September 2, 2026 – October 1, 2026
Rome
We’re off again! After two hot summer months, we are setting sail once more. Our destination for this autumn voyage is Sicily, where SALU will be put into winter storage. We plan to take the entire month of September to sail there from Rome. We leave Nautilus Marina—which served as a great home port for SALU over the past year—with a sense of gratitude. Course set for the south!
Nettuno
We sail south along the largely unremarkable coast below Rome, enjoying a favorable beam reach. Our first stop is Nettuno, a small Italian town right next to Anzio. After a stroll through the lovely medieval quarter, we enjoy a delicious fish dinner at a small restaurant. But first, it’s time to shop. Fortunately, the local supermarket delivers directly to the marina, so we load up our trolley with water and provisions for the coming days.
Pontine Islands
Palmarola
After the customary coffee and cornetto, we set off in the morning toward the Pontine Islands. Our first destination is the uninhabited island of Palmarola, located right next to the main island, Ponza. We plan to anchor here overnight. The sea is calm and the air still as we depart; apart from us, only a few vessels are visible on the horizon. The post-season in Italy has begun.
It is a restless night. We anchored too close to the island’s headland and are exposed to the swell. The next morning, we sail the two nautical miles to the other side of the island to stop for a swim in a sheltered bay. This is home to the island’s only inhabited structure—a restaurant frequented by many day-tripper boats during the day.
For the following night, we choose an anchorage in the southeastern part of the island. Here, the swell has subsided, and we enjoy a magnificent night under the stars.
Ponza
The next day, we sail to the archipelago’s main island. It is just a short hop, and we find a lovely anchorage right next to the harbor basin, sharing the space with only a few other boats. In the evening, we watch a real race as boats large and small head back into the harbor—rush hour in the Mediterranean. Everyone is trying to snag one of the few remaining spots in the harbor basin. We aren’t sure why; after all, we are anchored safely and stress-free in the neighboring bay. We take the dinghy into the town of Ponza for the evening. You can tell it is a destination for wealthy Romans; the shops are chic and the restaurants are packed. We manage to find a nice pizzeria, though, and enjoy the evening.
Ventotene
From Ponza, we head to Ventotene, the last of the Pontine Islands before the Bay of Naples. The Romans carved a harbor basin out of the rock here—one that is still in use today. We explore the narrow harbor by dinghy and tie up at the quay—under the watchful eye of Simone, who seems to own everything here: the harbor quay, the adjacent restaurant, and the boat rental business. Naturally, we stop at Simone’s restaurant for lunch and enjoy some delicious spaghetti alle vongole.
Ischia
The next day, we continue toward the Gulf of Naples, with the island of Ischia on our itinerary. Instead of heading for the main harbor, we decide to anchor in a small bay off the town of Sant’Angelo. It turns out to be the right decision! The town is quintessentially Italian and feels like a place where time has stood still. We have dinner at a restaurant with a seaside terrace—simply wonderful!
Procida
On the way to Procida, the next island, we explore the anchorages off Ischia’s old castle, which towers over an islet just off the main town. At one time, around 2,000 people lived here together in a small town complete with a castle and a church.
Unlike Ischia, Procida is flat and far less touristy. We moor in the port of Procida and, in the evening, walk to the other side of the island to a nice seafood restaurant founded by Maria, Procida’s first professional female fisher.
Our next overnight anchorage is the bay beneath the castle hill of Ischia, which we had already explored the day before.
Sorrento, Cassano
The next morning, we are woken before sunrise by the yacht anchored right next to us. Clearly, the skippers aren’t very experienced; the distance between us is too small, and they are also having trouble weighing anchor. We watch the situation for a while and then weigh our own anchor just after sunrise. Our destination is Cassano, a small harbor right next to Sorrento.
Rain and storms are forecast for the next two days. We therefore decide to stay in the harbor and take a trip to Pompeii on the second day. It takes just 30 minutes by train. The archaeological site is well worth seeing; it gives you a real impression of life 2,000 years ago.
Minori, Amalfi Coast
We continue along the Amalfi Coast to our next destination for the day, a mooring buoy anchored off the small town of Minori. The journey there is accompanied by heavy swell caused by the numerous small and large motorboats out and about on this Saturday. At Minori, we moor at a buoy and once again have to contend with the swell generated by the many ferries and excursion boats. The town is lovely and unspoiled. The local patisserie is listed online as a highlight, and indeed, they create little works of art out of icing there.
We take the next day at a leisurely pace. Around noon, we plan to take the bus to Amalfi, which is just 3 km away. We are already familiar with the Amalfi Coast from a road trip we took there five years ago. However, seeing towns like Positano or Amalfi from the water is a completely different experience.
Sorrento
After two days moored to a buoy in somewhat choppy waters, we set off for Sorrento, having reserved a berth at Marina d’Arechi. The marina is new and located about 9 km outside Sorrento. We take the train into the town center to meet Jeremy, who will be joining us for the next two weeks on our journey to Sicily. Sorrento lies away from the main tourist crowds of the Amalfi Coast, making for a much more relaxed atmosphere. We visit the cathedral and its magnificent crypt; it is completely adorned with stone inlay work—a superb example of stonemasonry craftsmanship.
Agropoli
The next morning, with favorable winds, we sail to Agropoli, a small town in Campania. Few tourists make it this far, and the town exudes a quiet, authentic Italian vibe. We enjoy delicious street-side pizza in the evening, relishing the chance to be away from the hustle and bustle.
Baia di Ogliastro
After just a few nautical miles the following morning, we reach the Bay of Ogliastro and decide to anchor there for the night. The small holiday settlement is deserted, save for a handful of people. However, there is a nice restaurant in the corner where we enjoy our „anchor beer“ on the terrace. The water is crystal clear once again, and we take full advantage of the opportunity to go for a swim.
