It isthe trend in recent seasons: to move the boat from the usual port to a different marina, where to keep it maybe a couple of years and then move it again so that it can sail in “new waters” each time. A trend favored along the Italian coast by the numerical growth of marinas in the South and the main islands. But also from the increasing number of low-cost flights connecting northern Italian cities to southern ones. Do the math: today you can fly from Bergamo or Malpensa to Sicily for just over twenty euros… We give you here five “samples” of possible destinations for your next season!
1. MARINA DI CALA DEL SOLE – SICILY
This modern marina is about to turn four years old, and by 2015 it will grow to as many as 1,500 berths for hulls from four to seventy meters in length. Boats of up to twenty-two meters find a place in the state-of-the-art floating docks, while a quay on the shore has been built exclusively for large yachts. Remarkable drafts (four to six meters), which together with wide channels facilitate maneuvering. Built with environmentally friendly materials, the Cala del Sole Marina also boasts an attractive waterfront among gardens, fountains, three areas dedicated to shopping, services and entertainment. Where to sail: in addition to the beauty of the Sicilian coast, Cala del Sole Marina is only 69 miles from Malta. www.marinadicaladelsole.it
2. CALA DEI SARDI – SARDINIA
In northern Sardinia, more precisely in the Gulf of Cugnana, between Porto Rotondo and Portisco, is this marina established in 2010, which stands out among other things for being the largest eco-friendly landing place on the island. The choice of pontoons formed by floating breakwater modules, which dampen wave motion and provide stability without ruining the seabed, should be seen in this light. Ecological discussion aside, this is a marina that is well protected from winds coming from the second, third and fourth quadrants. One hundred and forty berths are available from six to sixty meters, and we find here a respectable draft (6.8 meters). Where to sail: you have at your disposal the entire northern coast of Sardinia, including the Maddalena Archipelago. www.caladeisardi.it
3. CALA PONTE MARINA – PUGLIA
We are here in Polignano a mare, in a new marina that has 318 berths from five to twenty-five meters, in an environment that includes the construction of a hotel facility and a Mall with commercial establishments and port services. The maximum depth of the harbor is four and a half meters. Where to sail: Apulian coast aside, Croatia is just over a hundred miles away and Corfu about 150. www.calaponte.com
4. MARINA D’ARECHI – CAMPANIA
There are one thousand berths for hulls from ten to one hundred meters in length in this large Salerno harbor, which can also count on a minimum draft of three and a half meters (but goes up to seven). The equipped area is seven thousand square meters, and there we find a travel lift of more than two hundred tons, capable of moving yachts up to forty meters in length: from cleaning operations to ordinary and extraordinary repairs, thanks to a specialized fixed and mobile workshop that guarantees all maintenance services at sea and ashore. The Port Village is then the beating heart of Marina D’Arechi, a truly elegant “village” on the edge of the sea. Where to sail: It only takes eight miles to reach Amalfi, not forgetting Positano, Capri or, to the south, Palinuro. www.marinadarechi.com
5. MARINA SVEVA – MOLISE
Located in the province of Campobasso is this brand new port equipped with about four hundred and fifty berths for boats from six to thirty meters. Depths range from two to four meters across the entire body of water of more than sixty thousand square meters. Technical facilities allow hauling and launching for hulls weighing up to seventy tons, and there are spaces designated for dry storage as well. Interesting and environmentally friendly is the sophisticated water purification plant. Where to sail: A mandatory stop, setting sail from Marina Sveva, can only be the beautiful Tremiti Islands. www.marinasveva.com
