Northern Italy

[Seadawg33]

Hi All:

Newbie here. We are purchasing a boat near La Spezia and have three weeks to explore the sites this summer. My idea is to sail to Cinque Terre and then south to Elba stopping at Viareggio, Pisa, and working our way down the coast to Piombino. From there we plan on crossing to Elba and then over to Corsicathen up to Isola Capraia and back to the mainland and up the coast to return the boat to La Spezia. I prefer anchoring out but have seen in the Italian Waters Guide that there is not of anchoring along the coast.

Has anyone done a trip like this? Can Anyone recommend good places to stop and anchor or to Moor for a reasonable fee?

Our boat has a cruising speed in the 5+ knot range and the kids don't want to be sailing all of the time so stops are very important.

Fair Winds,

Charlie

 

[Andy and Lyn]

did similar cruise last year - suggest when you go to PISA you go up the Arno river - a couple of yards on the right bank as you go up river - about half a mile up. They are called ARNOVECHIO and MARINA ARNOVECHIO.(next to each other - apparently they were one yard but family feud made it 2) Not flash but have a basic shower/loo and a friendly - and there is a bus stop about 10 metres from the boat - 15 mins to PISA for a Euro!

The owner of one of them is Mr ORSINI - he s OK - speaks good english.

I would suggest you google the yard and ask for a quote - not expensive but nice to know in advance.

Recommend CINQUE TERRE - but have to anchor off - we hd a big swell! Mention my name - ANDY WALKER

 

[vyv_cox]

We sailed the whole of the Gulf of Genoa in 2006, crossing to Elba and Corsica later. We found very few anchorages along the mainland coast but did berth free in Porto Communales at San Remo, Camogli and Sestri Levante. We anchored at Levanto.

Carrara is worth visiting and not too expensive. The 'marina' is club built and run - something of an experience. We also stayed at Arnovecchia, reasonably priced and a bus that stops outside will take you to the centre of Pisa.

Anchoring in Elba was not too much of a problem but beware of scams in Portoferraio whereby your boat will be 'obstructing the ferry turning area' and confiscated while you are ashore. I know two people who were caught by this one, costing them considerable sums to recover their boats.

In 2007 we continued southwards, anchoring at Anzio, Circeo and Ponza although it must be said that the first two were very poorly sheltered.

Despite warnings to the contrary we enjoyed this coast very much and the marinas were slightly less expensive than those further south.

 

[Seadawg33]

Andy and Lynn: Thanks for the info on Northern Italy. This will be a big help in planning our trip. Excuse my ignorance but is a "friendly" a pub or is that the atmosphere of the place?

Vyv: Thanks for the info on Elba and the warning about Portoferraio. I will keep that in mind. Elba seems like a great spot.

I have been told by a non boating friend that Elba is best on the South side with nicer beaches and less tourists. Does anyone know about the anchorages there and can confirm what my friend said?

 

[Andy and Lyn]

sorry - typed in a rush - the Arnovechio yard is a friendly place!
Not sure there are many such places in Italy!

Kids will love the area - leaning tower and all that/beaches about 5 minutes by bike/and from the train station in PISA only 50 minutes to Florence - the ladies love the place! also under 2 hours to Rome if you don't want to sail that far!

sounds like i am from the PISA tourist board, but im not!! Just liked the place..

 

[Seadawg33]

Thanks for the clarification A&L. Sounds like a great place. I am not an art buff but I did spend a day in Florence (to visit a High School friend) and loved it. I had just finished inspecting the boat that I am set to buy. The architecture and the history are amazing. Looking forward to Pisa. Carrara also seems interesting to me. I went by there on the train and saw huge blocks of Marble must have been 1.5 m tall x 2m wide x 2.5m long. All ready to be cut or shipped. To be honest Italy was not on the short list of places that I wanted to go but now that I have been I am excited to go back.

 

[vyv_cox]

Elba

I have been told by a non boating friend that Elba is best on the South side with nicer beaches and less tourists. Does anyone know about the anchorages there and can confirm what my friend said?

We spent two nights at Portoferraio, one at Cala Mola, two each at Golfo Stella and Campo. We then went on to Corsica and didn't get to the north coast. All those mentioned were very pleasant with sandy beaches, Golfo Stella quiet but with a good taverna, rather exposed, the others better shelter but more busy. None were crowded though, mid July. Could be different in August when the whole of Italy is on holiday.

We also spent one night at Campo the next year when the weather was less settled. Shelter was good as there are plenty of anchoring options here and out of season you could get stern-to the wall, although we didn't bother.

 

[Andy and Lyn]

can anchor at PORTOFINO but frankly we were disappointed with the place. Hoards of tourists and big-time rip-off country!! Suggestion is give it a miss!

 

[vyv_cox]

can anchor at PORTOFINO but frankly we were disappointed with the place. Hoards of tourists and big-time rip-off country!! Suggestion is give it a miss!

Very deep water in the only bit of anchorage we could get into. We didn't even go ashore. Nice approach though.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

Porto Azzuro, east side of Elba, we found good holding at Barberossa Spaiggi, heading down the west of Italy, we got turned away from a harbour and directed to an expensive marina, instead we dropped our hook off the beach about 400m from the marina entrance, this gave us the option if things blew up to find shelter if need be, we went ashore by dinghy, then spent the night at anchor in a deserted anchorage, as all the other users had been day trippers. The east coast of Corsica is gentle and green with plenty of harbours, if you have time I would recommend a trip done to the Maddalena archipelago, beautiful islands and anchorages with lots of short hop options, with shelter available from all directions, not to mention some of the best ice creams around. Apologies to all other other forumrites for giving away this beautiful spot.

 

[Seadawg33]

DC: Thanks for sharing your info. I think that it is too far for us to make the Maddalena group this year. B/c of some registration issues I am not even sure that I will be able to make it to Corsica. It takes two months to get a boat de-flagged in Italy so we will be sailing under Italian flag and then going thru the de flag process after we make our summer sail. There is one other option I am investigating which is the SSR. We would not have to de flag if we did that. My wife has a Commonwealth passport so she would have to be listed as the only owner.

 

[Tranona]

DC: Thanks for sharing your info. I think that it is too far for us to make the Maddalena group this year. B/c of some registration issues I am not even sure that I will be able to make it to Corsica. It takes two months to get a boat de-flagged in Italy so we will be sailing under Italian flag and then going thru the de flag process after we make our summer sail. There is one other option I am investigating which is the SSR. We would not have to de flag if we did that. My wife has a Commonwealth passport so she would have to be listed as the only owner.

You need to check the MCA site for eligibility. For the SSR it is residency, not citizenship that qualifies. There is no reason why you can't use the Part 1 register which is less restrictive, but much more expensive as you need a survey and history of ownership plus a representative in the UK.

 

[blueglass]

can also recommend Livorno - relatively cheap and friendly ( as somebody else above mentioned these are not commodities you will find in abundance) you can get the train cheaply from her to see Pisa and Florence. Heading south try Ostia the new marina for Rome which is also not too expensive (not friendly though - big business) and again a cheap train ride to the delights of Rome.

 

[Seadawg33]

Thanks Blueglass. We will work our way up and down the coast so where we don't stop on the way down we can always stop on the way back. I'll put Livorno on the list of places to go.