A Treat for all Senses - That's What a Sailing Holiday in Tuscany Is!
Updated: Oct 15, 2020
Tuscany is not often mentioned as a sailing destination, which is probably what makes it one of the crown jewels for serious yachties and cruisers
Why not discover Corsica and world famous Maddalena? North Sardinia? If your answer is YES, you will find yourself in the beautiful and fascinating Strait of Bonifacio which separates Corsica and Sardinia.
You can cover a lot of ground in one week sailing holiday, even though we recommend that you give this beautiful part of the world two weeks, so you can enjoy the best there is on offer without rushing and most importantly not leave disappointed that you didn't see and do more.
We left our yacht charter base and headed to Southern Corsica and made a stop at Solenzara.
Solenzara is a small fishing village at the southern tip of Corsica. It is located at the foot of Aguilles de Bavella, a beautiful mountain at the heart of the island. It is known for its gastronomy so you should try to get there just in time for lunch. Why not try their world famous wild boar sausage and some figatelli? Or ewe and goat cheese? If you have the time, you should check out Monastere Notre-Dame de l’Assunta Gloriosa.
From there, you can head south towards the Gulf of Porto Vecchio. The gulf of Porto-Vecchio has been in use since the Bronze Age, as illustrated by the prehistoric remains that can be found there. A series of peninsulas and small coves running from north to south provide shelter to sumptuous white beaches lined with pines, such as the famous Palombaggia. The Gulf is well-known for its seafood, so you know what to do!
Once you've had your fill of exquisite natural beauty and delicious seafood, move towards the Cerbicales Islands and the Gulf of Santa Manza. Santa Manza offers good shelter from Westerly and North Westerly winds.
Cerbicales Islands is a nature reserve and it is made up of five separate islands. The reserve is known for its nesting sea birds, which include crested cormorants, petrels, Cor's shearwaters, and Audouin's gulls, and reptiles such as the Tyrrhenian lizard. Don't forget to consult depth charts and the pilot book when entering this area, and of course, always keep in mind area's status as a nature reserve and take all environmental precautions.
From there, you should head to the Strait of Bonifacio, the classic destination for Mediterranean boaters and one of the most beautiful stretches of sea in the Mediterranean. From the mouth of Bonifacio or from the Gulf of Santa Manza you can head towards the Maddalena Archipelago, packed with wonderful islands and islets such as the Ile de Cavallo and Lavezzi island.
A little further south, continuing sailing towards Sardinia, you should stop off at the islands of Razzoli, Casings, (theatre in the wonderful “pink beach”), and the island of Santa Maria. When visiting these islands pay particular attention to the prohibitions and regulations reported in the pilot books, since this is the National Marine Park of the Archipelago of La Maddalena.
We remind our yacht charter guests that the Maddalena Archipelago is a dream area for sailing, but sailors need to pay a lot of attention to both the weather and sea conditions, to the strong winds from the west which sometimes in summer lash the coast and also to the jagged cliffs which abound in the channels between the islands.
Definitely worth a visit are Porto Rotondo, Porto Raphael and Poltu Quatu. If you are interested in glitz and glamour and rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous,, pay a visit to the stylish Porto Cervo. We do however advise that you check availability AND cost of moorings in the marina there beforehand as the former can be scarce and latter unexpectedly expensive.
WannaGoSailing.com operate a fleet of over 700 sailing monohulls, catamarans and motor yachts from over 30 yacht charter bases spread throughout the Liguria, Tuscany, Corsica and Sardinia. All our yachts are available for bareboat, skippered or fully crewed yacht charter.
Please contact us for more details or check out our current Special and Last Minute Offers.