Areas in Detail -

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N Spain Quiet, unspoilt cruising around N Spain

Balearics The busy  area of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and the sandy bays of Formentera

Corsica & Sardinia Brilliant white undeveloped beaches and coves, stunning scenery.

Sicily & Malta Unique; bubbling volcanoes and ancient sites

Greece The stunning variety of the many Greek cruising areas

SW Peloponese Every harbour, cove and anchorage. Good bars, too.

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Copyright Jim Baerselman.
Updated  - 20 Apr 2011


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Areas in Detail

Sicily & Malta

Sicily offers unique experiences; everything from active volcanoes to ancient sites, big or small islands, great markets, good food and attractive old towns.  Winds are rather light, and the 'must see' areas of the Aeolian Islands and Sicily east coast are very crowded in the peak season with expensive marinas. Personal and yacht security is an issue, especially around Palermo. Consider a strong wire bridle and lock to secure the dinghy and outboard.

Malta (now part of the EU), Lampedusa and Pantellaria add to the variety of these cruising grounds, with Malta an excellent (if busy) choice for wintering.

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 When to go

Weather and Currents. In settled weather winds are light. The sunny season is long, April to October.  Winter cruising during periods of settled weather is satisfactory, although the usual unsettled weather threat - of fierce winds - means that it's prudent to stay within short distance of shelter. Or have a strong crew and boat. The only significant currents are through the straits of Messina, noted in ancient times for the whirlpools off Scylla and Charibdis. They're trivial compared to the tidal currents and eddies of N Brittany.

Harbours and Anchorages. Exposed anchoring is usually safe, though short periods of swell may make your sleep uncomfortable. Crowding in high summer explains the high marina prices: ranging from €30 to €90 a night for 12m in 2006; Portarosa and Palermo were the worst offenders. And there are eye-watering charges to tie to a quay in some of the Aeolian islands. Anchoring within harbours escapes these charges and is often possible. There are enough harbours and anchorages around the area for easy day sailing/motoring, and, away from the main season, berths are easier to find.  Malta's many anchorages are just a 60nm hop to the south, though they are usually very busy just before the Middle sea race in October. Pantellaria and Lampedusa are interesting stops if you're passing by.

Wintering spots are:

Sicily, west coast; Trapani (much praised since being re-modelled for the recent America's cup)

Sicily, north coast; Portarosa (expensive, seems to shut down early)

Sicily, east coast; Syracuse (lovely town) and Riposto (new, excellent facilities but expensive)

Sicily, south Coast: Agrigento, Licata (new 2011) and Ragusa (new 2010) both good value wintering while they build business

Malta, excellent reports, see below.

Unique Attractions. Active volcanoes, great old Roman sites, Sicilian food, and wine

Snags. Crowded in season, Security issues in the cities, light winds.

Where to Go

The West Corner

The west corner of Sicily is cut with rock stacks, cliffs, caves, coves, beaches and quarries. Find your own anchorages. The three Égadi islands, popular with tourists in season, have several anchorages too. The area is easily explored from Trapani marina, which is a very good for winter lay-up ashore.

North Coast

Rather sparse on interest, the north coast is the jumping off place for the Aeolian islands, an interesting and different cruising experience from the average. From W to E:

Scopello. Isolated N coast anchorage, lovely when the tripper boats leave.

Palermo. (2/10) Many people like this city - it does have a certain faded glory with some grand old buildings. But in 2001 poverty was pervasive, and so was petty theft and a strong 'family' presence. The harbour was smelly and oily. Since then I am told things are much improved, if rather expensive.

Cefalu (8/10). Delightful mediaeval town on the north coast, an astonishing contrast with Palermo, though much smaller. Anchor off and risk some swell, or use the quays at Porto Nuovo 1nm east.

Porta Rosa. A marina which some have used for winter lay-up, very well sheltered, but it's expensive and does shut down rather early, in September. Part of a holiday complex.

Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian islands (7/10) offer fascinating variety. Also, while here, look out for the excellent local white wine  - 'Lipari Malvasia' - a classy little number at a good price. It comes sweet or dry. Anchorages here are rather exposed, so unless you've moored with two anchors you may need to be ready to move if a wind suddenly pops up from the wrong direction. Each year sees the addition of another tiny quay for yachts to moor to . . . but the prices for this facility may reach €100!

Tiny Filikudi is primitive, but has visitor's mooring buoys (€30 a night in 2007) .

