In this work a fast, cheap and reproducible strategy for the realization of gold nanoparticles (NPs) over large areas is presented and their unique optical properties due to the excitation of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances (LSPR) investigated. Based on thermal de-wetting of thin metal films, this fabrication method allows the realization of wafer-scale homogeneous distributions of gold nano-islands on planar substrates, providing an interesting alternative to sequential and very expensive manufacture techniques. ...