Catamaran Charter Italy

Catamaran Charter Italy

Whether aboard a large luxury yacht charter with crew looking after your every need, or a bareboat charter sailing yacht, a catamaran charter Italy will allow you to enjoy the best of Italy's beautiful coastline and culture.

Though the east Italian coast has much to offer, most of the yacht charter Italy locations are on the west coast, stretching from the Italian Riviera in the north to Sicily to the south. Along this strech of coastline and islands, there is much to explore on your Italy yacht charter by catamaran - arguably among the best catamaran yacht charter destination on the West Mediterranean.

Towns, Cities and Islands to Visit in Italy

There are four broad areas to enjoy your yacht charter Italy - the Italian Riviera, Sardinia's Costa Smeralda (emerald coast), Tuscany, Amalfi Coast and Sicily.

The **Italian Riviera** is centred on the ancient empire seat of Genoa that ruled over Corsica, Sardinia and much of the mainland to the south. Today you can cruise the epic coastline between the five villages of Cinque Terre or head over to Porto Cervo on your sailing charter. Cinque Terre's villages of Porto Venere, Tellaro, Monte Marcello, Framura and Sestri Levante have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and are so incredibly popular among tourists it's probably best to enjoy it all from your charter catamaran!

To the south, and on the west coast is the region of **Tuscany** beloved among British expatriots. The wine, relaxed atmosphere and gentle climate are major draws. On your Italy yacht charter you may wish to take your luxury yacht out to the Tuscan Archipelago just offshore. The seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago are by repute the 'gems in Venus' necklace that fell in the Tyrrhenian Sea. When you visit these beautiful islands you'll appreciate how the ancient storytellers came to such a conclusion!

South again, and southwest of Rome are the Pontine Island group, off the coast of Napoli and overlooked by Mount Vesuvius and her impressive volcano. Inhabited for many thousands of years these islands have been used as places of exile by the Romans and then Fascists much more recently. Now they are a jewel in the sea between the mainland and Corsica, and well worth a visit - perhaps on an Amalfi Coast yacht charter.

The **Amalfi Coast** on the Sorrentine Peninsula is like Cinque Terre best visited by boat if you don't appreciate climbing steps all the time! That said, the villages and coastline are a utterly beautiful. You may wish to sail to Capri, Sorrento, Napoli or Ischia on your Amalfi Coast yacht charter, though Sicily's Aeolian Islands are within reach too.

South again and just off the 'toe' of southern Italy is **Sicily**. Dominated by Mt Etna and swathed in modern myth about the families who 'really' control the island, Sicily is nonetheless a beautiful place for a sailing vacation. The north coast stretching from Messina to Trapani is most popular - do pop off the coast to the volcanic Aeolian Island group, with Stromboli the most famous of all. The Egadi Islands and Marsala are well worth a visit too.

Catamaran Charter Italy

A crewed yacht charter is one of the best ways to enjoy an Italy yacht charter holiday. With an often large vessel just for you and your fellow charter guests' use, on a crewed yacht charter the skipper and crew will look after your every need afloat. They will look after the tender as you venture ashore in at Cinque Terre or Capri, and perhaps make suggestions as to the best spots to enjoy a first class meal or water sport activity of your choice.

On a bareboat catamaran charter you will have the space and added privacy to get the luxury yacht from A-B at your own pace.

Italy Catamaran Charter Types

Bareboat

Though you will often have to have a sailing license for a larger vessel, a bareboat charter will give you complete freedom and privacy to do what you want. Unlike a monohull sailing yachts, a catamaran charter yacht will often come with en suite heads in all the cabins, an AC generator and all the comforts of home as you captain your own ship.

Skippered

A skippered catamaran charter can range from a 46ft+ catamaran. The skipper aboard will look after the sailing and make suggestions as to your next destinations, with you playing as much or as little a role in getting from A-B as you want - you don't need to be an experienced sailor. It is customary to pay a tip at the end of the sailing trip, on top of the €100-€150 a day fee for the skipper you pay as well as the basic charter fee.

Crewed

A crewed catamaran charter could mean a 60ft yacht with skipper and crew, but could also mean a luxury yacht or crewed yacht charter with a team of people looking after your every need. As well as sailing the vessel, they will cook, look after the housekeeping and water toys, and provide you with the service you expect at the top end of yacht charter holiday experiences.

Catamaran Types in Italy

Sailing Catamaran

Ranging from a 40ft yacht to much, much larger, this will be enjoyable to sail (particularly with the wind aft of the beam) and unlike a monohull sailing yacht will often have en suite heads in all the staterooms. You will have plenty of entertainment space aboard and even the smaller vessels will have room for water toys such as paddleboards and kite surfing gear or even diving gear and jet skis. If the windage of the catamaran sailing boat gets too much, powerful twin engines will be able to get you upwind to your next destination too!

