Capocchia du Purpu, Beach in La Maddalena, Italy
Capocchia du Purpu is a beach on Isola Giardinelli featuring granite boulders that create a series of small rocky coves along the shore. Mediterranean shrubland grows low across the rocky terrain, adapted to the steep granite formations.
The beach falls within La Maddalena National Park, established in 1994 to protect the island group from overdevelopment and environmental damage. Creating the park became the turning point for safeguarding the geological and ecological character of the archipelago.
The name comes from the local Gallura dialect and refers to the shape of the cove, which resembles an octopus head to the fishermen who named it. This detail shows how closely the fishing community was tied to the landscape.
There are no facilities on site, so visitors should bring water and supplies for the visit. Access requires roughly 20 minutes of walking from the nearest parking area, so comfortable shoes and some time are necessary.
At low tide, natural pools form in the granite rocks where marine creatures gather and create small self-contained ecosystems. These tidal pools act like ready-made aquariums that shift throughout the day as water levels change.
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