A spectacular limestone coastline of rugged cliffs and fluorescent caves; impossibly picturesque towns suspended on steep hills, and terraced lemon groves as far as the eye can see. Italy’s Amalfi Coast is one of the most luxurious, and rewarding, superyacht charter destinations in the world.

What makes this corner of the Mediterranean region so popular is that aboard your Amalfi yacht charter, you’ll find tranquil deep-blue sailing waters, an ideal year-round climate and a most enticing onshore world of charming villages, ancient ruins, spellbinding architecture, fantastic shopping and a cuisine worth waxing lyrical about.

The fertile lands and perfect climate are music to produce-growers’ ears. The freshest and richest tomatoes are grown here, lemons as bright as the sun – used in the making of limoncello, a totally addictive local liqueur – as well as mandarins, pears, aromatic rosemary, thyme and the freshest seafood you’ll ever savor. Sardines fried so perfectly they’ll seem coated in gold. On an Amalfi yacht charter, you’ll be served the sea on your plate, and it’ll be drizzled with the most delicious condiments made from Mother Nature’s best produce. Add to that an array of Roman ruins, a wealth of architecture spanning two millennia and friendly, sunny locals, and you’ve got yourself a pretty perfect Amalfi yacht charter vacation.

The Amalfi Coast has been bewitching visitors ever since Roman Emperor Tiberius cast his eyes on the scenic jagged cliffs, built a villa in Capri and never again returned to Rome. Set sail on your very own Amalfi yacht charter and you too will fall madly in love with the place, the way Tiberius did.

And imagine...they didn’t even have limoncello in his days!

Here are just a few of the unforgettable highlights you can discover on your Amalfi yacht charter trip:

© Jim Raycroft

Naples

Italian singer Pino Daniele, who hailed from this historic and enigmatic city, was renowned for writing love songs about his hometown so intense they were said to bring 60 million Italians to tears. When asked, his retort was always the same: “It’s not me. It’s Naples.”

Naples holds a very special spot in Italy’s heart and although it is a city renowned for is chaotic traffic and loud locals, it is also steeped in regal history. Home to amazing museums (the Archaeological Museum is rated as the best in all of Europe), grandiose palaces and awe-inspiring churches, Naples is a history buff’s true calling on an Amalfi yacht charter vacation. Everyone loves Naples. The fact you can indulge in the best pizza in the world, topped with milky buffalo mozzarella and tasty fresh tomatoes and basil, is purely coincidental, we imagine.

Oh…and don’t forget to splurge on a lobster tail, a so-called ‘coda d’aragosta’ when in Naples! This is a most swoon-worthy custard filled pastry (shaped like a lobster tail), topped with a dollop of zabaione and a sweet pickled cherry. The rest of Italy tries to imitate this Neapolitan icon, but no one ever manages to get it quite right. Have it aboard your Amalfi yacht charter and we can pretty much guarantee the mere mention of it will make you salivate for many years to come.

Ischia & Capri

Due to their proximity, Ischia and Capri are often considered twin islands, although each boasts a very unique atmosphere and quite distinct attractions. Ischia is the wild untamed twin, mostly covered in semi-tropical wilderness and home to world-renowned therapeutic thermal springs and baths. Capri, on the other hand, is the St Tropez of the Amalfi Coast: the place to see and be seen. A jetsetter’s hub, Capri boasts designer boutiques, world-class restaurants and hole-in-the-wall gelaterie; a breathtaking coastal promenade and, for nature lovers, turquoise caves that glow brightly as if by magic. To reach them, you’ll need to hop aboard small boats and negotiate a tight entrance. You may or may not be serenaded to O Sole Mio by a burly Neapolitan captain. We’re quite sure you’re going to love every minute of your Amalfi yacht charter trip!

Positano

Positano, a colorful cluster of gorgeous dwellings hanging precariously on the cliff’s edge between Amalfi and Sorrento, is the stuff yacht charter dreams are made of. This is, by far, the most spectacular town on the entire stretch of Amalfi Coast and, as you meander your way around a rocky promontory and see it for the first time, it will literally TAKE.YOUR.BREATH.AWAY. This old fishing village may be big on tourism nowadays, but it’s still authentic, crazy beautiful, car-free, tiring (all those steps!) but immensely fun. Shop for lemon-themed souvenirs, enjoy a plate of spaghetti alle vongole along the seaside promenade, tackle the Walk of the Gods and pop into the terraced bar of Le Sirenuse Hotel for a champagne cocktail with a killer view during your Amalfi yacht charter trip. At the end of your day, sit back on the top deck of your luxury yacht and you’ll be privy to the most astounding view of all: Positano by night.

© Jim Raycroft

Sorrento

The shopping hub of the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento is a historic town, grown from legends of mermaids and now a thriving tourist centre. An ancient city centre, a fabulous shopping street and pizza you can order by the meter, Sorrento is just a hub of gorgeousness. Retail therapy is best done here because you’ll find everything manufactured and sold in all other villages, but in one spot. All the wares are hand-made and very colorful, so whether you purchase a terracotta espresso set in bright yellow and azure, a hand-blown glass limoncello set (yes, it is a thing, we promise!) or a multicolored terracotta tile for your home, you’re bound to find a way to bring a little taste of your Amalfi yacht charter vacation back home with you. Although you can do this quite literally, by stocking up on home-made limoncello and aromatic olive oils. Leather sandals, flirty sundresses and classy swimwear are sold in upmarket boutiques and innumerable street stands.

Praiano & Ravello

Smaller and less-visited, yet by no means less beautiful, the seaside towns of Praiano and Ravello are easy stop-overs on your Amalfi yacht charter in between the main hubs. Praiano is a delightful sleepy village, with no major town centre to speak of, but a beautiful big church with a colorful dome, and an atmospheric rocky beach which draws young couples at sunset. The famous Africana nightclub is found here, literally carved inside a natural limestone cave, and boasting see-through glass flooring for optimal nighttime effects.

Ravello is instead renowned for its cliffside gardens, with the whole village set over 1,000 feet above the Tyrrhenian sea. Hike up to the 13th century Villa Rufolo to take in the view from its outdoor terrace. Take your Amalfi yacht charter between April and November and you could be attending an unforgettable concert, part of the yearly Ravello Music Festival.

© Jim Raycroft

Additional Day-trips

This part of Italy – admittedly, like all parts of Italy – is rich in historical and cultural attractions. If you’re going to travel here, consider adding a few days both before and after your Amalfi yacht charter trip, to enjoy some day-trips to nearby attractions. Pompeii and its ashen inhabitants is a superb day-trip destination from Naples, and is set on the foothills of Mount Vesuvius, the still active volcano which blanketed the area with lava and ash after a colossal eruption in 79 AD, perfectly preserving an entire city (Pompeii) for all eternity. This is the most complete Roman town in the world and one of the most important archaeological sites known to man.

Aboard your Amalfi yacht charter, you can also reach Pompeii from Sorrento, as well as Paestum, an ancient city once part of Greater Greece. Here, you’ll discover some of the best preserved Greek temples outside of Greece, built around the 5th century BC.