Yachting tricks and tips in 2022? When visiting Italy, especially the south, you can enjoy a multitude of islands and coastal destinations that are within easy reach of each other. Sailing around here is fairly easy and sheltered. Besides the beautiful scenery that you will get to pass, the historic Italian towns and ports found around the country make it one of the most desirable European places to visit. Although the uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic is still palpable, you can book your Mediterranean yacht cruise in 2021 with confidence. This year, most of us feel that we need time to relax from day-to-day stress and recharge our batteries more than ever.
Greece offers a wide range of popular sailing destinations, but the Ionian Islands are one of the most extraordinary. Some of the best starting points for a sailing yacht charter are the ports of Corfu, Lefkada and Zante, with the main season running from May to October. Temperatures range from 26 to 35 degrees Celsius and the warm breeze mostly comes from the northwest at 4-20 knots. One of the calmest areas in the Mediterranean thanks to the gentle thermal winds, tidal range is minimal at around 30 to 60cm. Waters between the islands and the mainland are protected, offering calm and relaxed sailing, and the area surrounding the northern Ionians is considered very straightforward with easy navigation and plenty of anchorages found amongst the islands. Although the Meltemi wind can sometimes cause difficult sailing conditions, generally yachts under sail can use this to achieve exhilarating performance. With the pleasant Mediterranean climate, welcoming locals and beautiful scenery, the Ionian provides a sensational location for idyllic sailing.
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.
High season refers to the most popular weeks of the year for yacht charter, whether it’s the winter period in the Caribbean or the height of summer in the Mediterranean, booking in high season requires early planning, determination and a big budget. In addition, planning a yacht charter to coincide with a major event will also be reflected in the price with marine spots for elite events often booking up early. Allow plenty of time when making enquiries to ensure a star studded, well prepared arrival. The Caribbean Terms Inclusive (CTI), which is sometimes called Standard Caribbean Terms (SCT), is more inclusive. Three meals per day and fuel for four hours of cruising a day are included. Some yachts under CTI terms include basic beverages (not vintage wines or champagnes), but this is mainly in the Virgin Islands.
Yachting tip of the day: There’s a good reason to run the engine for a while before departing! This is my stern with the engine running slowly in gear against the lines. We all know that when we’re charging batteries this lets the engine warm up thoroughly. However, I have a different reason: I just changed the fuel tanks and return feeds. I once did this and let go my lines straight away only to have the engine stop two minutes later. I’d somehow made a mistake with the valves and was left with a full fuel-bleeding job with empty filters. Most of us with more than one tank change them in harbor. The entrance is exactly where we don’t want to lose power, so I always give the unit a 10-minute run in gear just to make sure that if it does pack it in it’s not for lack of fuel.
At the moment, the official event calendar for summer 2021 gives as confirmed some parties in July-September period. Events organised under the most strict anti-Covid measures and with limited assistance so, most likely it will be possible to enjoy, even if not 100%, discotheques and clubbing. Ibiza, the second smallest of the Balearic Islands, is one of the world’s most attractive islands, a gathering point for countless celebrities from the worlds of fashion, cinema, music and sport. The wonderful thing about the so called “White Island” is that it has as many faces and provides as many options as visitors can desire: beautiful safe white sand beaches, cosy coves, a relaxing inland with rural villages, lively coast towns with a rich heritage and the best nightlife you could ever dream of. Cala Xuclá is one of the smallest and most secluded beaches on Ibiza. You won’t find flashy beach bars, washrooms or watersports in this tiny cove, which backs onto a dense and aromatic pine forest instead of a busy promenade. Fishermen still store their boats in little enclaves carved into the pink and red rocks that surround the beach, providing a rustic contrast to the fancy vessels seen moored off Ibiza’s more mainstream beaches. The underwater landscapes at Xuclá are just as rugged as its countryside, making it excellent for snorkelling. See additional info on https://intersailclub.com/. The Best Time for Mediterranean Yacht Cruises? Summer is the best time to visit the Mediterranean, and it is definitely the high travel season in this part of Europe. The millions of people from all around the world flock to the Mediterranean’s beaches during summer months for much-deserved summer break due to the region’s pleasant climate. The summers in the Mediterranean are sunny and hot, and the sea is warm. However, the best time for Mediterranean yacht cruises is late spring (May-June) or early fall (September-October) when the temperatures and the sea are pleasurably warm, days are sunny, and the crowds in popular destinations are far fewer than in summer.
A sailing trip here will offer you some of the most breathtaking scenery in Europe. The World Heritage-listed fjords were formed by glaciers (during the last ice age) and today they are a dramatic sight where tranquil blue waters gently lap at lush green shores which rise to majestic granite peaks. Gaze at picturesque villages, isolated farms and gushing waterfalls on your journey through the deep dark waters.