A yacht week is NOT a billionaire vacation — it's a GROUP sailing holiday where you share a catamaran or sailboat with 6-10 people. Cost per person: €700-1,500/week (= €100-215/night) — including accommodation (you sleep on the boat), transport (you sail between destinations), and the specific joy of waking up anchored in a different cove every morning. Private charter guide → · Island hopping →
You book a CABIN on a shared yacht (catamaran or monohull, typically 40-50ft). The boat has 4-5 cabins, each sleeping 2 people. A skipper handles navigation. The group (8-10 people, usually 20s-40s) shares cooking, sailing duties (optional), and social time. The route is pre-planned — 5-7 stops over 7 days, anchoring at islands, beaches, and harbors. Companies: The Yacht Week (theyachtweek.com — the original, €1,000-1,500/person/week). MedSailors (€700-1,200). SailWeek. Navigare Yachting. Italy routes available: Amalfi Coast, Sardinia, Sicily/Aeolian Islands.
1. Amalfi Coast + Capri (7 days, from Naples/Salerno): Naples → Procida → Capri (Blue Grotto, Faraglioni) → Positano → Amalfi → Li Galli → Ischia → return. The coast from a yacht is 10x more dramatic than from the road. Swim stops at empty coves. Dinner at clifftop restaurants accessible only by boat. 2. Sardinia — Costa Smeralda + La Maddalena (7 days, from Olbia/Portisco): La Maddalena archipelago → Caprera → Costa Smeralda bays → Tavolara island. The clearest water in the Mediterranean. Granite islands. Empty anchorages. Pink sand beaches. 3. Sicily — Aeolian Islands (7 days, from Milazzo): Lipari → Vulcano (mud baths) → Salina → Panarea → Stromboli (eruptions at night from the boat) → Filicudi. The most ADVENTUROUS yacht week in Italy.
What's included: Cabin (bed+linen), skipper, safety equipment, dinghy. NOT included: Food (group shops at port markets — budget €30-50/person/week for boat cooking + €20-30/person for 2-3 restaurant dinners), fuel (€50-100/person/week shared), marina fees (€20-40/person/week shared), drinks. Total REAL cost: €900-1,800/person/week all-in. Book: 3-6 months ahead for July-August. Best months: June (quieter) or September (warm + less crowded + cheaper). Solo travelers: Most companies match solo travelers with same-gender cabinmates. Couples: Book a double cabin. Seasickness: Catamarans are more stable than monohulls — choose catamaran if sensitive.