the small museum of maritime traditions and Italy in Miniature, with all the garrisons of the Navy in Italy.

The route, through dirt roads and paths, continues touching Porto Palma, from whose pier the training sessions of the local sailing center start, the Due Mari beach and arrives at the southern end of Caprera, where the ruins of the Punta Rossa Battery and the Bastiani fortress. We then turn north to cycle in the internal part of the island. This step lasts between 20 and 40 minutes

A short climb on asphalt leads to the hill that houses the fortified system of Poggio Rasu, still in relatively good condition, with the actual fort, anti-aircraft positions, bunkers and lookouts. Numerous panoramic points offer an unparalleled view of the southern part of Caprera. This step lasts between 20 and 40 minutes

Still on asphalt you reach the highest point of the route, at the foot of the Arbuticci Battery, which today houses the Giuseppe Garibaldi Memorial, which can be visited for a fee of €6 - for €11 the Garibaldi house museum can be visited
The view from this point is priceless, from here you go down to sea level, always on dirt roads and fun paths.

The return to the Maggiore Island takes us on a short tour to discover a small pearl ignored by most: the Gardinelli Island, which houses the small port used by the locals, and offers some of the most evocative views of the Island of Caprera. This step lasts between 20 and 30 minutes

You travel several kilometers on asphalt and dirt road crossing the island of La Maddalena until you reach Cala Francese, once a port from which the island's precious granite departed, now home to exclusive summer residences. Another little jewel that escapes the sight of the most hasty and less attentive visitors. This step takes approximately 2 hours

At the end of the tour, and before getting on the ferry to return to the mainland, it is possible to make a quick visit to the center of the town of La Maddalena, full of shops of the most disparate categories, from fishmongers to clothing stores. And maybe a delicious ice cream on the seafront in front of the port.