Your Italian Sailing Holiday
The Spirit of Italy
Italy has one of the oldest tourist industries in the world, having been among the principal destinations for the rich ‘grand tourists’ in the 18th and 19th centuries. A sailing holiday is the ideal way to sample the ancient, Renaissance and baroque delights of Venice, Florence and Tuscany, Rome, Naples and (for the more adventurous) Sicily.
Almost anywhere you are within reach of little towns and villages, isolated ancient remains, mountains by the sea, so make the most of these delights for a richly varied stay in one of the world’s most beautiful countries.
Italians are justly proud of their cuisine, which is among the finest and healthiest in the world. Although certain staples can be found all over the country, each region has its own specialities, based on history, tradition and the best of local produce.
Cruise the Italian Riviera
Here on the north-west Ligurian coast, tiny remote mountain villages clinging to the foothills of the Alps seem to belong to a different world from the sophisticated cities of Milan and Turin, the fashionable resorts of the Riviera and the Lakes, and the historic splendour of medieval and Renaissance towns such as Mantua and Cremona.
Sail to Portofino
Take a sheltered cove, line it with a tall façade of fisherman’s houses painted in the earthy pastels of Italy, throw in a charming quayside, top it off with a couple of prominent churches, and that is Portofino, one of the region’s true gems.
Arriving in your own yacht is of course the best way to appreciate it and our real mission is to take a picture against this famous backdrop. So we will take the tender ashore, order a coffee and remain awhile soaking in the atmosphere, then climb to the church above the harbour, snap and go!!
The Cinque Terra by Sea
To the south of Portofino, in the eastern Ligurian, the Cinque Terra is home to five villages – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore – dotted along the shoreline at the foot of steep spectacularly beautiful terraced hills and vineyards.
Historically, the main access to the villages was by sea but in bad weather a donkey path cut into the cliffs, the Strada dei Santuari, provided a vital lifeline and today this makes a scenic coastal walk. If time is short we will just visit Vernazza, the only one of the five to boast a little harbour, where there is a charming café-lined square enclosed by tall, shabby-chic houses and overlooked by a striking church.
Beyond the Cinque Terra to the south-east, the little mainland fishing settlement of Portovenere, tucked behind the island of Palmaria at the entrance of naval port of La Spezia, is also worthy of a visit.
Call us now to book your holiday 0845 653 0126
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