Sample Itinerary – 7 days
Day 1 : You will meet your floating holiday aboard Viola at Punta Ala, which is located on the coast of Tuscany. Once your luggage is safely stowed and you have been properly introduced to yacht and crew, we will slip the dock lines off and have a short, comfortable sail to Giglio, one of the smaller islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Boasting superb scenery and abundant bird life, there are three tiny villages on Giglio, including Giglio Castello, a medieval town which is well worth exploring.
Day 2 : After a leisurely breakfast, we will head northwest to Elba. Though best known for the famous prisoner it was home to for a very short time, Napoleon Bonaparte, the scenery with its spectacular mountains and numerous beaches are what draw over two million visitors to this island every year. You will want to try some Aleatico or Moscato, Elban wines which are two of Tuscany’s best!
Day 3 : Leaving the hustle and bustle of Elba behind, we again set sail toward the northwest, soon reaching our destination of the island of Capraia. This lovely island was once used as a penal colony, but the attraction the many Roman ruins and the vistas of the stunning cliffs makes it a popular destination for us to visit.
Day 4 : You will probably awake early with the excitement of the day enticing you from your bed. Today we take a longer sail, leaving Italy behind and heading to France. Well, Corsica, which is French, none the less! Approaching Corsica from the north, we will sail down the coast of the Cape Corse peninsula, dotted with tiny fishing ports nestled between maquis-covered headlands. Our destination for the day is St. Florent, located on the southwest side.
Day 5 : Lingering to enjoy the beautiful bay at St. Florent and its magnificent beach, you are eager to sail on to Calvi, further on down the coast. A thriving little town, it is guarded by two giants: the citadel and Monte Cinto. It closely resembles many of the smaller towns along the French Riviera, and therefore often exhibits a liveliness that might not be evident any where else on Corsica!
Day 6 : A beautiful day for a lovely sail. Today we will sail back up and around Cape Corse, to Bastia, located on the southeast side of the peninsula. The leading commercial town on Corsica, Bastia is a fun place to explore, with its narrow streets and odd byways. Hiking around Terra Vecchia, the oldest section of the city, or Terra Nova with its buildings sporting ochre, red, yellow and green facades is a grand way to work up a thirst that you can slake, sitting at a cafe, the Place St. Nicolas.
Day 7 : A quiet breakfast, reflecting on the sights you have embraced for the past week. Then it is time to leave Bastia behind for a lovely sail back to Punta Ala. You return, safe, sound, relaxed and refreshed. This was the sailing holiday you have always dreamed of: unhurried, but varied enough to make you eager to return next year for two weeks!
(Thanks to Distinctive Yacht Charters publications for the above itinerary).