The Italian Collection: Up with the Very Best Places to Go Sailing
Italy is a truly spectacular yacht charter destination, offering a diverse range of sailing regions. From the Tuscan Archipelago to the Pontine Islands off Rome, the Gulf of Naples, the Amalfi and Cilento Coasts, the Aeolian Islands south of Sicily, and the iconic sailing haven of Sardinia—each area is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, rich history, vibrant cultures, and of course, delectable cuisine.
A sailboat vacation is undoubtedly the best way to explore Italy's coastal towns and islands. It offers the freedom and independence to move from one unforgettable destination to the next, discovering something new every day. Italy’s popularity as a sailing destination means there is a wide selection of high-quality boats available, ranging from bareboat options to fully-crewed luxury charters.
A Sailing Holiday in Italy: the Choice is Yours
Italy offers so much that careful planning is essential for your yachting holiday. With diverse regional sailing areas, a variety of travel options, and an almost endless array of itineraries, there's a lot to consider. One thing all sailing holidays in Italy have in common is the unique way they engage the senses, allowing you to truly experience the country.
A key part of planning your Italian charter is selecting the right type and size of boat for your trip. Spacious catamarans are increasingly popular, while those who prefer traditional sailing will find an excellent selection of modern monohulls.
Bareboat sailing in one of Italy's stunning regional destinations is a straightforward option for the capable charterer. Alternatively, you may opt for a skipper who will handle the yacht and perhaps prepare your meals, or even a full crew for the ultimate luxury sailing experience. Even seasoned sailors, aware of the wealth of experiences Italy has to offer, often choose to hire a crew carefully selected by us in consultation with our operators.
On a skippered or crewed charter, your team not only takes care of the sailing but also acts as your travel guides. A big part of any trip to Italy is immersing yourself in the local way of life—shopping, dining, and enjoying entertainment just as the locals do. With the expertise and local knowledge of your Italian-speaking crew, you’ll get the most out of your holiday, discovering experiences you might otherwise miss.
We have in-depth, first-hand knowledge of this incredible charter boat destination and would be delighted to discuss your Italian sailing holiday plans with you.
Our client reviews about charter sailing in Italy
Rating: 5 / 5Well, back home now, but what a fantastic trip we had! Two weeks is way better than one, plenty of time to relax and enjoy what the Cilento coast had to offer. We went as far as Isola di Dino, just south of Maratia.
Everisto from Star Sail was most helpful in giving us the heads-up on the best spots to go, and even booked a restaurant at Marina di Camerota for us for my wife’s birthday! In my opinion way better than the Amalfi coast, fewer people, and fewer tourists. There are many beautiful bays and grottos with clear, clear deep-blue water.
The marinas tend to be pretty small, so not a lot of space, but at this time of year we could get in everywhere we wanted. (Marina) prices for the Cat ranged from E200 per night, to E125. Marina di Camerota has a free tourist wharf for 48hrs.
There is a lot of national park along the coast, with marine reserves. You can’t anchor in them, but they provide mooring buoys for use. All in all a great trip, and one that I would recommend.
October 2024 Nigel, New Zealand, Oct 11th, 2024
Rating: 5 / 5The boat was in excellent condition - only a couple of years old. All equipment and facilities worked faultlessly.
I would not choose to see the Amalfi Coast any other way than from the sea - especially during the busy season. The scenery was truly breathtaking, and the number of people travelling to and from and around the major towns was remarkable.
We chose to seek out the quieter spots for anchoring, and they certainly exist, allowing for public beach access via our tender to visit and explore at a more leisurely pace.
For the most part everything just seemed to line up as planned. With a long lead time to our holiday communications sometimes fell a bit quiet - but that's because there was not much to say. The wheels all turned, the boat was ready and waiting and lived up to our expectations. Nothing was overlooked, and our trip ran very well indeed. David, Australia, Sep 22nd, 2024
Rating: 4 / 5The boat was as expected for a 2018 catamaran. The only issue was with one of the two toilets.
Amazing place with so many anchorage options. A great 2 weeks with nature and small villages. We loved it!
(Your servise was) Perfect as usual! I can't wait for us to work again together for another destination. Your advices and reliability are priceless :) Thanks again to Sue and Robert! Eric, Canada, Aug 20th, 2024
We had a great time in the Aeolian Islands, and I highly recommend them as a destination. The beauty is that the islands each have a different character and are close to each other. The longest ‘passage’ is about 10 miles, and some are a lot shorter. Two of the largest islands, Vulcano and Lipari, are only 800m apart, but very different!
The marinas are well located and were reasonably priced (€70-100 per night) and at Panarea there are only moorings but for €70 you also get a 24/7 water taxi service which was perfect. We found mid / late July to be superb.
David, New Zealand, Aug 16th, 2019
Rating: 5 / 5We found the boat to be nicely designed and very comfortable. The sails were near new and a treat to sail with. The highlight destination was Capri where because of unsettled weather we stayed in the marina. We found a brilliant restaurant in Ana-Capri and enjoyed strolling the narrow streets. San Michelle villa was delightful. Service was 10/10. Mario at the marina went out of his way to help us with ideas advice and making sure we wanted for nothing. Peter, New Zealand, Oct 24th, 2018
Rating: 5 / 5The cat performed well with everything working as expected. The only issue was batteries not lasting a night and having to run an engine both in the morning and again in the late afternoon when sailing and not motoring. Sails were easy enough to hoist and the electronics worked well.
Lipari was a great spot to stop with a nice town to explore. But the nicest island I found was Panarea. Less tourists with very friendly locals. James, Australia, Jul 22nd, 2018
Rating: 4 / 5The Aeolian islands are a beautiful part of the world with many highlights. The standout was watching Stromboli erupt at night from nearby offshore. Sail Connections service was as always excellent. Russell, Australia, Jul 16th, 2018
Just a quick note to say we had a fabulous holiday and fantastic charter. The boat was perfect and the skipper Salvo and hostess Lucia were excellent could not fault anything. Salvo took us to some amazing places, always had our comfort and safety in mind, and was a lovely guy, Lucia was an amazing cook we ended up having most of our meals on board she was so good, also great company and very friendly and helpful. Everyone at North Sardinia Sail were also helpful and very friendly. Tony, Australia, Aug 31st, 2016
The Best Italian Charter Sailing Destinations
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