Just off a small beach in Palau, Admiral Nelson, aboard his Victory, awaited the movements of the enemy French fleet for a long time. When the fleet set sail from Toulon to meet him in this area, a chase began, ending in the historic battle of Trafalgar. Even though the echoes of the events of the imperial fleets are distant in time, that inlet, protagonist of naval battles, , reminds us of the hospitality shown to the English commander and it is named after him. Nelson’s beach is a quiet, sheltered arch-shaped expanse of sand about 80 metres long, nestled between granite cliffs and with lush Mediterranean greenery behind it that almost reaches the shore. A captivating landscape stands out in front of it and, from the turquoise sea reflecting shades of emerald green, the western outline of the island of Santo Stefano appears on the horizon.

Looking to the left you can admire the south-west coast of the island of La Maddalena. ‘Nelson’s’ sand has a distinctive amber-colour and medium-fine grains, accompanied by a few rocks rounded by the smoothing action of the wind. The transparent water makes the beach an ideal destination for snorkelling enthusiasts, while a wooden pier is a berthing place for boats and also a platform for divers.

The shoreline lies on the stretch of coast of Palau that extends to Punta Sardegna. To the north, the first beach you come across frames the picturesque village of Porto Rafael, a tourist village that extends around a small square and is made up of white houses and colourful gardens. Exciting boat trips to the islands of the Maddalena Archipelago National Park depart from its small port. South of Nelson, in a deep bay, you will find La Sciumara, meaning ‘mouth’ in Gallura dialect, featuring creamy-coloured sand, a holm oak forest and Mediterranean scrub behind it, with the mouth of a river on the right edge. To the east, you can admire the ‘Nordic’ landscape of Porto Faro and, less than three kilometres from the town of Palau, a natural monument and symbol of the town: the Roccia dell’Orso (Bear Rock). In the direction of Santa Teresa Gallura, don’t miss s’Isuledda or Isola dei Gabbiani, which is actually a peninsula connected by a strip of light sand, on the sides of which extend the beaches of Porto Pollo and Arenaria, paradises for kitesurfers and windsurfers.