Italy Yacht Charter
Portofino, Italy.
Italy offers yacht charter at many locations along its lengthy coast. The best time of year for yacht chartering in Italy is from April to October.
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Italy separates the eastern Mediterranean from the Adriatic, and this boot-shaped country boasts so much coastline it’s hard to choose a favorite region. Portofino in the north is home to a glamorous crowd with its tiny cobble-stone streets and hills of ancient olive groves. The portside cafes are a great place to sit and watch the yachting world go by.
Farther south, the five villages of ‘Cinque Terra’ offer a less expensive but equally beautiful view of the sea. A famous walk links the towns along a coastal route.
The Amalfi Coast and island of Capri offer spectacular steep coastlines. Most southern Italian charters begin in Naples, about a day’s sail from the Amalfi region.
South of Naples, the Amalfi coastline is a place of rare and incredible Italian beauty. It is, however, isolated from the mainland by mountains, making it one of the most famous yet hard-to-reach seaside destinations in Italy. Approaching from the sea has to be the most sensible, and awe-inspiring, option. The coast is a veritable treasure chest with a brimful of history and traditions: from the incredible archaeological site of Pompeii to the fascinating island of Capri. It is also an area is dominated by volcanic activity with craters still rumbling deep below the surface of the earth; after all, it was the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius which destroyed and buried the ancient city of Pompeii nearly 2000 years ago. The coastline around the steep southern slopes of the Lattari mountains between Positano and Vietri sul Mare are characterised by rocky spurs, overhanging bulwarks and ravines that make this section of the peninsula practically inaccessible and have forced the inhabitants to make their living from the sea.
Positano has a typical Moorish style with white houses solidly anchored in tiers to the rock face and the sinuous roads full of shops that seem to cling to the mountain. The structure of the town is very original; the small houses, all huddling on top of each other, so characteristic of Positano, form the subject of endless photos. The vibrant colours, the white of the buildings, form a perfect canvas for the bright flowers which decorate the houses, and the small artisans’ shops with their multihued cloths, present the visitor with a vista which is almost difficult to believe. Then there is the smell of the leather used for making sandals, and the restaurants specialising in fish dishes, and the bustle of everyday life …
Just off the coast at Positano are three little islands, which together form Li Galli, Gallo Lungo, Castelluccio and La Rotonda; the legend suggests “in the beginning there were the Mermaids, who tried to cast a spell over the insensitive Ulysses with their song, only to be turned to stone for their humiliating disappointment – the three crags of the Sirenusae”. The islands were owned by the famous Russian choreographer, Leonide Massine for forty years, then acquired in 1988 by the ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, and now they are home to an eclectic artistic community.
This coastline is scattered with small clusters of islands which are steeped in volcanic history and activity. North West of Capri there is a wonderful archipelago presenting a perfect cruising area. The Pontine Islands, rich in riolitic lava, tufaceous rocks from their volcanic origin, are made up of Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone, Ventotene, Santo Stefano, and the small island of Gavi and the solitary rock of la Botte. They are an extraordinary group of islands in the Tyrrhenian sea because of the variety of their coastlines, the colours of the rocks, the attractive villages and the small ports in pure Mediterranean style. Their spectacular and bright colours give the islands a particular charm and a coastline perfect to explore by boat with a wide variety of small coves, bays or inlets to explore.
Closer to the mainland are the Phlegraean Islands. This group was created by powerful underwater volcanoes and include Ischia, Procida and the uninhabited Vivara. In the eighth century BC they were colonised by Greek sailors who established the flourishing markets that still exist today. The history of these islands is very old, but also closely linked to the geologic youth that has created the lively and fascinating sea scenery of all the islands and lschia’s renowned baths. The many hot springs gushing out at high, medium and even cold temperatures are rich in minerals and have helped people for centuries in curing illnesses. Ischia us now an exclusive resort with many private facilities for thermal therapy, mud baths and beauty treatments. Despite their ancient history, the islands have not preserved many important medieval or archaeological traces due to the ongoing earthquakes and eruptions, but they are rich in vegetation and outstanding geographical interest and beauty.
The coastline appears particularly wild and solitary and as such is the perfect cruising ground for a summer yacht charter.
Sicily is part of another island group, the Aeolian Islands – more commonly known as the Lipari Islands. They have a very strong volcanic influence, with Stromboli erupting around every hour. This archipelago comprises some seventeen islands, only seven of which are inhabited. It is possible to clamber up the volcanic sulphur rock slopes on the island of Vulcano and visit the still active Cran Cratere. If cruising past Stromboli at night you can experience the impressive sights of the red-hot lava glowing and throwing red hot debris high up above the crater, at first glance reminiscent of a firework display.
The island of Sardinia has a language all its own that is not understood by mainland Italians. Stunning coastlines, excellent fishing, beautiful beaches and rugged mountains combine to make this a very special place.
The charter season runs from April to the end of October. The shoulder seasons (April-May and September-October), offer comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds. All types of boats are available for charter, including superyachts.
Italy’s Five Best Cruising Locales
Yachts available for charter in Italy:
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