Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre Yacht Charter Itinerary
7 nights
Pastel harbours, cliff-top villages, and anchorages so quiet you’ll wonder if anyone else has found them. This one-way route traces the full length of the Italian Riviera, from the glamour of Portofino to the wild headland of Portovenere finishing on the edge of Tuscany.
Day 1 - Portofino to Santa Margherita Ligure 3nm
Embark in Portofino and take the morning to explore on foot before casting off after lunch for the short hop around the headland to Santa Margherita Ligure, a proper Ligurian town with a working waterfront, excellent fish restaurants, and a beautiful palm-lined promenade.
Recommendation: Dinner at Oca Bianca in Santa Margherita – excellent seafood and one of the best focaccia on the Riviera.
Day 2 - Santa Margherita to Sestri Levante via Rapallo 20nm
Pause at Rapallo — a grand Belle Époque resort town with a seafront castle and excellent coffee before continuing to Sestri Levante. A narrow peninsula separates two perfect bays here, the Baia delle Favole and the famous Baia del Silenzio, a small crescent of sand backed by pastel houses and one of the most beautiful anchorages on the Italian coast.
Recommendation: Aperitivo on the Baia del Silenzio waterfront at sunset.
Day 3 - Sestri Levante to Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre 25nm
The coastline becomes increasingly dramatic as you head southeast terraced vineyards clinging to near-vertical cliffs, ancient villages with no road access until the 20th century. Arrive into Monterosso al Mare, the largest of the five Cinque Terre villages, in the early afternoon. It has the only proper beach in the Cinque Terre and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Recommendation: Lunch at Miky, the anchovy dishes are exceptional. Cinque Terre anchovies are among the best in Italy.
Day 4 - Monterosso to Vernazza & Manarola 8nm
A short hop along the Cinque Terre coastline, stopping at two of its most beautiful villages. Vernazza first, widely considered the most picturesque of the five, its small harbour ringed by colourful houses and a medieval watchtower above. Anchor in the bay and take the tender in. Continue to Manarola in the afternoon which is a a cluster of ancient buildings perched on a rocky promontory, no beach, no harbour, just the open sea. Anchor off and watch the village turn gold in the evening light.
Recommendation: A glass of Sciacchetrà – the local sweet wine made from dried Cinque Terre grapes as the sun goes down over Manarola.
Day 5 - Manarola to Portovenere & Palmaria Island 10nm
The final stretch of the Cinque Terre leads to Portovenere — a fortified medieval village on a dramatic rocky headland, the striped marble church of San Pietro perched at the very tip. Byron swam from here to visit Shelley across the gulf, the stretch of water is still known as the Golfo dei Poeti. Anchor off the neighbouring island of Palmaria for the afternoon which is uninhabited, with several beautiful small coves only accessible by water.
Recommendation: Dinner ashore in Portovenere at Le Bocche – excellent local cooking with a terrace overlooking the water.
Day 6 - Portovenere to Lerici 8nm
Cross the Gulf of La Spezia to Lerici, a medieval castle rising directly from the waterfront, pastel houses clustering around a small harbour, clear gulf water. Shelley lived here in his final months, and the landscape has a melancholy, otherworldly beauty that makes it easy to understand why it drew the Romantics. A quieter, more local alternative to the Cinque Terre crowds.
Recommendation: Dinner at Il Frantoio a simple, excellent Ligurian cooking in a beautifully converted old olive press.
Day 7 - Lerici to Gulf of La Spezia
Take your time cruising back towards Ibiza Town, stopping at Cala Llonga or nearby bays for a final swim and relaxed lunch.
Arrive back into Ibiza Town later in the day, giving you one last evening to enjoy the island – whether that’s dinner ashore or a final night onboard.
Recommendation: Dinner in Ibiza Town or onboard for a more low-key end to the week.
Day 8 - Gulf of La Spezia to La Spezia 5nm (Disembarkation)
A final breakfast at anchor before the short passage into La Spezia for disembarkation at midday. La Spezia has excellent train connections to Pisa, Florence, and beyond. The perfect launchpad for extending the trip into Tuscany.
