The Ligurian coast, better known as the Italian Riviera, is where pastel cliff towns meet polished superyachts. It runs from the French border past Sanremo and Genoa down to the Gulf of La Spezia, and it is the most scenic stretch of coastline in northern Italy.
It is also the most honest fit for a particular kind of charter. This is a marina-to-marina coast with limited anchorages and an exposed shoreline, so it suits short, stylish itineraries, stopovers on a longer western Mediterranean route, and guests who want scenery, shopping and culture more than a week at anchor. If swimming off the back of the boat every afternoon is the priority, we would point you to Sardinia instead. Compare all the main Italy yacht charter destinations if you are still deciding.
Best Time to Charter on the Italian Riviera: June to September, with July and August the busiest and most expensive. Late May and September give you the same coast with far easier berthing. For the wider picture see our Best Time for an Italy Yacht Charter guide.
Key Cruising Locations: Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portovenere and the Cinque Terre, with Sanremo and the run toward Monaco at the western end.
Don’t Miss: The abbey at San Fruttuoso, sunset from Castello Brown above Portofino, and the five villages of the Cinque Terre seen from the water.
How to Get There: Genoa (GOA) is the closest airport at about 40 minutes from Santa Margherita. Nice (NCE) and Milan are the larger alternatives, and Pisa (PSA) suits a charter starting at the La Spezia end. Our embarkation guide compares the options.
Why Charter a Yacht on the Italian Riviera?
1. The best scenery-per-mile in Italy
The coast between Portofino and the Cinque Terre packs more photogenic coastline into 30 miles than anywhere else in the country. You are never on a long transit.
2. It connects everything
The Riviera links the Cote d’Azur to Tuscany, Corsica and Sardinia. It is the natural first or last leg of a longer western Mediterranean charter rather than only a destination in itself.
3. Culture without leaving the boat behind
Genoa’s old town, the Cinque Terre footpaths and Portofino’s piazzetta are all tender-accessible. Guests who get restless at anchor do well here.
4. Where it is weakest, we will say so
Anchorages are few and Portofino’s harbor is tiny, so berths need booking well in advance. We plan around that rather than pretending it is not true.
Explore Italian Riviera
The Ligurian coast is compact and marina-led. These are the two stops guests ask for.
