Sailing Holidays and Yacht Charter in Italy
Good breezes, great food and a wide choice of itineraries make Italy a perfect destination for your next sailing holiday.
Sailing holidays are the best way to discover the charm of the Italian coastline. The natural scenery is stunning, the marinas are stylish and the Italian food and wine is delicious. The sandy beaches draw the rich and famous from Europe and smart restaurants and bars flourish in the harbourside towns but your charter yacht gives you the chance to escape the crowds and relax in uncrowded anchorages and smaller authentic harbours.
Everywhere you visit you will find handmade pasta in all shapes and sizes and pizza with a wide array of toppings. Try the regional specialities of fresh fish and seafood, pork, lamb and veal - all cooked with olive oil and lemon and served with aubergines, tomatoes and peppers.
The Sailing Regions of Italy
It is impossible to generalise about the selection of sailing regions in Italy. The experiences on offer are as diverse and unique as the people themselves. Tuscans, Neapolitans, Sicilians and Sardinians all form a rich tapestry on which modern day Italy is shaped.
A sailing holiday to Italy reflects this, with each destination offering a very different character and beauty for each sailor to discover. Whether you're looking for lovely golden beaches, colourful Italian architecture, amazing natural wonders, glam and glitz, secluded rustic islands, dramatic craggy coasts or exciting sailing breezes - Italy has them all.
Italy has much to offer both experienced sailors and comparative novices, with countless leisure activities to enjoy back on land.
Sardinia
A destination with a split personality; flash and brash in places, demure and idyllic in others. The Costa Smeralda ('Emerald Coast') is a stunning location with golden sandy beaches, national parks & big budgets.
Stretching just over 70 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Sardinia, Italy's second-largest island, the Costa Smeralda features some of the most pristine, breathtaking expanses of shoreline in the entire Mediterranean. Simply the perfect scenario for your sailing vacation in the Mediterranean. While fads and trends come and go, the posh seaside towns of Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo remain among the most exclusive summer destinations in the world, attracting movie stars and models, oligarchs, footballers and their entourages. And little wonder: the concept of Sardinia's Emerald Coast as a "fairytale" destination was conceived by a legendary member of the global jet-set himself, the playboy and prince, Karim Aga Khan IV. The passionate horse-racer, skier and sailor first became enchanted with this stretch of then-empty coast in 1958, when his yacht found shelter from a storm in one of the many inlets.
The Amalfi Coast
The only way to improve the Amalfi experience is to do it by boat. Escape the crowds and have the 'best view in the house' from the back of your very own private yacht. Moor up in town harbours near pastel coloured houses, eat a host of regional treats from the sea, sun and soil, and plot a route through azure seas under the dominant gaze of Mount Vesuvius.
The Amalfi Coast must be one of the most colourful in the whole of the Mediterranean. With the added touch of glamour from the likes of Sorrento and the island of Capri this makes for a fantastic sailing destination. The entire coastline is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and so it’s not hard to see why celebrities and holiday makers alike are lured in by its beauty and charm. Take a yacht from either Salerno or Procida, both a short transfer from the nearby airport of Naples.
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands
Europe's most historically cosmopolitan region, Sicily is full of unique culture, great food and lovely island escapes. Discover these brash, stark and even active, volcanic islands. Mount Etna is a truly stunning sight when viewed from the water.
Sicily can sometimes be off the sailors radars when it comes to choosing where to spend your summer sailing holiday; but with terrific scenery, weather and excellent sailing it's not to be missed. The Aeolian Islands are a pretty special place too with their rugged and volcanic landscapes; the seven islands are linked by a vast 200km ridge from Mount Etna to Mount Vesuvius. As a result of the Aeolian Islands volcanic landscapes, they have been UNESCO listed; so pretty special.
The Tuscan Islands
Largely undiscovered as a sailing area, Tuscany offers archipelago sailing, with seaside towns, golden sandy beaches and wonderful sailing breezes. Corsica is also within striking distance!
Cala Galera is one of the oldest private marinas in Italy and thank to its strategic position is the perfect departure spot for cruises towards Isola del Giglio, Isola d'Elba and Capraia. Alternatively, within a couple of days of navigation is possible to reach Ponza. The village of Porto Ercole and its fancy atmosphere is amongst the most exclusive sailing holidays destinations in Italy. Rent your sailboat here to sail along the Tuscany coastline.
But it's not all about the sailing...
Foodies will of course love Italian cuisine, based mainly on fish and seafood. Do not forget to try the sburita, an excellent fish soup, and the onion gurguglione. The mild climate favours an excellent cultivation of vineyards. Elba is famous for its wines: Rosso, Procanico, Aleatico and Moscato. "Ansonico" is an amber-coloured scented wine well-known by the Romans and produced today in limited quantity. It is a rarity for gourmets only.
Travelling to Italy
A bareboat charter in Italy is readily accessible with regular flights to Pisa, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia from many British airports. Transfer times of up to 90 minutes actually add to the holiday experience, as you wind your way through Italian scenery such as the Tuscan or Sicilian countryside or the typically Italian cityscape of Naples.
Italy's Sailing Season
The sailing holiday season in Italy stretches from the beginning of May to the end of October. Peak period months of July and August are the hottest, but also have the lightest winds and the largest crowds. As mentioned above, the benefits of sailing in Italy is well known to Italians so bays and moorings can get crowded throughout these periods. Do also be aware that you can be paying up to €200 per night for mooring fees!
Yacht Charter Enquiries for Italy
We have a yacht to suit all tastes and budgets within our pool of yacht charter fleets.
To find out more, contact us via phone,