Come with us to VELA Cup Tuscany, there is a world to discover!

For the second leg of the VELA Cup we head to Marina Cala de’ Medici in Tuscany, where you can discover a crazy coastline full of bays, reserves and truly unique places. Already more than 30 people have registered (
here you can also sign up
) and the opportunity is really great, because on Sunday there is also the Triton Cup and the Saturday from 5:30 p.m. is the big Sailor of the Year Party. A unique opportunity to connect with your heroes. The big event in which to discover all the winners of the most coveted award in Italian sailing. But the regatta/festival is just one reason to have a weekend boating trip to Tuscany. Discover stunning bays, good food, art and culture in a coastline that the whole world envies us.

All the stages of the VELA Cup 2024

• April 26/27 – VELA Cup Liguria / ICE Cup
• May 24/26 – VELA Cup Tuscany / Triton Cup
• May 31/June 1 – VELA Cup Brindisi
• August 21/22 – VELA Cup Costa Smeralda / Beneteau & Lagoon Cup
• September 27/28 – VELA Cup Procida
• October 4/5 – VELA Cup Sicily

VELA Cup Tuscany – Why you can’t miss it

On May 25 and 26 at Marina Cala de’ Medici there is a superweekend of sailing and lots of fun waiting for you. Not only because the place is truly spectacular-and we tell you all there is to discover below-but also because you will have the opportunity to meet the biggest names in Italian sailing: sportsmen, sailors, designers, young talents and innovators. A few names we have already revealed to you: Gianni Cariboni, the world wizard of hydraulics applied to sailboats, and Luca Rosetti, winner of the Mini Transat.

leggi anche

At the end of August, the VELA Cup returns to Sardinia. Cala dei Sardi awaits you from August 20 to 22

Marina Cala de’ Medici is located in the center of Tuscany, on a charming stretch of coastline between Rosignano and Castiglioncello, in the heart of the Etruscan Coast. Central to being used as a base for cruises to some of the most beautiful islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea – Corsica, Capraia and Elba are all within 50 nautical miles of navigation – the marina is also only a few kilometers away on the mainland from some of the most beautiful destinations in a land as rich in uniqueness as Tuscany: from Pisa to Volterra, from San Gimignano to Florence, there are many pearls that can be reached quickly and conveniently.

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Castiglioncello, the pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea

Although the first pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as the vacation destination of great movie legends such as Alberto Sordi and Marcello Mastroianni, is Castiglioncello, an enchanting location that offers one of the most beautiful views of the entire Tuscan coastline. One of the historic addresses not to be missed in the village is Il Cardellino (tel. 0586 753618): a historic address of the local 1960s Dolce Vita now serves as both a summer lounge bar and a year-round restaurant thanks to the tables along the terrace overlooking the sea at Pineta Marradi. The cuisine is from the Tuscan seafood tradition.

Also in Castiglioncello, but north of the center, unique are the sunsets among nature, crystal clear waters, and the beach that can be admired from the Baia del Quercetano. It bottoms out in the middle of the picturesque cove, which is enclosed by an equipped beach overlooked by the tables of Astragalo (tel. 0586 759134): a bistro, terrace lounge and restaurant that is a perfect location for those who love the sea at 360 degrees, including on the plate of course.

The Tuscan hinterland

To then make a “break” greener, still along the coast of Tuscany, but southward in this case, one can reach instead the Tomboli di Cecina Nature Reserve: is a protected area of nearly 500 hectares with a long sandy beach and a large pine forest full of trails for walking and biking. Still further south, those wishing to explore further inland, as well as sail through the Tuscan archipelago, cannot miss a stop at Bolgheri. This small town in the Livorno hinterland can be reached from Castagneto Carducci via the charming Viale dei Cipressi, made famous by Giosuè Carducci’s verses in the poem Davanti San Guido.

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In one week, the VELA Cup lands in Sardinia in Porto Rafael. You can’t miss it!

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A castle overlooking the sea

You can then return to heading north, passing the Marina and Castiglioncello to find another truly unique stretch of coastline: it is the sheer promontory near the town of Quercianella, on which stands the Castello Sonnino. A nineteenth-century construction made by Baron Sidney Sonnino on a medieval fortress, today it is a conspicuous landmark for reaching two beautiful bays located east and west of the fortress, respectively. The first is the Spiaggia del Sonnino, a pebble beach enclosed by the old Castle landing stage, while the next is the Cala del Leone, even smaller and wilder but with truly turquoise waters.

The mouth of the Arno River

Exploration of the coast continues by going up past the city and the large port of Livorno to reach a unique spot in this area: it is the location of Marina di Pisa where the so-called Bocca d’Arno area is also located. The final stretch of the river that empties into the sea, this area is famous for the scenery offered by its extreme point, which embraces the typical buildings in stilts on the sea – the “retoni” – and further north the wild areas of the Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli Regional Park that open north of the river. It is a very picturesque stretch of coastline indeed, and going up the Arno you will find not only unique mooring spots for the view but also perfect places to combine fun and dining. Such as Retone 136 (tel. 347 4415269) that one of the most beautiful and quaint places along the south bank of the river, at which you can dock directly with your boat and eat lunch and dinner, enjoying fresh local fish recipes.

Mini cruise to Pisa

The real treat of this trip between Marina Cala de’ Medici and the Tuscany you don’t expect we give you last, to reward you for reading the full article. In fact, by leaving the boat safely moored at one of the pay moorings that abound in the Bocca area, one can hop on the motor tender and, in just over 10 kilometers along the Arno River, reach the center of Pisa and the legendary Leaning Tower in a unique mini-cruise.