Palau lies at the north-eastern tip of Sardinia, in Sardegna. It is well connected, with the Olbia airport (40 km) as the main hub and an active ferry port serving the Maddalena Archipelago.
By plane — Olbia Airport
40 km · 40 min by car
Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) is the closest. Direct flights from Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, Verona and many European cities. From Olbia, the SS133 and SP133 reach Palau in 40 minutes.
By ferry from mainland Italy
Olbia or Porto Torres + car
Ferries to Sardinia leave from Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Naples, arriving at Olbia (40 min from Palau) or Porto Torres (2h from Palau). Operators: Moby, Tirrenia, Grimaldi, GNV, Corsica Ferries.
By car
From Olbia 40 min · from Cagliari 3h
Palau is easy to reach by car from anywhere in Sardegna. From Olbia: SS133 toward Arzachena, then SP133. From Porto Cervo: 20 minutes. From Cagliari: 3 hours via SS131 then SS125.
Get directions on Google MapsPalau ↔ La Maddalena ferry
20 min · every 15 min in summer
Palau's port is the main gateway to the Maddalena Archipelago. Delcomar and Maddalena Lines ferries run from 6:00 to 23:30, every 15 minutes in high season. Cars can be loaded too.
Direct bus Olbia Airport ↔ Palau
Turmo Travel · €15 · about every 2h in summer
Public service (not managed by us) run by Turmo Travel. Connects Olbia airport directly with Palau port, a few metres from our apartments. Tickets €15 per person, on sale at the airport or via the Turmo Travel app. Summer schedule (1 Jun–30 Sep): departures from Olbia at 09:30, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 19:00, 21:00 (arrival in Palau ~50 min later). Returns from Palau: 07:05, 09:05, 12:05, 14:35, 16:05, 17:05, 19:05. In winter (1 Oct–31 May) only one run per day per direction.
Other ARST buses
Regional connections
ARST lines connect Palau with Olbia town, Arzachena, Santa Teresa di Gallura and Tempio Pausania. From Olbia station the trip takes about 1h15.
Frequently asked questions
- Olbia Costa Smeralda (OLB), 40 km away and about 40 minutes by car. It is served by direct flights from the main Italian and European cities.
- About 20 minutes. In high season ferries run every 15 minutes from 6:00 to 23:30. The main operators are Delcomar and Maddalena Lines.
- Yes, indirectly: ferries from Genoa, Livorno and Civitavecchia arrive at Olbia or Porto Torres. From there, Palau is 40 minutes or 2 hours by car.
What is the closest airport to Palau?+
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Already in Palau? Find where to stay
Our holiday homes are a 5-minute walk from the port and the main square.
See apartments in Palau