Sailing the length of the Amalfi Coast produces one of the Mediterranean most rewarding passages under canvas. The prevailing southwest breeze works in the sailor favour for a west-to-east run from Sorrento toward Salerno; returning, the same breeze puts a ketch or sloop on a comfortable upwind angle. The cliff topography creates localised gusts and shadows that experienced crews read by the colour of the water, adjusting trim as each headland comes abeam.
Seven dedicated sailing yachts in the Italian charter fleet cover this coastline, from modern performance monohulls to classic rigs with decades of Mediterranean miles. On a coast where distances are short and harbours close together, a sailing yacht rarely needs to motor more than a few miles in any single day. The result is a largely engine-off week, punctuated by the harbours at Positano, Amalfi and Cetara providing the structure.
Charter rates for sailing yachts on the Amalfi Coast range from 85,000 to 245,000 euros per week. The advance provisioning allowance, at around 30 percent of the base rate, covers provisions, crew and port costs, with fuel a comparatively minor item. The sailing season here runs from late April through October, with July and August at the peak of both price and demand; early June and September offer excellent conditions at lower cost.
The Amalfi Coast connects naturally to the Gulf of Naples, making Capri, Procida and Ischia straightforward extensions of a one-week sailing itinerary. Boats with two weeks available can reach the Aeolian Islands to the south or the Pontine Islands north of Naples, adding open-water passages to the coastal day sails that define the first week.
