Yacht charter and Boat rental in Liguria

Liguria is a thin arc of coast between the mountains and the sea, and almost everything worth sailing to sits within a day of everything else. The fleet spreads from Imperia and Alassio on the western Riviera di Ponente through Genoa to Portofino, Lavagna and the Gulf of La Spezia in the east. It is a coast of short passages, deep water close in and harbours that were built for boats long before they were built for tourists.

Where to Start Your Liguria Yacht Charter

The Riviera divides at Genoa. West is Ponente, sunnier and gentler; east is Levante, steeper and more dramatic. Pick the half you want to sail.

La Spezia, Le Grazie, Fezzano and Bocca di Magra - the eastern gulf, and the closest bases to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere. Sheltered water inside the breakwater, full services and the best starting point for the region's headline coastline.

Lavagna, Chiavari and Portofino - the Tigullio gulf. Lavagna has one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean, Chiavari sits beside it, and Portofino is 30 minutes away by sea rather than an hour by road.

Genoa, Varazze and Arenzano - the centre, with the biggest port in Italy, an aquarium and transport links that make crew changes easy.

Imperia, Alassio, Marina di Andora and Santo Stefano al Mare - the western Riviera, closer to France, quieter in August and the natural base for a run to San Remo or across to Corsica.

Charter a Boat in Liguria: Choosing the Right Type

The fleet is broad and skipper-heavy: about 44 motorboats, 31 sailing yachts, 25 motor yachts and 5 catamarans. Of these, 78 need no licence and 77 come with a skipper, which suits a coast where berths are tight and local knowledge saves time.

Motorboats are the largest group and the practical choice for day trips to Portofino or the Cinque Terre, where the point is to get there, swim and come back.

Sailing yachts work well for a week between the two Rivieras, with a reliable afternoon breeze and harbours every few miles.

Motor yachts are unusually well represented, reflecting a coast where Portofino and Santa Margherita set the tone.

Catamarans are few - only five - and go early, since space at anchor matters in the crowded eastern bays.

Routes and Anchorages

Portofino and the Tigullio - the harbour is small, expensive and worth seeing from the water. Anchoring is restricted inside the marine protected area around the promontory, so check the zoning before you drop the hook, and use the bays at Paraggi or San Fruttuoso instead.

Cinque Terre - Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Corniglia and Riomaggiore string along the cliffs east of Portovenere. This is also a protected area with anchoring rules and mooring buoys; the villages have almost no berthing, so most crews anchor off and go ashore by tender.

Gulf of La Spezia and Portovenere - sheltered in almost any weather, with Palmaria island at the entrance and the Golfo dei Poeti behind it. The fallback when the coast is exposed.

Riviera di Ponente - Alassio's bay, the Gallinara island off Albenga and the run west towards San Remo and the French border, easier water and fewer crowds.

Licences, Skippers and Safety

Of the boats listed here, 51 are available bareboat, 77 come with a skipper and 78 need no licence at all. In Italy the licence requirement depends on engine power and distance from shore, and each listing states which applies.

Liguria's specific hazards are the libeccio, a southwesterly that sends swell straight into the Levante harbours, and the fact that the coast is steep-to with few natural anchorages between ports. Berths in Portofino, Santa Margherita and the Cinque Terre are limited and booked well ahead in summer. Genoa is one of the busiest commercial ports in the Mediterranean: keep clear of the approaches and the ferry lanes.

Weather and the Best Time to Charter in Liguria

The season runs from May to October. Summer brings settled weather and an afternoon sea breeze that makes for easy sailing along the coast, with mornings often calm. The libeccio is the wind to watch, and it can close the exposed harbours for a day or two at a time.

June and September are the best value: warm water, working services and space in the marinas that simply is not there in August. Liguria's mild climate means some day boats keep running into autumn, but the Cinque Terre and Portofino anchorages are summer propositions.

What a Yacht Charter in Liguria Costs

Prices in Liguria start from about €100 per day, which is the motorboat average - though the range is wide, and an eight-person Frilvam Nelson 24 lists at about €824. Sailing yachts average around €133 per day, with the most-booked six-berth boat at about €938, a gap that reflects how much boat you get at the top of the market here.

Catamarans sit at about €295 per day for the most popular twelve-berth Lagoon 42. Motor yachts start near €575 and reach about €1,650 for a fourteen-person Cantiere Navale Santamargherita 23. For a day on the water, a licence-free motorboat is the cheapest way in; for a week, the sailing yacht and catamaran numbers are where the real comparison lies.

Book Your Liguria Yacht Charter with Boataround

Boataround lists motorboats, sailing yachts, motor yachts and catamarans from Imperia, Alassio, Marina di Andora and Santo Stefano al Mare in the west, through Genoa, Varazze and Arenzano, to Lavagna, Chiavari, Portofino, La Spezia, Le Grazie, Fezzano and Bocca di Magra in the east, with full specifications, reviews from previous charterers and secure payment. Check whether a listing needs a licence, add a skipper for the Portofino and Cinque Terre restrictions, and pick the Riviera that matches your week.

Yacht charter and Boat rental in Liguria

Charter a yacht and explore Liguria! Prices start from 100 € per day. Choose from the largest selection of motor boats, sailboats, motor yachts and catamarans.

Popular cities are La Spezia, Imperia, Portofino, Bocca di Magra, Genoa, Le Grazie, Marina di Andora, Lavagna, Santo Stefano al Mare, Varazze, Arenzano, Chiavari, Fezzano, Alassio, Ameglia, Loano, Porto Venere, Sanremo and Ventimiglia.