Sicilian Suggestions

[Neilthackray]

Am now moored in Ragusa and back next week to start exploring the area. Where are the best/nicest places to cruise to in that part of the world. Having had a rough and long passage from Cartegena very happy to have short sailing days and long idleness at anchor/marina/restaurant/bar etc. Thanks all.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Make a circuit round the island. Don't miss: Trapani, the Aeolian Islands and the east coast towns and harbours, especially Syracuse. And o f course, you must "do" at least one volcano!

You'll find notes on these, and many more places, at JimB Sail, Sicily page

 

[Neilthackray]

Make a circuit round the island. Don't miss: Trapani, the Aeolian Islands and the east coast towns and harbours, especially Syracuse. And o f course, you must "do" at least one volcano!

You'll find notes on these, and many more places, at JimB Sail, Sicily page

Thats brilliant. Thanks very much!

 

[SHUG]

Jim's the man!
I would add Cefalu for a quiet marina berth, Castellmare is OK and Palermo is good midweek if you can berth at the Sunsail moorings. Palermo town berth is noisy and there are large rats! Limpari is a particularly nice place and be warned that the anchorage at Vulcano has a very steeply sloping seabed. Catania is also a good town with access to visit Etna.
All good..enjoy.

 

[vyv_cox]

and be warned that the anchorage at Vulcano has a very steeply sloping seabed.

Is that the eastern anchorage? We anchored in the western one but I don't remember the slope. Walking up the volcano was one of the high points of italy for us but don't forget to take some cash with you: there was a €3 fee.

 

[Cardo]

I would add Cefalu for a quiet marina berth

Wow, you must've had a different experience to ours! We moored up in the Cefalu marina for one night and it was the _worst_ marina night we have ever had. We had just spent a week anchored up in the bay right next to the marina perfectly comfortably, and we seriously contemplated leaving the marina and anchoring up in the middle of the night. We were tied up to the floating pontoon, and with a slight swell all the various boats tied to it were pulling against each other, causing horrible jarring.

Cefalu, though, is stunning. Definitely worth spending a few days there exploring the place, and the bay/harbour is beautiful.

 

[Richard10002]

Is that the eastern anchorage? We anchored in the western one but I don't remember the slope. Walking up the volcano was one of the high points of italy for us but don't forget to take some cash with you: there was a €3 fee.

We tried to get into the Western anchorage in 2007 but there was no room. We found a spot in the Eastern anchorage with an offshore breeze. Our anchor was on the slope in about 5m close to the shore - I think the boat was in about 50m.

After a few days, the wind changed, so we were swung into the shallows. We managed to get a mooring buoy for €50 for a night and left for Riposto late the following day.

 

[RobbieW]

In addition to those; the Egadi Islands, especially Favignana, are delightful. As an alternative to Palermo try Termini Imerese, good anchorage and you may find space on one of the pontoons. The train from Termini Imerese takes about 20 mins into Palermo, well worth it.

The western anchorage at Vulcano is hard to dig into, its hard packed pumice, and theres a shallow ridge along the northern edge of the anchorage. Suggest an early morning walk up the hill to keep out of the sun, about an hour to the top from the anchorage.

 

[OldBawley]

I liked Acci Trezza a lot.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Is that the eastern anchorage? We anchored in the western one but I don't remember the slope. Walking up the volcano was one of the high points of italy for us but don't forget to take some cash with you: there was a €3 fee.

We walked up there last year , wasn't any fee .
Again not sure what slope we have anchored on both side quite a lot of times and not found it . I can only imagine you must of anchored way over to the NE of the anchorage , if you keep close to the back of the Quay there good depths there 5 to 15 mts , although it can get packed in the summer .
The night run to Stromboli is well worth doing , but be where of all the other boats out there it can be a bit like the M25

 

[sailaboutvic]

Wow, you must've had a different experience to ours! We moored up in the Cefalu marina for one night and it was the _worst_ marina night we have ever had. We had just spent a week anchored up in the bay right next to the marina perfectly comfortably, and we seriously contemplated leaving the marina and anchoring up in the middle of the night. We were tied up to the floating pontoon, and with a slight swell all the various boats tied to it were pulling against each other, causing horrible jarring.

