Europe’s excellent yacht sailing locations
Excellent yacht sailing locations and boat sailing recommendations with IntersailClub? You’d be forgiven for mistaking Sardinia’s sugar sand and pellucid blue sea for a slice of Caribbean paradise. Set adrift from the Italian mainland, this island has it all; come for the luxury retail, stay for the swimming, snorkelling and beachside bliss. Visiting superyachts make a beeline for Hotel Cala di Volpe, a celebrity-approved hotel on the waterfront with private moorings available for the ultimate convenience. Enjoy a relaxed lunch on the terrace or an evening meal alfresco; the service is slick, the staff are friendly, and if you choose to spend a night on shore they’ll be more than happy to accommodate you. Down the eastern coast of the island is where you’ll find most of the island’s famed beaches. Consistently voted among the best in Europe, they’re all simple and straightforward to access from your yacht, and promise a relaxing day of swimming and soaking up the sunshine. Among the best is Cala Goloritze.
A sailing holiday around France covers some of the most famous Mediterranean beaches and European port towns. The French Riviera is one of the most sought-after yachting destinations in Europe – with many well-known towns, cities, and beaches along this coast. Some of the best destinations here for a cruising holiday include Corsica, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Nice, Lorient, and many more. These are places that attract the rich and famous – so you can expect plenty of luxuries to be enjoyed in the towns. The French Riviera is one of the most popular destinations in Europe for a sunny sailing holiday. This is thanks to the magnificent beaches, picture-perfect towns, azure waters and calm sailing routes.
You might not always get the good weather but this part of the UK equals many of its European rivals in beauty. Over 95 miles of uniquely formed ancient coastline stretch all the way from East Devon to Dorset. Otherwise known as the Jurassic Coast, some of the rock formations here are 185 million years old and its England’s first natural World Heritage Site. Set sail from Weymouth Harbour and stop off at all the local beauty spots – Durdle Door, Lulworth cove and countless historic coastal villages.
When you begin planning a luxury yacht charter it is important to be aware of what is included in the cost of booking your dream charter yacht. Although a yacht will have a base charter fee, this may or may not include additional expenses such as food and fuel and this is subject to the terms and conditions within the charter contract. There are various types of charter contracts and which one applies to you will depend on where you wish to cruise. Read extra details on intersailclub.com. Whatever the terms of your charter contract, you should understand the Advance Provisioning Allowance. This is an amount of about 20-25 per cent of the charter fee for a “plus all expenses” charter and about five per cent for an “all inclusive” charter. It is sent to the yacht before the charter to provision the yacht according to your preferences.
Sailing tip of the day: When I was looking to buy a used boat a few years back, I was horrified at the state of many of the yachts I came across. Do people try to sell their homes with a pile of rusty motor parts strewn around the front room or a heap of soaking bedding moldering in the master bedroom? Speaking with brokers about this, the better ones refuse to keep boats in slum condition on their books. Others, however, don’t seem to care. Presentation matters if you want to get anywhere near your asking price. Even if you can’t be fussed to have varnish looking like the hatch pictured above, at least spend a weekend tidying up. Buyers will think you seamanlike, and your boat will both have a flying start and shift every time in preference to that same model in the next berth offered by the Dumpsters’ Union.