Panarea is smart and small (streets too small for cars) with a couple of intimate hotels popular with the glitterati. For a fine steak we recommend the grill: ANTONIO "il Macellaio".

Salina has good walking, fine wine (that malvasia grape), and capers.

Stromboli is a mini-active volcano puffing small quantities of ash and lava into the air every 20 minutes; very picturesque at night. There's a small village on the quiet side.

Lipari is a bustling little island with a neat little town tucked around the main port (buy your Malvasia wine here) and a busy, grossly overpriced little 'marina' (2007, €100 a night). Big incentive to anchor off . . .

Vulcano stinks - in places. Don't let that put you off. It's a ramshackle place, partly populated by portly visitors with faces covered in mud and dressed in white gowns advertising their hotels. They wallow in the sulphurous mud baths scattered around the place. My wrinkles haven't disappeared yet. In fact, I think they're worse.

East Coast

The East Coast (8/10) is a 'must visit'. Once south of Messinia this is a good cruising with lots to see.  But near the straights watch out for extraordinary boats chasing swordfish with high post lookouts - if you're near a shoal they'll rush up and wrap a net around you without a second thought. Perhaps they've been at the rich dark red wine from the SE corner of the island made from the Nero d'Avola grape - good stuff.

Messinia (2/10) Busy, scruffy ferry port with a convenient marina which suffers from rather bad ferry wash. Make sure your masts aren't aligned with your neighbours unless to want to simulate rutting stags . . . and that's no good for the wind instruments. Reggio, on the mainland opposite, has less wash if you have to hang around this area . . .

Naxos. Much better is to anchor in the large sandy bay of Naxos some 15nm further on. It's easy to enter. The shallower spots are sometimes busy in high season, but there's loads of room if you don't mind depths up to 10m. From there visit Taormina (9/10) with it's Greek/Roman amphitheatre and stunning views. Watch the high-heeled tourists tottering down the (very pretty) cobbled high street.

From Riposto marina (very high quality, but new and therefore expensive) visit Etna (10/10 unique in Europe) - still bubbling away. It burped when we passed it, creating an enormous cu-nimb which rained whitewash all over the boat.

Catania (7/10) is full of life, with a busy port and a helpful tourist office. Use their map to find the two old Roman amphitheatres. Pass the splendid open air market (the fish area is something else!) and enjoy the Piazza del Duomo with its imposing cathedral. Just east, the university sponsors a grand nightlife; cafés and restaurants take over the streets after 8pm and the town really comes to life.

Syracuse (9/10) is a 'must visit'. The tiny fortified island of Ortygia (1km long) covers two and a half millennia of history. The natural centre is (of course) Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral square, with grand old buildings lining the approaches. The cathedral itself incorporates old fluted columns from a Greek temple built around 500BC . . . Ah, and a good new marina was operational in 2005. It's also easy (and cost free) to anchor off in the harbour. From here, if you  have time, visit Noto, a lovely little Baroque town in fine wine country.

South Coast

Not as exciting as the east coast, though two new marinas offer good yacht facilities. A good jumping off point for Malta. Worth a visit are:

          Ragusa. Large marina, opened 2010, excellent value for wintering

Agrigento, not so much for the town (which has an attractive mediaeval heart), but to see the 'Valley of the Temples', a series of Greek temple ruins, some quite well preserved, erected between 600 to 500BC. To escape the tourist crowds, it's best to visit early or late. New marina nearby: Licata, opening 2011

Sciacca we haven't visited, but has been reported as an excellent harbour and a charming town.

Malta

Malta (includes Gozo) has lots of small anchorages. Fine for weekend sailing, with good connections to UK. But not really big enough to call a cruising area in its own right. This is, however, a popular and economical (for the western Med) wintering site, though patience is needed to find a winter berth. The technique is to arrive, join the queue, and wait for 'Round the Worlders' and the Middle Sea Race visitors to leave in November. And they do. Msida marina is well protected, and the cheapest choice. Manoel Island marina is more expensive, with good service and supervision - and central for the Sliema shops and bars, if a bit exposed to surge. Grand Harbour is the most expensive, and a bit isolated. Manoel Island boat yard is a separate enterprise from the marina for those wishing to pull out; service there is much praised.

Lampedusa

Lampedusa is worth a visit if you're passing. It's a tiny, isolated Italian island with a pretty village. There's a marine park with a lovely sand anchorage. You can moor bows/stern to with your own anchor to the village quay, but it's exposed to the south.