Italy

Sardinia

The sailing area of Sardinia is huge – a total of 450 nautical miles can be covered on one trip around the island. Therefore most yacht charters start from the north of the island. This sailing area is characterized by smooth rocks, crystal clear water, and beaches reminiscent of the Caribbean.

However, caution is advised when sailing in the northeast around Olbia, as the area can be challenging with its many rocks, islands, and islets scattered in the sea off the coast. Due to this, it is rather easy to plan a cruise, as the many different destinations are very close together.

Free overnight stays in anchor bays and free anchoring along the coasts is possible almost everywhere. In some places, there are mooring fields for which a fee is charged and around the La Maddalena archipelago there are a few restrictions due to the presence of a national park area.

Elba and the Tuscan Islands

Elba alone is quite small as a sailing area, the whole island is circumnavigated in 50 nautical miles. Therefore, it often serves as a starting point for other islands such as Capraia (20 nautical miles) and Giglio (35 nautical miles), as well as the northeast of the Corsican coast (30 nautical miles).

Due to its convenient location, Elba is a popular and attractive area for sailors, not least because of the possibility of arriving by car.

Elba does not pose any special nautical challenges, but you should think about the respective berths during your sailing trip in good time. Especially during the high season, many of the small island ports are occupied by Italians from the nearby and large marinas on the mainland coast.

Sicily

In terms of size, Sicily is almost as big as Sardinia. From there it is possible to sail to the Lipari Islands (also called the Aeolian Islands) or to the Egadi Islands. These two destinations differ in some points, but both captivate with their impressive natural scenery.

The Lipari Islands consist of seven islands, all of which are inhabited. Highlight: the volcanic islands of Stromboli. The active volcano with spewing and glowing lava can be observed from the cockpit.

The other islands are also well worth seeing, each with something different to offer. Lipari or Salina are among the more lively island resorts, while Panarea is known as a VIP island. Peace and quiet can be found in Filicudi and Alicudi.

So you can find something for everyone in the Lipari Islands, but you have to be nautically careful. The volcanic islands drop steeply into the sea at the coasts and thus offer only a few well-protected anchor bays with usable anchor depths.

The Aegadian Islands are very down-to-earth and characterized by the locals. Marettimo is known as one of the top diving destinations in the Mediterranean.

Nautically, the area in the west around the Aegadian Islands is not particularly challenging, there are marinas, town harbors, anchorages, and largely free coasts. The lengths of the stages are manageable and if bad weather comes up, a safe harbor can always be found.

Destinations in the west of the Aegadian Islands are visited much less, but you can look forward to an Italian-Mediterranean cruising experience, which – in contrast to the Lipari Islands – can be well-planned.

Lagoons of Venice, Merano, and Grado

The lagoons around Venice can be described in one word: unique. You won’t find such flat lagoon landscapes here anywhere else in the Mediterranean. River courses, sandy beaches, islands, and sandbanks – all this can be explored. The Venice lagoon covers 20 nautical miles and is the largest, followed by Marano and Grado (about 15 nautical miles each).

Venice and Chioggia are surrounded by water, while Grado is located on a coastal dune and Marano is situated inside the lagoon. Other towns worth visiting are Monfalcone and the metropolis of Trieste.