Cefalu, though, is stunning. Definitely worth spending a few days there exploring the place, and the bay/harbour is beautiful.

I Agee with you Cardo , why any one want to use that marina is beyond me , there a lovely anchorage the other side . Cefalu is a very nice town .

 

[Cardo]

Favignana is a lovely island. The small marina in the main town is expensive, but you can anchor in the harbour right outside, perfectly protected. There is also the stunning bay just east of the main town. Full of day tripper boats during the day, but at night they all bugger off and out come the "Fare Gatherers" who tell you you can't anchor in the bay overnight, as it's a conservation area! You either pay to use one of their buoys, or you can anchor in the north-west corner of the bay, just outside the conservation area limits.

Why a yacht staying at anchor overnight will somehow negatively affect the bay, when it's been full of tripper boats dumping rubbish all day, I have yet to fathom.

 

[n4585k]

Come to Malta for a few days!

 

[liverpool]

SICILY

Am now moored in Ragusa and back next week to start exploring the area. Where are the best/nicest places to cruise to in that part of the world. Having had a rough and long passage from Cartegena very happy to have short sailing days and long idleness at anchor/marina/restaurant/bar etc. Thanks all.

++1 Favignana and if you make your way along W/S coast we enjoyed Marsala and Sciacca (where we hired a car to visit Selinunte), and Empidocle although its a commercial port there are a couple of small pontoons and its ideally placed to visit the wonderful Greek temples at Agrigento. On E coast Marzamemi is worth a visit and Siracusa is one of the gems of the Med IMHO.

 

[p41]

we are in Syracuse at the moment in the yacht club side, very well protected, free anchoring in the bay or free 5 day mooring in the public marina, the place is buzzing with life and entertainment, fantastic food and warm friendly people. We found Ragusa marina good but dead outside the marina as it only seems to cater for the holiday season in August, give it a go after all it's free what more could you ask for.

 

[Nostrodamus]

We are still in Ragusa but leaving in the next weeks or so (hopefully).
Last year we went nearly all the way round the Island and never once went in a Marina so there is always somewhere to anchor.
Beautiful Island and people but try and take some time out to go Inland a little to see some amazing places and history. It is worth it.
Ask about visiting the hanging bodies in Palermo for a different experience. Hundreds of mummified bodies dressed and hanging up!
Our blog below covers last years sailing and the anchorages. Any questions just pop along and ask or pm.

 

[SHUG]

Is that the eastern anchorage? We anchored in the western one but I don't remember the slope. Walking up the volcano was one of the high points of italy for us but don't forget to take some cash with you: there was a €3 fee.

Yes,it's the Eastern anchorage. I put out a kedge over the stern as a precaution but as it was very settled ,and was not really needed.

 

[charles_reed]

Why a yacht staying at anchor overnight will somehow negatively affect the bay, when it's been full of tripper boats dumping rubbish all day, I have yet to fathom.

You've heard about the great sea-horse furore @ Studland?

In the case of Favignana, I believe it's because that's one of the few beaches where turtles still lay. It would make more sense to ban all beach-goers and tripper boats.

 

[mattyburksta]

Hi All,

Just planning a cruise round the Aeolian islands, thought i might try and revive this thread before starting a new one. The tips above sound great but I was just wondering if any of the contributors knew of good spots to anchor on each of the Aeolian islands, or whether marinas and moorings are the way to go. Ideally i would like to do some anchoring - sea floor permitting. Boat is a Dufour 382 - 2018.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[sailaboutvic]

Hi Matt
You find two anchorages one on the west side the other the East side of Valcano the one on the west can be crowed ,
On Lipari you can anchor by the harbour on the east side or just under the old castle , there also a couple of more good anchorage on the East coast
Stromboli you can anchor by the harbour , but you have to keep well out as there are loaded mooring .
Panarea you anchor just off the beach at Torrione on the SE corner .
There a few other anchorages but these are the ones we use