Tuscany, for many years, has been some of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy but is still relatively undiscovered by North American sailors. Here is a unique opportunity to combine a vacation in Italy with a sailing trip to explore the magical beauty of the Tyrrhenian Sea where you will sail to the islands of Elba and Capraia. Visit Napoleon Bonaparte’s house in Portoferraio on Elba, the charm exuding small ports of Capraia, Porto Azzurro, and Marciana Marina, and anchor in a scenic cove for a refreshing swim. At the end of an exhilarating day of sailing, reward yourself with a delicious dose of Tuscan cuisine and wines.
ASA 103, 104 & 114 instruction and certification are available. One dedicated yacht with an ASA instructor will follow, and students will enjoy the flotilla experience while training. Minimum 2 students, maximum 6. Please enquire about pricing.
Capt. Jean and “Admiral” Mila have been organizing sailing flotillas with American Sailing since 2009 and have introduced many sailors and non-sailors to fascinating destinations in the Mediterranean and Seychelles. They know the sailing waters and show participants places that many tourists do not know. They put a very heavy emphasis on safety while ensuring that all participants go home with fun and unforgettable vacation memories.
Jean, a native of Belgium, lives with Mila, his Peruvian-born wife, in Florida. He holds a USCG 100T Master’s license and is qualified to teach ASA 101, 103, 104, 105, 114, and 118. Together they run Whitecaps Sailing, an ASA sailing school in Punta Gorda, Florida.
Meeting in the late morning at the Hotel La Darsena in Scarlino. We will have lunch at the marina and then, under “Admiral” Mila’s guidance, go for provisioning.
Check-in on the yachts in the afternoon. Estimated departure time of 17:00 hours. We sail to the beautiful port of Porto Azzurro, where we will spend the night and go for dinner at our favorite restaurant on the waterfront. For dessert, we can walk over to Sub Zero for a decadent gelato. You will not regret these extra calories.
We are in Italy with its “Dolce Far Niente” philosophy and, therefore, we will leave leisurely for a nice sail to Portoferraio, with a stop along the way for some swimming and lunch on board.
Look out for the ferry ship painted in Batman theme.
You will have the opportunity to visit this charming town and see how Napoleon lived in exile here.
Dinner in one of the many excellent ristorantes or trattorias…
We drop the lines in Portoferraio and leave its scenic harbor for a 24NM crossing to the national park island of Capraia, where we will overnight in its beautiful little fishing port.
Shake off your sea legs and walk up to the old fortress that dominates the harbor. You will have earned your dinner and bottle of wine at one of the local restaurants.
After a restful night, we will sail along the coast of Capraia and anchor for a swim at its southernmost point in the Cala del Moreto. There are some very interesting geological phenomena here and you can even see French Corsica in the distance. We then cross back to Elba and sail to Marciana Marina, a lovely small port, west of Portoferraio, where we will stay an extra day.
Dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Taxis or small vans will bring us to the medieval village of Marciana in the mountains above the port. After a refreshment, off we go for a short walk to the base station of the funky cable car that will bring us on top of Monte Cappanne.
Bring a sweater or a fleece to keep you warm. At 1,019 m (3,343 ft), it can get a bit chilly here, especially if the clouds move in, but it is worth the ride.
Time to head back to the mainland. We cross from Marciana Marina to Punta Ala at the entrance of the Bay of Follonica, about 25NM.
Dinner on shore.
I know, it is sad, but Friday has arrived, and we have to return to our base in nearby Scarlino. Let’s make the best of it and let’s sail as much as we can in the Bay of Follonica before returning to the docks. If there is no wind, we can always enjoy some last swimming from the boats or at a nearby beach.
*Itineraries are subject to change due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control.
