Driving from Olbia to Palau: Is the Rental Car Worth It for La Maddalena?
Updated October 17, 2026 · 5 min read
The answer. Drive to Palau, park, and book a boat tour from there: the islands worth seeing are reached by water, not by road. For most people that means the La Maddalena boat tour with 4 stops (1 day, from €55). For a comfortable day with lunch, take the catamaran tour; for a shorter outing, the 4-hour RIB tour.
The drive itself
Palau is roughly 42 km from Olbia, about 44 minutes on the SS125 according to a transfer operator. A car gives you the one thing the coach cannot: a start time you choose and a return you do not have to catch. If your boat leaves in the morning, aim to be in Palau well before departure, and confirm the meeting point and check-in time on the booking page. We could not confirm parking prices or availability near the port, so find out where you will leave the car before the day.
Ferry or boat tour?
The ferry from Palau to La Maddalena takes 15 to 20 minutes and carries cars; ferry comparison sites list Delcomar all year and Maddalena Lines seasonally, roughly April to October, and car fares are on the operators’ sites. That takes you to the main island. The boat tours do something else: they stop at Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and La Maddalena for swimming, which no road reaches. If swimming at the smaller islands is your aim, leave the car on the mainland.
Four boats from Palau
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Boat Tour with 4 Stops | 1 day | €55 | 4.5 (2,623 reviews) | Most visitors, lowest full-day price |
| From Palau: La Maddalena Boat Tour, 4 islands in one day | 1 day | €58 | 4.6 (2,546 reviews) | Budelli’s Pink Beach on the itinerary |
| From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Catamaran Tour w/ Lunch | 7 hours | €120 | 4.9 (2,388 reviews) | Lunch and wine aboard |
| Palau or La Maddalena: 4-hour RIB tour of the archipelago | 4 hours | €47.50 | 4.8 (894 reviews) | A half day, small coves by rubber boat |
The boat with 4 stops is the cheapest all-day option here and the one with the most reviews of the four; its listing describes a three-deck boat. The catamaran costs more than double, and its listing includes a Sardinian aperitif, lunch and wine.
See availability and prices for the 4-stop archipelago tour
The catamaran and the drive home
Wine with lunch and a 44-minute drive back do not mix. If you choose the catamaran, either agree who drives and who does not, or take the coach or a taxi for that day. This is the strongest case for not renting for La Maddalena at all.
See availability and prices for the catamaran tour with lunch
When the car is the wrong tool
Skip the drive if you only want this one day and have no other use for a car; a coach from Olbia to Palau exists, although some regional services run only in summer. Rent when the day is one part of a week that also includes beaches along the Gallura coast. Compare rental cars in Olbia and see our guide to whether you need a car in Olbia.
Our recommendation
Book the boat tour with 4 stops, drive to Palau early, and treat the car as a way to arrive on your own schedule. Pay more for the catamaran only if lunch on board matters, and then arrange the way back first.
