Amalfi Coast & Bay of Naples bareboat & catamaran charter guide

Positano at sunset. Photo: JeCCo, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All photo credits

Positano, Amalfi and Capri all sit within about 25 nautical miles of each other, so legs are short. The catches are heavy ferry traffic, a marine reserve where you can't anchor overnight, and small harbours where a booked berth matters more than the wind. It's one of Italy's most expensive charter areas.

Looking for discounts? See the operator offers we checked by hand in This Week's Charter Deals #2.

What a week costs

Weekly charter fee for the whole boat, before extras. Charter prices change constantly. These are published ranges, not quotes.

Boat	Base fee (WI Yachts, Salerno)	Source
Bareboat catamaran	€3,000–5,500 / week	^{[WI Yachts]}
Bareboat monohull	€2,000–4,000 / week	^{[WI Yachts]}

Sunsail's bareboat prices from its Procida base start at £1,188 a week, off-peak and on a basic package. ^[Sunsail]
Plan 40–70% on top of the base fee for extras, fuel and berths. ^{[WI Yachts]}
Berths and buoys: about €50 a night for a buoy, and €50–250 a night in a marina. ^[Sunsail]
Sardinia and the Amalfi Coast are Italy's priciest charter areas. ^[Yachtic]

When to go

The charter season runs roughly May to October. June and September are the sweet spots: the reserve's buoy fields are open and harbours are less crowded. July and August bring the most boats and the fullest harbours. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Book 6–12 months ahead for high season (June to August). ^{[WI Yachts]}

See every month for Amalfi Coast at a glance in our free best time to sail calendar.

Winds and weather

Summer breezes are usually north-westerly at 8–12 knots, shifting southerly later in the afternoon. The tidal range is under 0.5 m. ^[Sunsail]

What you need: licence or skipper

In Italy you need a licence for an engine over 30 kW (40.8 hp) or to go beyond 6 NM from the coast, which covers charter yachts. Otherwise hire a skipper. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Sunsail's Procida base accepts the ASA 104, US Sailing BCC, SLC, IPC or ICC, and wants at least 10 days or 200 miles as skipper on a similar yacht. ^[Sunsail]

Requirements vary by charter company. Always check with yours before you book.

Main charter bases

Salerno (Marina d'Arechi, with its own fuel berth) is the natural base for the Amalfi side. Castellammare di Stabia and Sorrento are alternatives on the Sorrento side. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Sunsail runs bareboat and flotilla charters from Procida, in the Bay of Naples. ^[Sunsail]
Naples, Procida and Castellammare di Stabia are the main bases for the Gulf of Naples. ^[Yachtic]
Naples airport is about 70 km from Salerno. ^{[WI Yachts]}

A one-week Amalfi Coast sailing itinerary

A 7-day loop from Salerno with short legs and harbour nights. Distances are approximate.

Day 1: Salerno to Amalfi via Cetara, about 10 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 2: Amalfi to Capri past Positano and the Li Galli islets, about 19 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 3: Around Capri (Faraglioni, Punta Carena, Blue Grotto), about 9 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 4: Capri to Sorrento across the Bocca Piccola, about 8 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 5: Sorrento round Punta Campanella to Nerano for lunch, then Amalfi, about 20 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 6: Amalfi to Cetara via Maiori, about 6 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Day 7: Cetara back to Salerno, about 4 NM. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}

Distances are approximate. Plan each leg with current charts, a pilot book and the forecast.

Local rules and tips

Inside the Punta Campanella marine reserve, zone A areas such as the Vervece rock are no-entry, and zone B areas such as Li Galli are no-anchoring and no-engine. In zone C you can anchor only from 08:00 to 20:00, and never on Posidonia. In practice, plan harbour nights. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
In Capri, call the tourist port on VHF 71 at least 30 minutes before you arrive. From 1 June to 30 September you must stay outside the Blue Grotto buoys, more than 300 m off the coast. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
During the bathing season, waters within 200 m of beaches and 100 m of high cliffs are reserved for swimmers from Positano eastwards. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
Book summer berths in Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento well ahead, and keep clear of ferries at harbour entrances. ^{[Ship O´Hoi]}
The Gulf of Naples is more motor-yacht territory than bareboat sailing, because anchorages are limited and traffic is heavy. If you're new to Italy, consider a skipper. ^[Yachtic]

Compare other charter destinations

Before you book, read how to read a charter deal.

Sources

WI Yachts, Yacht charter in Salerno (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Sunsail, Amalfi Coast yacht charter (Procida base) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Yachtic, Yacht Charter Italy and Sardinia 2026 (last updated Feb 2026)
Ship O´Hoi, Sailing the Amalfi Coast and Capri: a 7-day itinerary (checked 26 Oct 2026)