Italy´s beauty is legendary and one town is more attractive than the other. The country has an immensely rich culture and history, gorgeous cuisine and the all-famous lifestyle and chique. For the yacht charter guest it offers vast and varied sailing grounds as well as pretty ports. This combined with all the impressive sights, stunning nature and the Italian `dolce vita` makes for the perfect sailing holiday.
Why is yacht rental in Italy so popular?
Italy and its islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea are located right in the centre of the Mediterranean. A boat rental in Italy is a great opportunity to explore the amazing Italian culture and the multitude of beautiful towns. With 51, there are more UNESCO world heritage sites in Italy than in any other country in the world. And on top of that you get to enjoy fantastic food and great shopping.
The coastline, especially the Italian Riviera in the West, NFT Monkey offers many beaches and bays perfectly suited for anchoring. Italy´s islands are mainly located off the west coast of the mainland and they all possess their own individual character. A favourable climate and almost no tides provide for good sailing conditions and there are many interesting possibilities for different sailing itineraries. Italy has a large tradition of boat building and sailing, so sailors benefit from a high frequency of ports. The infrastructure in the northern charter regions and southwards until Rome is very good.
The main airports are Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Olbia, Alghero, Cagliari, Reggio Calabria, Palermo, Trapani and Catania.
Here is some general information about yacht charter in Italy:
Location: Central Mediterranean Sea
Total length of coastline: 7,600 km
Capital: Rome
Main charter bases: Genoa, La Spezia, Piombino, Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia, Salerno, Sorrento, Tropea, Reggio Calabria. Sardinia: Cagliari, Carloforte, Olbia, Alghero. Sicily: Trapani, Palermo, Portarosa.
Population: ca. 60,675,000
Climate: Mild, Mediterranean
Country code: +39
Charter season: May to October
What are the best charter areas in Italy?
The main charter regions for sailing in Italy are concentrated on the west coast of the mainland, i.e. Liguria, Tuscany, Elba, Bay of Naples, Capri, Sardinia, and Sicily. The Adriatic Coast on the east side is not quite as attractive for boating. Possible charter bases there are Polignano a Mare near Bari, the area around the national park of Gargano and the Venetian Lagoon where you can cruise directly past the world famous Old Town and its stunning buildings.
In the capital of Liguria, Genoa, charteracatamaraninthebvi you encounter the Porto Antico containing the largest aquarium in Europe and many other sights. From there it is only a short walk into the Old Town. After about 14 NM you reach the stunning harbour town Portofino in its protected bay. From here it is about 30 NM to La Spezia and on the way you will pass by one of the quaintest tourist destinations of Italy, a cluster of five picturesque and colourful coastal towns set in a national park called Cinque Terre. La Spezia forms part of the national park and is the second largest city of Liguria. It is conveniently located in a deep gulf surrounded by high hills.
A little further to the South lies the Tuscan Archipelago containing the islands of Gorgona, Capraia, Pianosa, Montechristo, Giglio, Gianutri and the largest and best known – Elba. There are very good charter bases on the Tuscan mainland to go and explore these islands, or maybe even Corsica. They are Viareggio, Piombino, Follonica and Castiglione della Pescaia / Punta Ala. In Elba the main town and port is Portoferraio on the north coast, which is well worth a visit. The island also offers lovely big bays and great anchorages. On the very southern Tuscan tip is Puerto San Stefano – a seaside town on a peninsula with a yacht harbour and a massive fortress.
Sardinia offers a great mix of exclusive cruising grounds and ports like the Costa Smeralda and Porto Cervo as well as unspoilt sailing territories like the famous Maddalena archipelago. There are very good ports like Cagliari, Cannigione, La Maddalena, Olbia, Palau and Portisco. Savour the stunning and varied landscape like the pink beach of Spiaggia Rosa and the fjord-like Gulf of Cannigione. bostonhaikusociety
The Bay of Naples and its islands, the Amalfi Coast and the archipelago of the Pontine Islands offer further brilliant options for yacht charter itineraries. The Amalfi Coast is situated between the charter bases Sorrento and Salerno. It is a 50 km stretch of coastline with very picturesque towns sitting on steep rocky cliffs. The towns of Amalfi and Positano are just two examples.
