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The best places to sail in Europe
Wednesday, 1st August 2018Our review of the best places to charter a yacht or catamaran to sail in Europe - Greece, Croatia, Italy, France and Montenegro!
Approximately 71% of the globe is covered by water, which means that there’s plenty of space for people with boats to explore: in fact, there’s over 510 million square kilometres for sailors to get their hull over. With that much space, there should be more than enough room for manoeuvring a yacht or catamaran without hitting anyone or anything!
And of the 195 countries in the world right now, over 75% are accessible by sea, so there’s a whole world to go at: all sorts of different climates, cultures, cuisines, marinas and even types of boats to discover!
That said, there are some parts of the world that it’s not practical or safe to sail to, and there’s some seas which are covered with ice for the vast majority of the year – so it’s no surprise that there are some parts of the world which have better conditions, and are favoured by part-time sailors (who don’t have the time or inclination to schlepp through high seas).
So assuming you have one week off work, where are the most popular places to sail in Europe right now? Here’s our list of our favourite cruising grounds – you’ll note that they’re all in the Mediterranean, where waters are crystal clear and seldom too choppy:
Sailing in Greece
It has a vast and diverse range of islands, and plenty to explore – which is why it is still the most popular sail cruising ground in Europe.
Sailing in Croatia
Croatia is also a great place for island hopping, there’s castles galore, and there’s national marine conservation parks where the scenery is completely unspoilt. It’s also slightly cooler than Greece in peak season.
Sailing in Italy (& Sicily & Sardinia)
But if you look more closely, it is possible to island-hop in the Aeolian islands (just north of Sicily), the islands near Napoli (Heard of Capri, anyone?), and a cluster of islands at the Tuscan archipelago, and you can even sail out to Sardinia or Corsica from there. All outstanding scenery, and you’ll enjoy a memorable holiday!
Sailing in France (& Corsica)
And the rich and famous don’t come here for no reason – they enjoy the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo, the champagne bars of Saint Tropez, and the decadence of Monaco, along with the beautiful wall-to-wall sunshine and outstanding scenery (best viewed from the deck of a luxury super-yacht). It’s one of the best and most prestigious places to sail in Europe.
Sailing in Montenegro
There’s already a few intrepid innovators who have been sailing in Montenegro so far, and it is fast becoming a cool place to go.