Motor Catamaran

Ranging from 46ft to over 100ft LOA, you can charter a luxury motor yacht catamaran with crew or bareboat. Thanks to the wider beam, catamaran motor boats are more stable than a monohull motor yacht (no one going green at sea unless too much drink was involved!) and much faster. This could allow for longer legs, between the Amalfi Coast and Aeolian Islands for example.

What can you do on a Catamaran charter in Italy?

There are three broad types of sailing holiday to be had in Italy - family, outdoor or party.

**Partying** can mean stays in fun spots like Capri or Naples.

**Family holidays** are the bread and butter of the Italy catamaran yacht charter economy. You can relax in great places like the Pontine Islands and Tuscan Archipelago

**Active holidays** Snorkelling off the Egadi Islands or climbing Elba island.

What does an average day on an Italy Yacht charter look like?

A catamaran charter boat charter in Italy can mean a variety of things to different people. The sailing is reliably excellent so a blast at sea every day will be a core part of the fun.

For the family or older ones, you can sail between hidden coves and quiet sandy beaches, while visiting fishing villages and quieter resorts.

You will want to sail for several hours a day - with the near perfect sailing conditions this is unmissable. Watching the marine life and tropical fish from the windward rail on a beam reach as the catamaran bounds across the sea will be an unforgettable experience.

As such your typical day could be a mix of things, from an early start to blast off to the next island to waking up at lunchtime feeling a little green around the gills and thanking your crew for getting you back aboard. The choice is down to you.

Why Italy is superb for a Catamaran Charter

The West Mediterranean would be a poorer place without the brash style of Italy! From its fashionable resorts to luxury hotels and restaurants as well as its fascinating and deep culture, Italy is an ideal location for a sailing vacation.

Do You Need A Licence To Charter A Catamaran In Italy?

If you are on a skippered or crewed catamaran charter you do not need a license to sail on the Mediterranean Sea - you can just turn up at the marina and go.

You do need a license if you are on a bareboat catamaran charter and in some countries a Day Skipper or ICC may not be enough for boats over 45 feet in length, you will need to check with the charter agent but here are some examples of typical sailing qualifications that will allow you to charter in most countries:

International Certificate of Competence: This is issued on request by your European sailing authority and you should automatically qualify with certain national sailing qualifications.

RYA Qualifications: If you have the following qualifications you will typically be able to take a bareboat charter out of Rhodes (but it is worth checking as per above), these include Day Skipper (sail or motor endorsement), Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster.

American Sailing Association (ASA): The ASA 104 Bareboat certificate is commonly accepted but also check as per above

US Sailing: The International Proficiency Certificate is widely accepted and The Bareboat Cruising Certificate is also accepted in many cases.

Best Time to Book Your Italy Catamaran Yacht Charter

The sailing season in Italy is from May to October. Outside of the high season in July/August you will find many marinas have enough room to meet demand and will often be cheaper than Greece or Croatia.

In some parts of France's and Italy's sailing meccas the prices rocket in July/August and you may end up paying hundreds of Euros for the last available berth if you're lucky enough to get one!

As such the best times to sail in Italy are during school term in June or September when the sea is still warm but the marinas and towns relaxed and quiet. If you want Italy at full throttle in the maximum heat of summer the high season may well be for you!

The Climate

Italy is known for its excellent sailing conditions, making many locations meccas for all sorts of wind sports.

During much of the sailing season in this part of the west Mediterranean Sea you will find sea breezes that build during the day and ease off at night, making for a perfect sailing holiday.

The NE Maestrale is an important wind here. Generally blowing from October to April, and originating from the Rhone Valley, it can pipe up for a week at a time and blow at gale force for days on end even in summer.

The hot, humid southerly Scirocco can make things extremely uncomfortable at night toward the southern half of Sardinia from time to time. Expect temperatures to hardly dip at night from the high 30s in the day. Orange hued fog (coloured by Sahara Desert sand) is another issue, adding to the discomfort!

Why Use Borrow A Boat For an Italy Catamaran Charter:

Borrow A Boat is the leading boat rental and yacht charter marketplace worldwide with over 35,000 boat listings across 65 + countries worldwide. Launched in 2017 by yachting and boating enthusiasts with decades of yachting experience, Borrow a Boat acts as a broker for the world's most impressive superyachts and motor boat charters. We cover North America, the Mediterranean, Caribbean, South Pacific and Rest Of World. Wherever in the world you want to sail, we have a luxury yacht and superyacht to take you there via our trusted network of industry contacts.

We are an independent company, so can offer you the biggest choice of vessel at the most competitive prices, to help you find your perfect yacht. Alongside our passion for yachting, our commitment to service and decades of luxury yacht experience ensures your luxury yacht charter will be an unforgettable experience. Most importantly, all our luxury yachts and superyacht charters meet stringent and current safety and insurance requirements in their respective locations.

Our captains and crew have personal experience of the world's best and safest anchorages and marinas, alongside in-depth local knowledge of cultural attractions, shore dining and entertainment opportunities.