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DESTINATIONSMEDITERRANEAN
The Mediterranean. Just the word draws pictures: The cradle of civilization. Sun, sea and sand. The exquisite food and drink. The home of the good life.
It’s the perfect location for a luxury crewed charter, from the famed French Côte d’Azur to fabled islands and beautiful villages of Italy to the pristine islands of the Aegean and the coast of exotic Turkey. Whether your passion is exclusive ports with their sophisticated pleasures, uninhabited islands where you won’t even see footprints on the beach, to towering volcanoes spewing fire or vigorous adventure, magnificent food from authentic bouillabaisse to branzino jumping from the hook onto the grille or mysterious treats from the Middle East, you’ll find it in the Med. And the shopping? From the art galleries of Ste. Tropez to fragrant Turkish bazaars, you can satisfy any desire.
Of course, the Mediterranean is a huge sailing ground, and it can be a challenge just to identify your cruising grounds.
Between the Straits of Gibraltar and the Bosporus, the appealing locations are legion. Among the most popular are the French Riviera with ports whose names conjure glamour: Ste. Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, Nice and Antibes, perhaps into the Italian Riviera with the jewel of Portofino and fabled Cinque Terre. You’re never forget the heady herbes de Provence growing everywhere and touching the food as well.
France’s large island of Corsica is an increasingly popular destination, too, and lies only 125 nautical miles from Nice. It has both sophisticated ports and rugged coves, providing a mix of experiences for any taste. The same can be said of Italy’s Sardinia, just south of Corsica with its glamorous Emerald Coast – the Costa Smeralda – to islets inhabited only by goats and seabirds.
One of Italy’s favorite cruising grounds is the beautiful Bay of Naples, famed in songs from “Santa Lucia” to “Return to Sorrento” and the “Isle of Capri.” Under looming Mount Vesuvius, you can sail from Naples to nearby tiny and unspoiled Procida, large Ischia with its healing bathes, and Capri, symbol of living well since before the time of Tiberius. All bathed in the sweet aromas of lemons and other citrus made into limoncello liqueur and world-famed perfumes. If you desire more exotic and simple pleasures, tiny Ventotene is only 20 nm beyond Ischia, and Ponza and Palmarola 20 nm farther.
A must visit is also the breathtaking Amalfi Peninsula, both Sorrento on the north coast and Amalfi and Positano facing the sun on the Amalfi Coast.
Increasingly popular with sophisticated travelers are islands off the north coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands where the Greeks believed winds originated, with the original Vulcano, still-erupting Stromboli, chic Panerea and Lipari and unspoiled Salina. Sicily itself offers many pleasures, notably many of the largest and best-preserved Greek ruins in the world, towering and active Mount Etna, as well as the island’s exotic blend of all the culture that have passed through and lent their touch.
In the last decade, there’s been a tremendous reawakening of interest in the Dalmatian Coast and Islands of Croatia. From unspoiled world heritage towns to islands lost in time, the area boasts more than 1400 islands, relatively few inhabited − but all beautiful.
Far south of Croatia lie fabled Greek islands in the Ionian Sea: bustling Corfu, Ithaca, the home of Odysseus, Kefalonia, Kyhtira and Zakynos. Lusher than other parts of Greece, and with gentle winds, they offer relaxing cruising.
Islands of the Aegean Sea are legendary, too, though many are overrun with tourists. Some of the greatest pleasures of the azure Aegean lie along the Turkish Coast, with its classic ruins, bustling towns, secluded quiet coves, and friendly people.
Whatever your destination, a luxurious crewed charter will provide both pleasures of the time and memories for a lifetime. |
