La Maddalena is the largest town in the Maddalena archipelago , just 2 kilometers (1 mile) from the northeastern shore of Sardinia and sitting in the Straits of Bonifacio , between it and Corsica .

The focal-point of pedestrian activity is around Piazza Umberto I (formerly known as Piazza Comando-the older generation of natives in town still commonly refer to the piazza by its original name). There is an adjacent via (Garibaldi) that connects the port (Banchina Commerciale I) facing the Island of Santo Stefano and Piazza Umberto I with city hall. Via Garibaldi is surrounded by commercial shops, restaurants, and bars.

La Maddalena now derives much of its income from tourism . The only method of traveling to La Maddalena is by boat, with car ferries traveling from nearby Palau and from the Italian mainland.

The natives of La Maddalena speak a Sardo-Corsican dialect known as Maddalenino .