Palinuro, Baia del Buono Dormire
We pass the town of Palinuro to port and round the cape of the same name to enter the beautiful Baia del Buono Dormire. Sheltered by a large rock formation, we drop anchor in the „Bay of Good Sleep.“ Here, too, the water is clear, allowing us to see the sandy bottom at a depth of six meters.
Camerota
We are approaching our next major stop, Maratea, where we plan to welcome Cameron—Jeremy’s son—aboard on Sunday. On the way to Camerota, we see a thunderstorm brewing on the horizon and decide to spend the night in the small town’s harbor. Unlike the previous small towns, the houses in Camerota were built in the 1950s after an earthquake destroyed the historic center. However, this does not detract from the town’s charm. The fresh fish we enjoy that evening was speared by a local fisherman. It is delicious!
When we wake up the next morning, the sky is gray, and there is lightning and thunder. A thunderstorm passes over us, bringing rain for a few hours. It is a time to relax on board and to have a cornetto and coffee in town. The weather is expected to clear up around 11 a.m.; we can already see blue sky on the horizon.
Maratea
We sail into the small harbor of Maratea and await Cameron’s arrival. He is flying from London to Naples and then taking the train to Maratea. The town itself sits high above the coast and is accessible via a 6 km long road. The train station is located halfway up the slope, allowing Cameron to walk downhill to the harbor. The harbor itself is small but features several nice bars and restaurants. We enjoy a delicious dinner of fresh fish while overlooking the harbor basin.
Vibo Marina
We cross the large Gulf of Santa Eufemia on our way to Vibo Marina. The weather is stormy; while we don’t get wet, we repeatedly see heavy thunderstorms breaking nearby. We are concerned about the waterspouts forming beneath the dark clouds. The swell picks up noticeably, and we reach Vibo Marina just after the last rain shower passes. No sooner have we moored in the harbor than a thunderstorm cell gives us a good shaking. Vibo Marina is a commercial port with large storage facilities for oil or gas, though the marina itself is situated far enough away from them. Right next to the harbor wall lies a magnificent beach with golden sand; Jeremy goes there to swim three times. In Vibo, we have the best ice cream we have ever tasted in Italy. For €2.50, we get a fully loaded cone of excellent, homemade ice cream.
Tropea
A must-see stop on a trip through Calabria is the town of Tropea, perched high atop a cliff. We have to climb 200 steps from the town harbor to reach it. The town itself is quintessentially Italian and bustling with tourists. From a terrace, we have a view of the volcano Stromboli, which spews ash and smoke at regular intervals. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to cross over to the Lipari Islands on this trip. But we are considering making our next spring cruise around Sicily and then visiting the islands.
Scilla
Before tackling the Strait of Messina, we make one last stop on the Italian mainland. The small town of Scilla, situated right at the entrance to the strait, is the perfect choice. We moor at two buoys behind the harbor breakwater and explore the town on foot. We are impressed by the vibrancy and beauty of this little place.
The next morning, we plan to cross the Strait of Messina—a stretch of water busy with large freighters and ferries, and characterized by impressive currents that shift with the tides. We use an app to find the optimal time window for our departure, then round the headland at a speed of 8 knots. At its narrowest point, the strait is barely two nautical miles wide, giving us our first close-up view of Sicily.
Reggio Calabria
Before sailing from the mainland to Sicily, we have one more mainland stop on our itinerary. The city of Reggio Calabria boasts a large ferry port and a marina located in a small, separate basin. Neither the port nor the city has much to offer. We stay for one night and enjoy the risotto Cameron cooks for us.
Taormina, Riposto
Taormina, perched high above the Sicilian coast, is a must-visit destination. We decide to anchor off the town, but an easterly wind is blowing straight into the bay, bringing heavy swell that promises a restless night. We therefore set sail again and head for the small harbor of Riposto. Located at the foot of Mount Etna, the town is famous for its fish market, where the swordfish caught by local fishermen in the Strait of Messina are sold. Throughout the journey, we are accompanied by views of Mount Etna; it spews out massive clouds of ash, temporarily grounding air traffic in Catania. Jeremy and Cameron are due to leave us in a few days and are constantly monitoring the news regarding airport closures and reopenings.
We stay in Riposto for two days, then take the train to Taormina the following day. The town sits impressively on a ridge high above the sea.
Naxos Giardini
We want to spend at least one night at anchor for Cameron’s sake. So, the next morning, we sail a few nautical miles north to anchor in the Bay of Naxos. There is hardly any swell here. We also run into another boat there, sailed by two Englishmen and their two cats.
Catania
Jeremy and Cameron plan to disembark in the Sicilian city of Catania to fly back to England. They have been very welcome guests over the past two weeks, and we invite them to join us for further legs of our Mediterranean journey.
Catania has been destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt several times—most recently in the Baroque style. At first glance, the city appears dirty and uninviting; only the fish market near the harbor is worth a visit.
Augusta
After Jeremy and Cameron leave, we look for a self-service laundromat to wash our towels and bed sheets before putting SALU into winter storage. Afterward, we head to Augusta and dock at the new Xifonia Marina. The town is well-kept and lively.
The next morning, we motor a few nautical miles to our winter storage site at World Yacht Service, a small, family-run boatyard within Augusta’s large harbor basin. SALU is professionally lifted out of the water; she has certainly earned her rest ashore until the next voyage in the spring.
After a month on the boat, we, too, are happy to sleep in a real bed again, so we book a beach hotel in Catania for two nights. In total, we covered around 550 nautical miles from Rome to Sicily and were impressed by the diversity and beauty of Italy. Even though September was a month with little wind, we enjoyed the journey and are already looking forward to our next spring trip.