SAILING HOLIDAYS: THE ESSENTIAL ITALIAN COASTLINES TO VISIT IN SUMMER 2020

Summer this year is sure to be very special, with lots of people wanting to get away from the daily grind and enjoy a few well-deserved days of relaxation.

Now is the time, therefore, to start thinking about the upcoming holidays. Everyone who loves the sea knows how exciting it is to be able to visit a different beach every day, and to discover lost coves that can only be reached from the sea. To really enjoy all these wonderful landscapes one of the best ways to get around is by sailing boat.

The advantages of this kind of holiday are endless. Sailing holidays are perfect if you love exploring the hidden parts of the coastline, following the most evocative routes at a relaxed pace, totally in touch with the natural world and the sea.

Without forgetting that sailing itself makes you happy! The physical exercise you get on a boat stimulates your production of the so-called “happiness hormones”, dopamine and serotonin. Sailing and taking to the sea helps you to banish the stress of a busy life, giving you a precious feeling of freedom.

Here, therefore, are the essential Italian coastlines to visit in summer 2020:

Archipelago of La Maddalena

Surrounded by a turquoise sea, the archipelago of La Maddalena lies off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia and is made up of seven islands: La Maddalena itself, Razzoli, Budelli, Santa Maria, Caprera, Spargi and Santo Stefano. The beaches, which can be reached from the sea, are of very fine sand lapped by crystal clear waters. The shallow seabed offers an exciting diving experience.

Cinque Terre

Perched on the Ligurian coast, the Cinque Terre are a chain of small villages nestling within a marvellous coastal landscape. These five villages are distinctive for their colourful houses, vineyards and narrow streets high over the sea. Their names are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza e Monterosso al Mare; each of them offers beaches and rocky coves that are perfect for exploring by sailing boat. Trekking in the Cinque Terre is also well worth trying, with some of the best trails in Italy, but remember that these are demanding and call for the right degree of preparation.

Island of Elba

Famous for its beaches and for being Napoleon Bonaparte’s place of exile, Elba lies just a few nautical miles off the coast of Tuscany. The best areas on the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago include the beaches of Sansone, Ghiaie and Capo Bianco. The Island of Elba is the perfect place to reconnect with nature thanks to a landscape heritage that has remained untouched due to a policy of careful protection.

The islands of the Gulf of Naples

The Gulf of Naples extends between the Sorrento and Phlegrean peninsulas and contains a number of islands regarded as the most beautiful in Italy, such asIschia, Capri, Procida, Vivara and Nisida. These are the largest islands, but the archipelago also contains other smaller ones of equal beauty with evocative small villages and a series of caves and inlets along their coastlines.

The Aegadian Islands

The Aegadian Islands are an archipelago lying off the north-western tip of Sicily. There are ten islands in all, Favignana and Levanzo, being the best known. This is an area with a remarkable history dating to before the birth of Christ. Within the archipelago there is also a Marine Nature Reserve, and the coastal scenery of the area – with its spectacular waters – is ideal for a sailing holiday. Still untouched by mass tourism, the Aegadian Islands are regarded by many as one of the best-preserved areas in the Italian Peninsula and one of the places worth sailing in at least once in a lifetime.

 

(Fonte: snapitaly.it)