Sailing Trip from Stintino to Asinara National Park aboard a Handcrafted Wooden Sailboat
A full-day voyage along Sardinia's northwest coast on a vessel built with time-honoured craftsmanship
This Asinara sailing tour from Stintino offers a rare opportunity to explore one of the Mediterranean's most protected marine environments aboard a handcrafted all-wood Latin-sail vessel. The journey combines coastal navigation, guided stops inside Asinara National Park, and a generous onboard Sardinian lunch into a single unhurried day at sea.
The sailboat Mastro Pasqualino is a gozzo built using the trebuchet system, a traditional construction method of southern Italian coastal boatbuilding. The hull combines mahogany, fir, azobé, and Sardinian oak, chosen for their mechanical strength and natural resistance to humidity, resulting in a vessel that is both historically resonant and genuinely seaworthy.
Your captain is also the boat's builder, a qualified shipwright who brings first-hand knowledge of the vessel's construction alongside practical expertise in these waters. That combination of craft and seamanship shapes the character of the experience throughout the day.
The itinerary centres on Cala Reale, a sheltered bay on Asinara's eastern shore, where passengers can swim and go ashore for approximately one hour. The afternoon includes a second swim stop at Li Giorri or the natural pools of Fornelli, depending on conditions. Navigation is primarily by motor, ensuring reliable timing across the full circuit.
Tour Highlights
Swim in the clear waters of Cala Reale inside Asinara National Park, one of Sardinia's most strictly protected coastal reserves.
Sail aboard Mastro Pasqualino, an all-wood gozzo constructed by hand using the traditional trebuchet boatbuilding technique.
Enjoy a full Sardinian lunch served onboard, including cold cuts, cheese, gnocchetti with sausage sauce, wine, coffee, digestif, and local desserts.
Navigate the Gulf of Asinara under the guidance of a captain who built the boat and knows these waters with professional precision.
Go ashore at Asinara Island, a former penal colony turned national park, and uncover its layered natural and historical character.
Explore the natural pools of Fornelli or the sheltered cove of Li Giorri during the afternoon swim stop along Asinara's east coast.
Experience the northwest Sardinian coastline from the water on a small-group tour with a maximum of twelve passengers.
Itinerary
The tour begins at the port of Stintino, where you board the Mastro Pasqualino and set out into the Gulf of Asinara. The captain provides an introduction to the vessel and the day's route before departure.
The boat follows Sardinia's northwest coastline, offering open views of the gulf and the gradually approaching outline of Asinara Island. The captain shares background on the island's history and ecology during the crossing.
The first stop is Cala Reale, a sheltered bay within Asinara National Park, where passengers can swim and go ashore for approximately one hour. The site sits within one of the Mediterranean's most carefully protected marine areas.
A full Sardinian meal is served on deck following the Cala Reale stop. The menu includes cold cuts, local cheeses, Sardinian bread, gnocchetti with sausage sauce, seasonal vegetables, wine, water, coffee, digestif, and traditional desserts.
The afternoon includes a second swimming stop at either Li Giorri or the natural pools of Fornelli, chosen by the skipper based on sea and weather conditions. Both locations offer calm, clear water along Asinara's east coast.
The boat heads back to the port of Stintino, completing the eight-hour circuit. The exact return time may vary depending on conditions and skipper decisions during the day.
What Is Included
Included
- Full-day sailing trip aboard the Mastro Pasqualino
- Professional captain and crew
- Onboard Sardinian lunch with wine, water, coffee, digestif, and desserts
- Two swim stops in Asinara National Park waters
- Guided shore visit at Cala Reale (approx. 1 hour)
- Use of onboard facilities: kitchen, bathroom, freshwater shower, awning
- Boarding ladder for sea access
Not Included
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities for the crew
- Any national park entrance fees if applicable
- Personal snorkelling or water sports equipment
- Transport to and from Stintino
Important Information
Reserve Your Place on the Mastro Pasqualino
This small-group sailing tour to Asinara National Park departs from Stintino and is limited to twelve passengers. Secure your spot in advance to avoid missing availability during peak season.
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