INSIGHTS · YACHT SHOWS
Monaco Yacht Show 2026: An Insider's Guide From the Docks
WRITTEN BY
Libby Megson
CATEGORY
Insights
READ TIME
6 min read
DATES
23rd – 26th September 2026
Every September, Port Hercule quietly transforms into the most concentrated display of superyachts anywhere in the world. For four days, the harbour that normally holds a handful of moored yachts becomes home to roughly 120 of the most striking vessels on the water and this year, I’ll be walking those docks myself as part of the Roccabella Yachts team.
If you’ve never been, or you’re weighing up whether a trip to Monaco this September is worth building into your season, here’s what’s actually worth knowing from someone who spent years working as crew before moving into brokerage.
What Monaco Yacht Show actually is
Now in its 35th edition, the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) is the yachting industry’s biggest annual gathering, part boat show, part trade fair, part see-and-be-seen. Around 560 exhibitors line Quai Antoine 1er, Quai des États-Unis, and Darse Nord, and an estimated 30,000 visitors pass through across the four days: owners, brokers, shipyards, designers, and charter clients all in one place at once.
Unlike a lot of boat shows, almost everything on display here is over 25 metres, this isn’t the place to see day boats and small cruisers. The average yacht on the docks runs around 50 metres, with several megayachts well over 100 metres anchored just offshore.
What's different about the 2026 edition
- Scale – around 120 superyachts and 50+ luxury tenders across the harbour, with close to 40 new launches making their debut this year.
- The Adventure Area – tenders, water toys, and a curated line-up of luxury cars, motorcycles, and helicopters, spread across Quai Antoine 1er and Quai Jarlan. Genuinely worth a look even if you’re only there for the yachts.
- Sustainability on the agenda – this year’s show leans further into hybrid propulsion and lower-impact builds, a shift that’s increasingly shaping what shipyards are bringing to market.
- The Sapphire Experience – the show’s VIP lounge and hospitality offering, for those who want the week without the queues.
Why it matters if you're planning a charter, not just a purchase
MYS gets talked about as a sales event, but for charter clients it’s arguably just as useful. This is where you see, in one week, exactly what “40 metres” or “5 cabins” or “beach club and jacuzzi” actually looks and feels like in the metal which is far more useful than scrolling brochures. It’s also where I get to walk boats I’d otherwise only see on paper, which makes the recommendations I give afterwards a lot sharper.
If you’re already thinking about a Mediterranean charter for next season, this is genuinely one of the best weeks of the year to start shaping what you want, even if you’re not in Monaco yourself. Many of our clients build the show into a wider late-September Riviera trip: a week cruising Cap Ferrat, Villefranche, or the Italian Riviera either side of it, with MYS as the centrepiece.
A few practical notes if you're going
- The show runs 10am–6:30pm daily, with an earlier 6pm close on the Saturday.
- Tickets are online-only, there’s no buying at the gate.
- Book accommodation and any charter berths well ahead. Show-week berths inside Port Hercule are often committed close to a year in advance.
- Wear proper shoes. It’s a lot of walking on teak decks and cobbled quays, however glamorous the setting.
Planning a Mediterranean charter for next season?
I’ll be at Port Hercule all week and would love to talk through what you’re picturing, whether that’s a specific yacht you’ve had your eye on, or just a general idea you want to turn into a proper itinerary.