Cala di Greco (Italianization of Cala di U Grecu) is the bay of Lavezzi where it is easiest to moor, enjoying the wonders of this pearl of the Straits of Bonifacio without risking too much for the pitfalls of the outcropping boulders and shallow waters that characterize most of Lavezzi’s bays.

Cala di Greco is located on the eastern side of the island; it is exposed to winds from the first and second quadrantsand offers little more than minimal shelter from westerly winds. In conditions of strong westerly winds, however, anchoring at Lavezzi is not recommended: the presence of rocks, exposed boulders, and shoals makes anchoring extremely risky if sea conditions and visibility are not perfect. For this same reason, even though a lighthouse Guidi navigation and the approach to the island at night, it is necessary to plan your arrival at Lavezzi during the day.

Cala di Greco is a wide and fairly deep bay;anchorages are available in the area marked by yellow buoys. It can be accessed from the south and west, while to the north, you must watch out for shoals.

In addition to the bay’s spacious waters, you can also use the smaller cove to the northwest for anchorages; in the southeastern part of Cala di Greco, however, be careful to avoid the mooring spots (buoys and a small pier) reserved for the boats that take tourists from Bonifacio to Lavezzi every day. If you moor in those areas, not only will you be woken up at 8 a.m. by a couple of angry dogs, but you will also have violated the park’s strict regulations.

Lavezzi is, in fact, part of the Bocche di Bonifacio Nature Reserve, established in the 1990s, and although monitoring by park rangers is very discreet, it is thorough and continuous. Access to and stay in the park are free, but it is advisable to check for any new regulations that may have come into effect before planning a boat trip in this area. The reserve’s mission is to protect the terrestrial and marine flora and fauna of the Bocche islands (Cavallo, Piana, Ratino, Porraggia, and Perduto), and the success achieved is evident. Off Lavezzi, a simple dive from the boat allows you to encounter all the Mediterranean marine life that is threatened elsewhere: enormous specimens of royal sea bream swim beneath schools of red seabream and sea bass on a seabed covered in Posidonia. For experienced divers, less than a mile east-northeast of Cala di Greco, you can dive to depths of 20–30 meters in thefamous “Secca di Lavezzi”to get a close-up view of—and often feed—grouper weighing over 30 kg. Sailing further offshore, it’s not uncommon during the right season to spot tuna and cetaceans.

Lavezzi is an island of enchanting beauty, seemingly untouched by time, and it’s worth visiting even from the mainland. The beaches are open to the public, and well-marked, well-maintained trails lead visitors on a walk around the entire island, which offers many points of interest despite being small (50 hectares), entirely rocky, and uninhabited. You can get close to the lighthouse, simply enjoy the spectacle of the granite boulders sculpted into incredible shapes by the wind and the sea, admire the vegetation that slopes down to the water’s edge, the birds —the true inhabitants of Lavezzi—and read about the history of the Semillante shipwreck on the headstones in the two cemeteries that commemorate the hundreds of sailors who died in that terrible accident in 1855.