Sailing destinations in the Mediterranean Sea? You’d be forgiven for mistaking Sardinia’s sugar sand and pellucid blue sea for a slice of Caribbean paradise. Set adrift from the Italian mainland, this island has it all; come for the luxury retail, stay for the swimming, snorkelling and beachside bliss. Visiting superyachts make a beeline for Hotel Cala di Volpe, a celebrity-approved hotel on the waterfront with private moorings available for the ultimate convenience. Enjoy a relaxed lunch on the terrace or an evening meal alfresco; the service is slick, the staff are friendly, and if you choose to spend a night on shore they’ll be more than happy to accommodate you. Down the eastern coast of the island is where you’ll find most of the island’s famed beaches. Consistently voted among the best in Europe, they’re all simple and straightforward to access from your yacht, and promise a relaxing day of swimming and soaking up the sunshine. Among the best is Cala Goloritze. Read extra info on sailing destinations.
Some top Aegean destinations include Franchini, Nafplion, Crete, and the islands of Hydra and Spetses. These are places brimming with unique Greek culture, history, and arts. The Aegean actually contains over 2000 islands – meaning that a cruising holiday here is full of opportunity. Just like the Ionian Islands, the Aegean is well set-up for anyone wanting to do a sailing holiday in Greece. The islands here offer quality amenities, helpful ports, and plenty of calm places to dock. Some other top destinations in Greece for a beach holiday include Vassiliki, Porto Heli, Horto Pelion, and Kos. If you’re after the dream European summer holiday, it could hardly get better than Greece. Discover less-known coves of famous Capri. Rent a yacht in Sicily and visit the volcanic Aeolian Islands with active volcanoes, enchanting bays, and cobalt sea. Sail through the glistening Mediterranean around Spain’s coast and explore some of its 8000 km long shores. Spain will capture all your senses with its historic cities, the scent of citrus orchards, towering stone castles, sapphire sea, and diverse landscapes.
Reliably breezy, Sardinia is an Italian sailing yacht haven. With a pleasant six-month summer period where it is hot and dry from May to October, Sardinia’s location in the centre of the Mediterranean means the moderate winds are consistent. Mild off-season months offer a good deal of sunshine with warm days to enjoy time on the water, particularly during March and April, while Mistral winds mitigate the heat of the summer months and providing some excellent sailing opportunities. Generally, the prevailing north-westerly winds blow at 20-25 knots daily with a small tidal range of 20-40cm. The world-famous Costa Smeralda, known for its superb beaches and myriad of coves and bays, is a big attraction, while chic ports such as Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo offer exceptional facilities. For quiet and scenic beauty, the Maddalena Islands with National Park and Marine Reserve should not be missed. Sailing in these crystalline waters is a great way to experience the other side of the Emerald Coast where nature prevails.
When you begin planning a luxury yacht charter it is important to be aware of what is included in the cost of booking your dream charter yacht. Although a yacht will have a base charter fee, this may or may not include additional expenses such as food and fuel and this is subject to the terms and conditions within the charter contract. There are various types of charter contracts and which one applies to you will depend on where you wish to cruise. If you are looking to charter a yacht understanding the costs involved can seem daunting and confusing. The two important things to understand are your base price and what you will be expected to pay on top of it. The best analogy for determining the cost of your charter is with buying a car. It’s never quite as easy as just walking into a showroom and saying, “I’ll take the blue one.” Immediately the salesman whips out his order pad and starts asking questions. “Do you want a radio?” “How about the fancy wheels?” “Did you want the two-tone paint?”
Sailing tip of the day: The plotter’s track function can help you in tight harbors! It’s fun to look back over a summer’s cruising by way of the track my chartplotter has recorded. Where the track really comes into its own, though, is piloting out of a difficult harbor into which you have successfully maneuvered. You know you got in OK, so to be sure of a graceful exit—tide permitting where appropriate—you’ve only to follow the same track out again. Be warned, though, that this works only so long as the plotter is set upright. The screengrab shows two versions of the same in-and-out tracks on my Raymarine unit. The coarse setting shown in purple is useless, while the finer, black version leads me straight back out through the drying banks. It’s all down to setting the instrument to record frequent data. In short, to succeed in close quarters, the plot should be set to record at shorter time or distance intervals than out at sea.
Another beautiful Greek sailing route takes you through the less famous Sporades islands which are located off the East coast. There are eleven islands in total but if you start at Volos or Skiathos, you’ve got a good chance of visiting quite a few. Known as the emerald of the Aegean, expect rich vegetation, unspoiled green-blue waters and a more traditional way of life. Highlights include the picturesque island of Skopelos, the party-island Skiathos and the Marine Park of Alonissos which is dotted with secret coves.
May is the time when the beautiful island of Ibiza starts to come to life once again. Usually, Ibiza should be now getting ready to inaugurate a busy summer season, with the opening of its famous clubs and discotheques and of a wide range of first class accommodations, ready to welcome most demanding guests travelling to the Island to enjoy Med’s ultimate destination for clubbers. Celebrity spotters heading to the white sands of Ibiza should look no further than Cala Jondal, a beautiful little cove that is home to the famous Blue Marlin beach club. This is a small and classier version of Marbella’s blingtastic Nikki Beach and is popular amongst well-heeled locals as well as stars from the worlds of sport, cinema and music. Kick back on one of the white leather beds, order your favourite cocktail and admire the lush hills that surround the bay’s clear, still waters. You never know who might set up camp next to you. Whether you have been to heavenly destinations such as Greek Islands, the French Riviera, and Amalfi Coast before or not, these beautiful sailing spots in the Mediterranean will call you to come back over and over again. So, why not indulge in the opportunity to discover hidden natural gems, new local dishes, traditions, and people each time you visit the Mediterranean? Here are a few useful sailing yacht cruise tips to help you plan your unforgettable summer holiday in Europe’s fanciest location.