3 off the beaten track destinations

You want to go sailing, but want to avoid the crowds. But where? How? Can I still go to Greece and escape the crowds? Find the Boatbookings secrets below to ensure you have a crowd-less charter!

Foki Bay – Ionian

Northern Hemisphere

Places like the Mediterranean see thousands of sailors flock to visit these gorgeous islands and quaint medieval towns. The only issue is is that these islands can get so saturated over the summer it leaves some sailors lusting for the quiet secluded bays. find below the top 4 places in the Northern Hemisphere that offer perfect sailing, in quiet destination

Number one: The Azores

Say goodbye to the crowds of Athens, and say hello to nature, dramatic land formations and some of the best sailing in the Atlantic! The Azores offers long-distance sailing for the gung-ho sailor type during April/May/June, and island hopping with the family during the July and August months! Check out our 7-day itinerary and our 14-day itinerary for some inspiration!

Number two: Corsica

Calanches de Piana in Corsica, France, late spring.

Corsica, a French island located south of the French Riviera and north of Sardinia. This rocky oasis offers some of the most picturesque bays that the Meditteranean has to offer. There’s only a small amount of yachts based in Corsica so our advice would be to start on the northeastern tip of Sardinia and sail up towards the east coast of Corsica stopping off at one of our favorite anchorages: Santa Guilia. Check out of Corsica sailing itinerary for some inspiration!

Number three: Croatia

Croatia has seen the rise in nautical tourism over the past 5 years, with it nearly topping the sailing capital of the world – Greece. This long skinny country, with thousands of islands, is the perfect playground for sailors. Islands such as Brac, Hvar, Solta are heavily visited during the summer months (unsurprising as they are truly unique). One area which is sometimes forgotten is the national park – Kornati. Located north of Sibenik, and just south of Zadar, the Kornati national park provides some of the most exquisite sailing. The islands are easy to navigate through and offers protection from Jungo and Bora winds. Read our various Croatia itineraries to get a feel for what you can experience!

Number four: Turkey

Turkey, where east meets west. A culturally diverse corner of the Mediterranean perfect for first-timers looking for some stress-free sailing. As the political unrest comes to a halt, Turkey is dying for people to come back sailing, it has the infrastructure to berth thousands of yachts and used to be an exciting hub of sailing. Turkey is mainly coastal sailing with a few islands laying close to Gocek and Fethiye.

If you are looking to explore and off the beaten track location, speak to one of our worldwide brokers today!

West Coast of Corsica Part 1.

Broker Cordy gives an insight into her time working onboard Megayachts

One of my favorite places to cruise when I worked onboard mega yachts (Giga yachts weren’t around then!) was the stunning West coastline of Corsica. I was fortunate to work for a wonderful English family who adored this area, so it is where we spent the majority of the summer. On a displacement yacht cruising at around 12knots, the journey from Cannes to St Florent is around 10 hours which can normally be achieved overnight. So, if you are on the French Riviera and fancy something a little different, why not enjoy a wonderful dinner on board anchored at the Iles des Lerins, Cannes, and then start your journey after this. Be sure to ask the crew to wake you up at dawn to dolphin watch! One of the most amazing experiences at sea.

Arriving in St Florent is stunning, this pretty little fishing port has a host of local restaurants and bars huddled around the marina. Restaurant de l’Europe and Le Grill are perfect places to sit in the sun and watch the world go by!

Having relaxed in the sun, head one street back to the old town full of independent shops selling local charcuterie and souvenirs. Keep heading up and you will reach the citadel, steps from the citadel car park lead down to a small beach. The stunning cathedral de Nebbio is found on the other side of the town on the Chemin de la Cathedrale and is most definitely worth a visit.

For the more energetic persons amongst your group, Le Roya Beach can be found to the southeast of the town offering water sports including windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, jet skis and scuba diving! There really is something for everyone!

Heading west from St Florent is the beautiful town of Calvi. Coming into port you have an incredible view of the citadel, once docked, it is definitely worth climbing up the cobbled streets for breathtaking panoramic views of your surroundings. There are some great restaurants up here as well as the voguish Chez Tao bar!

Once you have soaked up the incredible views, wander around the shops through the old cobbled streets of the town. The marché de l’Orée des Pins is full of local charcuterie, grapes, cheeses, and amazing pastries!

Around the corner, further West from Calvi is possibly the most beautiful spot in the Med! Girolata is a fortified bay at the south of the Scandola Nature Reserve. The setting is spectacular, with the village perched on the peninsula and surrounded by the sea and the famous red rock mountains of this area.  This bay is a wonderful place to anchor and swim ashore to the beautiful beach.

Further south in the Scandola National Park is the bay of Porto where you can find a pretty little village and see more of the stunning Calanques de Piana rock formations.

Having enjoyed the National Park, further south again you will find Ajaccio, famous for being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte! You can visit the Maison Bonaparte, now a national museum, the ancestral home of the Bonaparte family, to discover more about his life. Ajaccio’s charming old town is a great place to amble and enjoy the beautiful architectural features and stunning landmarks such as the Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption.

The pretty port of Ajaccio is adorned with bars and restaurants serving seafood and pizzas. The perfect place to soak up the atmosphere and admire the view!

Contact Cordy at Boatbookings to plan your Corsican adventure and please keep reading the blog for part 2 of the West Coast of Corsica!

l’Ile de Bareboat

The French call it l’Ile de Beauté (the beautiful island) and although this is an obvious choice of moniker it is also an accurate one. Its geographical position and varied landscape make it an ideal destination to bareboat charter Corsica. Corsica lies alongside the west, Tuscan coast of Italy, 200 km south of mainland France and just above the Italian island of Sardinia. What better playground for a holiday on a bareboat?

Calvi-sunset

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