I T A L Y


The Tuscan Islands
 

For exploring the magnificent west coast of Italy and world known for its beauty island of Corsica, we have chosen οne excellent location in the mainland, in the new built Etrusca Marina of Scarlino (Puntone). Departing from Puntone you can visit Elba island and the Tuscan islands.

Island of Elba is the largest, richest and most beautiful island of the Archipelago Toscano. Its coast is much indented and there are numerous attractive harbours and anchorages. The slopes are extensively terraced and the island is always green even in the middle of summer. It is a green and colorful spot that enchanted the exiled Napoleon.

You can sail to the western Italian mainland coast, and to the Tuscan archipelago consisting of Gorgona, Capraia, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri. It is a popular cruising ground for yachts, however you may end up staying longer than you planned, seduced by the charm of these islands. You may also explore the Ligurian coast, Corsica and Sardinia.

 

Italy: 7 days itinerary
 
Departure: Puntone    
Total distance: 146 nautical miles approximately    
1st day: Embarkation 5th day: Macinaggio – Bastia (Corsica) (20 nm)
2nd day: Puntone – Porto Ferraio (Elba) (20 nm) 6th day: Bastia – Marina di Campo (35 nm)
3rd day: Porto Ferraio – Capraia (26 nm) 7th day: Marina di Campo – Puntone (25 nm)
4th day: Capraia – Macinaggio (Corsica) (20 nm) 8th day: Disembarkation

 

Weather & Wind
 

The prevailing wind in the summer is from W - NW. There will frequent be SE winds around Capraia, Elba and the mainland coast down to Giannutri, and frequent periods of calm. Often there will be a light W or SW wind at night. In the spring and autumn there are frequent local squalls around the islands, usually easily spotted as a ragged black line of cloud, though they do not normally last for long.

Sicily and the Aeolian Islands
 

The history of Sicily is rich and varied It consists mostly of successive waves of invaders (the Greeks that founded Syracuse in 734 BC, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans and the Spaniards) occupying the island and leaving cultural influences which have blended in often fascinating ways, such as the unique Arabic-Norman architecture of the Middle Ages.

Sicily is well known for its unique natural beauty, Etna's volcano and its very imposing coasts, islands and islets. Sant’Agata di Militello is a pleasant town placed in the province of Messina, between the hills and the sea, in the middle way between Palermo and Messina, exactly in front of the Aeolian Islands. Easily reachable from both the international airports of Palermo (160 Km) and Catania (200 km), to whom it is directly linked through a very new superhighway and a continuous railway system, it is the ideal point to leave for a sailing trip to the Aeolian Islands but it offers you also many others different and interesting itineraries for your weekly charters.

Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, Panarea, Salina, Stromboli, Vulcano will be in front of you, at only 25 nautical miles: in about three hours of sailing you will have on your disposal a whole archipelago of seven islands to be circumnavigated.

As soon as you will have hoisted your main sail up and opened your genoa, you will be able to sight the red and black rocks with the green Indian figs of Alicudi, the bushes of brooms and the so called “Cave of the Marine-Ox of Filicudi, the typical fumes of sulphur of Vulcano, the wild promontories of Salina and the white beaches of Lipari; sailing a little bit more, then, you will see the so called “Faraglioni” and the typical low-houses of Panarea and the infernal spectacle of the slopes of Stromboli standing out in front of you.

On the contrary, if you will decide to sail along the coast, going on the east side, you can penetrate into the numerous bays of incomparable beauty that you find between Capo d’Orlando and Messina, having a look from the sea to the stately Sanctuary of the Madonna of Tindari, and you can moor in the near harbours of Capo d’Orlando, Porto Rosa, Milazzo or Messina, or you can continue further than the strait of Messina to visit the wonderful Taormina or to organize an unforgettable trip on the Etna, the highest volcano in Europe, but you can also decide to direct your boat straight to the Tyrrhenian coasts of South-Calabria. Going on the west side, in no more than three hours you can reach the picturesque harbour of Cefalù, or you can continue in the direction of Palermo, the capital of Sicily.

Our second base in Sicily is located in Marsala, a picturesque town, founded by the Carthaginians but took the name from the Arabs (Marsal-Allah, harbour of God), well known from the popular wine.

Marsala it's a pleasent relaxed place from where you can sail North West for visiting in a range of 25 miles the Egadi Islands that are three principal islands, Favignana, Marettimo and Levanzo, or sailling South for visiting Pantelleria, an island of volcanic origin, and the barren rocky island of Lampedusa that has recently become popular for the good underwater fishing around the coast.

Marsala is also ideal as a starting point to Malta (120 miles) and of course to Tunisia.

 

Italy: 7 days itinerary
 
Departure: S. Agata Militello    
Total distance: 137 nautical miles approximately    
1st day: Embarkation 5th day: Filicudi - Salina (12 nm)
2nd day: S. Agata Militello - Vulcano (26 nm) 6th day: Salina - Lipari (10 nm)
3rd day: Vulcano - Panarea - Stromboli (27 nm) 7th day: Lipari - S. Agata Militello (29 nm)
4th day: Stromboli - Filicudi (33 nm) 8th day: Disembarkation

 

Departure: Marsala    
Total distance: 163 nautical miles approximately    
1st day: Embarkation - Marsala - Pantelleria (59m) 5th day: Favignana - Marettimo (10 nm)
2nd day: Pantelleria 6th day: Marettimo - Levanzo (12 nm)
3rd day: Pantelleria 7th day: Levanzo - Marsala (13 nm)
4th day: Pantelleria - Favignana (69 nm) 8th day: Disembarkation

 

Weather & Wind
 

The normal summer winds are from the NW occasionally going around the W. There may also be winds from the NE.

Sardinia
 

Portisco base is located in the beautiful “Costa Smeralda” (Emerald Coast), between Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo, only 10 minutes from Olbia Airport. Marina di Portisco, which is a natural green cove, is ideal for sailing tourism and it offers a variety of services in a warm and hospitable environment.

Departing from Portisco, you can sail to large number of destinations: Madalena Archipelago is a natural park scattered of unique beaches, among which the famous pink beach (spiaggia rosa) in Budelli. The wild Corsica lies on the other side of the “Bocche di Bonifacio”. The northern coast of Sardinia as far as the beautiful and untouched island of Asinara and the eastern coast as far as the gulf of Osorei, which is the preferred habitat of the last populations of “foca monaca” (monk seal). During these trips you can easily find well-equipped shorelines; you can enjoy a lifetime holiday in a exclusive environment.

 

Italy: 7 days itinerary
 
Departure: Portisco    
Total distance: 80 nautical miles approximately    
1st day: Embarkation 5th day: Bonifacio - Lavezzi - Santa Teresa (12 nm)
2nd day: Portisco - Cala di Volpe - Porto Cervo - 6th day: Santa Teresa - Porto Pollo - Palau (12 nm)
  Cannigione (14 nm)
3rd day: Cannigione - Palau (4 nm) 7th day: Palau - Portisco (15 nm)
4th day: Palau - Budelli - Santa Maria - Razzoli - 8th day: Disembarkation
  Bonifacio (22 nm)

 

Weather & Wind
 

As far as the climate is concerned, our base enjoys the typical Mediterranean weather, uncommon to middle latitudes with an average temperature without remarkable variations during the year, which makes the conditions for sailing ideal for a 9-month period (from March to November).

Regarding the winds, you will find a sea breeze from NW in the western coast (force 4), while on the southern coast the breeze comes from SE (force 3). The strongest winds in the northern and western coasts come from N-NW.