Beaches · Nearby
Barca Bruciata, and where it really is
Many sites put it on La Maddalena. It isn’t: the beach of the “burnt boat” is on the mainland, a quarter of an hour from Palau.
What it’s like
Mannena is a long stretch of sand between the Laciola headland to the north and Punta Barca Bruciata to the south, backed by largely untouched vegetation. Nearby sections such as “Piscine” have cream-coloured sand and granite outcrops in the water.
The name
“Barca bruciata” means burnt boat. The local story is that the people of the coast burned the boat of a Tuscan charcoal-burner who was cutting down their forest. Treat it as folklore rather than history.
Getting there
From Palau, drive south-east towards Arzachena and Cannigione and follow signs for Mannena. There is paid parking near the beach in summer.
Questions people ask
Is Barca Bruciata on La Maddalena?
No. It is on the mainland, in the municipality of Arzachena, at the southern end of Mannena beach on the road to Cannigione: about 9 km and 16 minutes by car from Palau.
Why is it called “burnt boat”?
According to local legend, people here burned the boat of a charcoal-burner from Tuscany in revenge for the damage he was doing to the forest.
Is there parking?
Yes, there is paid parking near the beach in summer.