Where to stay on West coast of Italy?

[Hayling]

My mate is looking to sail his Sweden 42 from Antibes to Corfu in early summer
and we thought we would do it in two hits, cruising down the Ligurian coast and seeing the sights, then parking the boat somewhere between, say, Naples and Messina for a couple of weeks before flying out again to knock off the crossing to Greece.
Everyone seems to have a horror story about Italian Marinas! Banditos! Extortion! Damage!
Anyone got some good news?
Somewhere safe and friendly and within a couple of hours or so of an airport?
Many thanks.

 

[TiggerToo]

Anyone got some good news?
Somewhere safe and friendly and within a couple of hours or so of an airport?
Many thanks.

I know it is north of Naples.... but Fiumicino is 2' from the airport, and has a friendly river where you might get a temporary berth....

 

[MBM_Greg]

I keep my boat near Pisa, but wouldn't go much further south - far too many stories. The North is much nicer, so I keep telling myself!

 

[Plevier]

Used 3 along there.
Porto Turistico di Roma - http://www.portoturisticodiroma.net/ - expensive, all facilities, very handy for Fiumicino. A 42 will look quite small beside lots of the stuff in there.
Vibo Marina, the port for Vibo Valentia - just a bit north of Messina Straits. EasyJet goes to Lamezia Terme a bit under an hour away by car or train. Smaller, crowded, cheaper. Good for overwintering. Can't find any web contacts for the marinas, look in Heikell. The one we used (3 times) is run by an American lady married into Italian family. V efficient and helpful by Italian standards!
A bit south of there is Tropea. Unfinished, expensive and I don't know how you'd get there. Nice town though. We had one night having just arrived from Corfu, then moved to Vibo to sit out 2 days gale.

PS Just re-read your orginal question - I think Vibo is definitely worth examining. I hope this will link you to a Google picture http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=met...mu4xCRfhcCZflWmgDyWaIQ&cbp=12,308.56,,0,-2.35 and here's the entrance http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=met...8qTcV5zsRXNAkv1LZA&cbp=12,38.56,,0,-2.35&z=17

Got it! It's
Marina Stella del Sud
Vibo Valentia
0963573202 Country code 0039, preceding zero may be needed, can't remember
stellasud@tin.it
www.marinastelladelsud.it

The lady's name is Angela, who is part Canadian
30 Euro/day for us (30ft boat)

 

[baggypipes]

My mate is looking to sail his Sweden 42 from Antibes to Corfu in early summer
and we thought we would do it in two hits, cruising down the Ligurian coast and seeing the sights, then parking the boat somewhere between, say, Naples and Messina for a couple of weeks before flying out again to knock off the crossing to Greece.
Everyone seems to have a horror story about Italian Marinas! Banditos! Extortion! Damage!
Anyone got some good news?
Somewhere safe and friendly and within a couple of hours or so of an airport?
Many thanks.

we spent the winter of 2008-9 (living on board) in Gaeta very freindly safe place, good town easy train access to Rome & airport about 1 hr away. We were advised by friendly coast guard not to leave the boat anywhere near Naples, not even at anchor & go ashore.

 

[Tintin]

Salerno http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276828&highlight=italy

 

[Hayling]

Thank you all,
especially info on Vibo,
will get in touch and try and sort
something out, looks like perfect
halfway staging post!

 

[Plevier]

Thank you all,
especially info on Vibo,
will get in touch and try and sort
something out, looks like perfect
halfway staging post!

Vibo stood out to my skipper (that means the bloke I was crewing for, not an employed one ) for the same reason, en route from Balearics to Greece.
I joined at Olbia - good staging point - and we called into Cagliari, worth a visit, then along the Aeolian islands (ironically totally windless for nearly 2 weeks!) Don't miss Ustica very nice. Stromboli interesting.

When in Vibo again on the return journey last year from Corfu, with a gale coming in Angela's staff were rushing round with coils of new rope adding extra warps to unattended boats. Very helpful.
Not much of a town for shops - there is a modest supermarket 20 mins walk - or restaurants though.

 

[blenkinsop]

Fiumincino

See Noonsite for the yard run by Max.
Friendly reception. No significant facilities apart from proximity to airport.
Last October for our 11.75m we were charged appr. 12 euro a night.
Disadvantage is the need to wait for the bridges to open - once early morning, once evening + a middy opening on Sunday.