Sailing yachts from Santa Margherita Ligure enjoy one of the most rewarding coastal sailing routes in Italy. The Gulf of Tigullio generates a reliable afternoon thermal breeze in summer, and the passage south from the Portofino promontory to the Cinque Terre and La Spezia offers consistent wind with spectacular scenery throughout. Seven sailing yachts are available from Italian charter waters on this stretch of coast, each suited to the day-passage style of the eastern Ligurian Riviera.
Sailing yachts from this base tend to be in the 12 to 22 metre range, nimble enough to enter the small anchorages between the Cinque Terre villages and the Portovenere inlet. The combination of morning glassy conditions for motor-sailing with afternoon breezes for sail-powered passages means most crews plan departures accordingly, using the engine for harbour approaches and raising sails once clear of the headlands.
Weekly charter rates for sailing yachts from Santa Margherita Ligure begin at around 15,000 euros and reach 80,000 euros for newer, larger builds. The APA of roughly 30 percent covers fuel, marina fees at Portofino and La Spezia, provisioning, and crew running costs. The best sailing conditions are June through September, with September offering warm water and typically fewer boats at the Cinque Terre anchors.
A sailing itinerary from Santa Margherita Ligure follows the coast south: Portofino for a first overnight, then a morning beat past Sestri Levante and a broad reach down to Monterosso al Mare, anchor off Vernazza for a swim, then La Spezia harbour and Portovenere for the final night before returning north on the afternoon sea breeze.
