Situated to the north-west of the island of La Maddalena, Budelli is the sixth largest island in the Archipelago. Together with the neighbouring islands of Razzoli and S. Maria, the closest to the Bocche di Bonifacio, it forms a stretch of water known as I Passi (Passo del Topo and Passo degli Asinelli). The coastline, which is very indented, opens up to some bays with very clear sand and dreamy beaches.
A panoramic point not to be missed when landing in Budelli is the path to Monte Budello, the highest point on the island (88 metres). To reach the mountain, take the path that starts from the guard's house and climbs through the Mediterranean scrub to the top. At the top there is a wonderful view of La Maddalena and the Strait of Bonifacio.
The island of Budelli has a massive and compact appearance, with an area of about 1.70 km2 and a perimeter of about 9 km. Despite its modest size, it has a fairly well-developed hydrography, consisting of small watercourses that, during the rainy season, drain the weak reliefs of the island and flow directly into the sea.
Beaches
Situated in the north-eastern part of the Budelli Island, the Spiaggia del Cavaliere is a splendid natural pool overlooking the Porto della Madonna, a spectacular stretch of water enclosed between Budelli and the nearby islands of Razzoli and Santa Maria. The beach, with its fine white sand and backdrop of Mediterranean scrub vegetation, will amaze visitors. The shallow sandy seabed is ideal for families with children. Due to the continuous erosion of the sandy shore, as proven by various scientific studies, the beach is only partially open from the summer of 2020.
The Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach), famous all over the world for its colour, is located in a wide inlet on the south-eastern part of the island of Budelli. The beach is sheltered on the north side by a small, very jagged rocky promontory, on the opposite side by a much higher promontory, and is protected from the west winds by a belt of juniper trees behind it.
The name derives from the presence of a high percentage of bioclasts, mostly derived from the fragmentation of the skeletons of bryozoans, especially Miriapora truncata, and foraminifera, especially Miniacina miniacea. The concentration of these bioclasts is also due to the simultaneous presence of several factors: the morphology of the seabed and the coastline, the presence of an extensive meadow of Posidonia oceanica and the passage of low-energy currents. In order to preserve this fragile balance, the Pink Beach is under integral protection. In order to protect this habitat, it is prohibited to swim, sail, anchor or moor in the sea area in front of the beach.
On the beach, access to the shore is forbidden, but the Park Authority has created a path with walkways to allow visitors to admire this wonder from a distance, in full respect of nature, in order to preserve it also for future generations.
Plant Formation/ Flora
The plant landscape of Budelli is characterised by typical Mediterranean scrub dominated by juniper, lentisk, alaternus, myrtle, heather, cistus and euphorbia. Towards the coast, the scrub gives way to coastal garrigue, characterised by low plants with intense scents such as helichrysum, Corsican wormwood, rosemary or wild lavender. Between the low scrub, small clearings sometimes open up to collect moisture and rain. In spring, many orchids of the genus Orchis, Ophrys and Serapias, the annual daisy (Bellis annua), the cream narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) and iridaceae such as the Crocus minimus and the Romulea requienii bloom in these meadows.
It is worth mentioning the presence among the rocky gorges/ravines of important endemisms such as the autumn arum (Arum pictum), the Dracunculus muscivorus, the Bellium bellidioides, the Aristolochia insularis and, in the wettest areas, often in caves, the Nananthea perpusilla, the Mossy sandwort (Arenaria balearica) and the Cymbalaria aequitriloba. We can also find the endemic Evax rotundata, the Hairy rockrose (Cistus incanus) and the Jupiter's beard (Anthyllis barba-jovis). Close to the winds grow basic plants such as helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum subs. microphyllum), Artemisia densiflora, a Sardinian-Corsican endemism, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Stachys glutinosa and Topped lavender (Lavandula stoechas).
Fauna
The fauna includes the Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata), the rarest of the three species of land tortoise existing in Italy, as well as the Bedriaga's rock lizard (Archaeolacerta bedriagae), a rare endemism of the Archipelago, and the Tyrrhenian wall lizard (Podarcis tiliguerta tiliguerta). At night it is also possible to see the European leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus europaeus) and the common wall gecko (Tarentula mauritanica).
There is no shortage of migratory birds, such as the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), the black stork (Ciconia nigra), the grey heron (Areda cinerea), the European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis), the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the black kite (Milvus migrans), the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), the Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), the Northern Gannet (Sula bassana), the Great Cormorant (Phalacrocoraz carbo), the common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), the little ringed plover (Cheradrius dubius), the dunlin (Calidris alpina), the grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), the greylag goose (Anser anser) and the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).
Nesting seabirds play an important role, including protected species such as Audouin's Gull (Larus audouinii), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Scopoli's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), Mediterranean Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan), European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis).