Italian Riviera Yacht Charters

A private crewed yacht is the most rewarding way to explore the Italian Riviera, and it is possible to visit all of its best destinations in a week.

This coast, known as Liguria, curves along Italy’s northwest from the French border to Tuscany.

Italian Riviera yacht charters take you from Portofino to the five villages of the Cinque Terre, trading the red-carpet glamour of the nearby French coast for pastel harbors, terraced vineyards, and clear green coves.

A boat is the best way to reach the finest parts of this coast.

The five villages of the Cinque Terre keep cars out of their centers, so most people arrive by train or by sea.

San Fruttuoso, a medieval abbey near Portofino, can be reached only on foot or by water.

With a yacht charter, guests can stay at a harbor instead of a small village with few hotel rooms.

The onboard chef can serve a traditional Italian meal each night.

The Italian coastline continues west to Monaco and south to the Amalfi Coast, so one charter can cover far more than Liguria.

Why Charter a Yacht in the Italian Riviera

The Italian Riviera is a curved stretch of coast in Liguria, the region across Italy's northwest corner.

A yacht is the perfect way to get around because its best places are close together.

Genoa, the region's main city and port, divides the shoreline in two. To the east, the Riviera di Levante runs to Portofino and the Cinque Terre.

To the West, the Riviera di Ponente stretches to San Remo and the French border.

The distances between these places are short, so guests on a luxury Italian Riviera yacht charter can also visit the French Riviera if they wish.

Life on the coast follows the Italian idea of la dolce vita, the sweet life, where normal days have long lunches and evening passeggiate, the traditional stroll along the seafront.

Charters run from May to October. July and August are peak seasons, with the warmest weather.

Accordingly, demand is highest, so the best yachts book early. May, June and September are excellent months to travel, too.

These shoulder months on the Italian Riviera are still warm, but less crowded.

The food in Italy alone is worth the trip. Pesto was invented in Genoa, and the yacht’s private chef can serve Ligurian cooking aboard each day.

Try everything from focaccia to fresh seafood, and local Taggiasca olives and white wines.

Italian Riviera Charter Destinations

Portofino and the Riviera di Levante

The Riviera di Levante is the coast east of Genoa and is home to some of the most famous names on the Italian Riviera. Portofino is at its center, a small fishing village that grew into a glamorous harbor.

There, pastel houses circle a bay full of yachts. There is little to do but enjoy: the harbor to walk, boutiques to browse, and the climb to the Church of San Giorgio for a view over the water.

Nearby is Paraggi, the only sandy beach in the area and just a few minutes away on the yacht's tender.

A little to the north is Santa Margherita Ligure, a larger and calmer town with palm-lined streets and an elegant feel, but fewer crowds.

From Portofino or Santa Margherita, guests can visit San Fruttuoso, a medieval abbey, set in a hidden bay.

Just offshore, divers and snorkelers swim down to the Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue that stands on the seabed.

Camogli and Rapallo are two more towns along this coast. Both are everyday fishing ports, with tall painted houses and a calmer, more local feel.

The Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets

Cinque Terre is the best-known stretch of the whole Italian coast.

Located southeast of Portofino, the name means "five lands”. Its five villages, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, cling to terraced cliffs above the sea, linked by walking trails and a rail line cut through the rock.

They are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and because cars cannot enter, arriving by yacht and coming ashore by tender is the best way to see them. Guests can anchor offshore, visit a village in the morning before the tourists arrive, and swim off the boat in the afternoon.

Each of the five villages is a little different. Monterosso has the only large beach.

Vernazza has a small natural harbor that many people consider the prettiest of the five. Manarola is known for its houses, which are stacked on the cliff right above the sea.

On the hills behind the villages, farmers grow grapes on narrow terraces and dry them in the sun to make Sciacchetrà, a sweet local wine.

Just to the south is the Gulf of Poets, a bay named for the famous writers who once visited it. Two towns, Portovenere and Lerici, sit on its shores.

Portovenere is at the western entrance to the gulf, where many charters cross from France and make their first stop in Italy.

Tall, narrow houses in bright colors line its harbor, built long ago as a wall to defend the town from the sea.

The black-and-white striped Church of San Pietro, at the rocky tip of the town, is one of the most photographed sights on the coast.

Just below it is a sea cave named after Lord Byron, who is said to have swum from here across the gulf to Lerici.

Portovenere is part of the same UNESCO area as the Cinque Terre. Just offshore is the small island of Palmaria, with clear water, small beaches, and a blue grotto that guests can reach by boat.

San Remo and the Riviera di Ponente

The Riviera di Ponente is the coast west of Genoa, running toward the French border.

It is greener and gentler than the eastern side, with long sandy beaches in place of cliffs.

Charters usually focus on the eastern coast around Portofino and Cinque Terre, but the western coast is a natural link to Monaco and the French Riviera, so it’s an easy stop for guests who want to see both.

San Remo is its main town on this stretch and the last major Italian port before the border.

It is an old resort town, sometimes called Italy's Monaco, for its grand Belle Epoque hotels and gardens set along the seafront.

The coast around it, the Riviera dei Fiori, or Riviera of Flowers, is known for its mild winters and long beaches.

Alassio, to the east, has one of the longest stretches of sand in the region.

Bordighera, close to the French border, makes an easy first or last stop for guests pairing Italy with a trip along the French Riviera or to Monaco.

Genoa, Ligurian Cuisine and Wine

Genoa is the largest city in Liguria and its historic capital. For hundreds of years it was one of the most powerful ports in the Mediterranean.

Its wealth still shows in the old town, which is a maze of narrow lanes lined with grand palaces.

A set of these palaces, the Palazzi dei Rolli, is so fine that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city also has one of the largest aquariums in Europe.

Genoa is a practical starting point for yacht charters, which begin here or nearby.

Ligurian food is one of the coast's great pleasures, and a private chef aboard brings it to the yacht by getting provisions from Genoa’s markets and cooking each dish fresh.

The most famous is pesto alla Genovese, a fresh sauce of basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil, usually served with a short local pasta called trofie.

Two other specialties worth trying are focaccia, a soft flatbread baked with olive oil and salt, and farinata, a thin, savory pancake made from chickpea flour.

The local white wines, such as Vermentino and Pigato, are light and dry and go well with the region's seafood.

What’s Included in an Italian Yacht Charter

Your vacation begins with a private luxury yacht, a professional crew, gourmet meals, a standard bar, and full access to the yacht's onboard amenities and water toys, so you do not need a license or any sailing experience.

The captain plans the route and handles the boat, and the chef cooks each meal.

The crew looks after the sailing and the day-to-day details, from booking a hard-to-get table at a harbor restaurant to timing your visits to the Cinque Terre before the crowds.

Mediterranean yacht charters operate on a plus-expenses basis.

The base rate covers the yacht and crew. At the same time, running costs such as fuel, food, and dockage are paid separately through an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA), which is usually 20 to 25 percent of the base price for sailing yachts and 30 to 35 percent for motor yachts.

At the end of the charter, the captain provides a detailed account of the APA expenses. Any unused funds are refunded, while any additional expenses are settled at that time.

All-inclusive charters, where the weekly rate covers all expenses, are less common in the Mediterranean and are more standard for Caribbean yacht charters.

Two extra costs also apply to yacht charters in the Italian Riviera. First is a 22 percent VAT for all charter services in Italian waters.

The other is crew gratuity. In the Mediterranean, it is 10 to 15 percent of the charter’s base price.

Choosing Your Yacht

Every charter on the Italian Riviera comes with a full crew, so you don't need to have sailing experience.

Yacht choice comes down to the kind of week you want and the size of your group.

Motor yachts and superyachts give you the most space and the grandest style. They have room to host a large group comfortably.

They are fast enough to cover more of the coast in a day, which helps if you want to reach both the eastern and western Rivieras in one trip.

Sailing yachts and catamarans suit a slow and calm week. A catamaran, a sailboat with two hulls, is steady in the water and offers wide deck space.

It has a shallow draft, which means it needs little water beneath it.

It fits into small bays and anchors close to shore, near villages like Portofino where space is tight.

Which Italian Riviera experience suits you?

How to Book an Italian Yacht Charter

Ritzy Yachts arranges crewed yacht charters to the Italian Riviera through a single point of contact. The process is straightforward:

1. Share your vision. Tell us about your ideal charter, including your preferred destination, travel dates, group size, and the type of experience you're looking for.

2. Review your curated options. Based on your requirements, we'll present a tailored selection of yachts and destinations, along with expert recommendations from our charter team.

3. Select your yacht. Once you've found the right fit, we'll guide you through the charter agreement and place the yacht on hold while arrangements are finalized.

4. Confirm your charter. Your charter is secured upon signing the agreement and submitting the initial deposit.

5. Personalize every detail. Before departure, we'll coordinate your preferences, including dining requests, beverages, activities, special occasions, and itinerary considerations to ensure a seamless onboard experience.

The minimum charter length is one week. Peak weeks are in July and August. If you’re eyeing these dates, book as early as possible.

How to Get to the Italian Riviera

Most charters on the Italian Riviera begin in Genoa, the region's main port. It lies at the center of the coast.

It has its own international airport, Genoa Cristoforo Colombo, so that the yacht can head east toward Portofino and the Cinque Terre or west toward San Remo from the same starting point.

Genoa may be the most central airport, but it is not the only option. Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is just across the border in France for those traveling to the western coast, or who want to combine the trip with the French Riviera.

Pisa is near the Cinque Terre and best for those traveling to the eastern end. Guests flying long-haul often connect through Milan, which is about two hours from Genoa by car or train.

The crew and brokers arrange the transfer from the airport to the yacht, so travelers step aboard without handling the logistics.

A classic weeklong itinerary for the French and Italian Riviera charter begins in Monaco, calls at San Remo, continues to Portofino, and ends among the villages of the Cinque Terre.

Ready to Charter on the Italian Riviera? Plan It with Ritzy Yachts

Our yacht brokers design each Italian Riviera yacht charter around your group, your dates, and the places you most want to see.

They prepare a tailored proposal with the yachts best suited to your trip, plan the final route with your captain around your preferences and the weather, and handle the contract before you sail.

If you would like to see both Italian and French Rivieras, they can design one cruise that links both.

Speak with one of our brokers to plan your Italian Riviera charter.