Calabria by sailboat

If the sea is your passion and you dream of sailing the Mediterranean on your doorstep, a tour of Calabria by sailboat is the experience for you.

Imagine retracing the route of Ulysses, of the gods and heroes who have landed along the Calabrian coasts over the centuries, discovering ravines and caves with turquoise colours, diving into a clean sea and relaxing in the shelter of reserved coves.

This and much more awaits you on a sailing boat in Calabria. Discover all the possibilities and services for sailing around Calabria.

Among the infinite possibilities for a sports and nature holiday in Calabria, the perfect solution for sea lovers is to discover Calabria by sailboat.

With almost 800 km of coastline, from east to west, Calabria is one of the regions that lends itself best to sailing exploration, especially since the two coasts (Ionian and Tyrrhenian) offer such a variety of landscape, flora and fauna that you will feel as if you have sailed around the Mediterranean without having moved from Italy.

Where to start a sailing trip in Calabria? You will be spoilt for choice! The region has 7 large harbours, flanked by dozens of small marinas perfect for setting off, stopping over, mooring and enjoying the beauty and services on land:

• Gioia Tauro

• Villa San Giovanni

• Reggio Calabria

• Vibo Valentia

• Crotone

• Corigliano 

• Palmi

Tyrrhenian Calabria by sailboat

The Tyrrhenian coast is the perfect starting point from which to discover Calabria by sailboat. From Tortora (CS, Blue Flag) to the city of Reggio Calabria, you will discover the wonders of 3 different coastlines, many Blue Flags and a number of hidden gems that can only be reached by boat or by swimming.

Welcoming you is the "Riviera dei Cedri" Regional Marine Park, which refers to the cultivation of the prized Cedar of Calabria PDO, produced mainly in Santa Maria del Cedro (Blue Flag) but present throughout the Riviera. Along this stretch, sailors can stop at the Tourist Harbour in Cetraro and plan a series of unmissable excursions: from the Dino (Praia a Mare, Green and Blue Flag) and Cirella Island (Diamante, Blue Flag); to the Regional Marine Park "Scogli d'Isca" (Amantea) and San Nicola Arcella (Blue Flag), to dive in the enchanting Arcomagno Beach.

Continuing our sailing tour of Calabria southwards, we sail along the renowned "Costa degli Dei", the Tyrrhenian stretch in the province of Vibo Valentia where we can enjoy the unspoilt and Green Flag beach of Nicotera and other Caribbean spots: Paradiso del Sub beach (Zambrone), the beaches of Parghelia and La Pizzuta, the famous cliffs of Capo Vaticano (Ricadi) and the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea", Tropea, Blue Flag where you can enjoy various services, including boat hire with skipper.

Finally, we land on the "Costa Viola", in the province of Reggio Calabria. Here the sea is open and deep and the water takes on a characteristic purplish colour. This is the point where we witness the optical illusion known as the "Fata Morgana Effect", which seems to unite the two shores of the Strait: from the Green Flag of Marinella di Palmi (home to a well-equipped tourist harbour), to the fishing village of Chianalea di Scilla (the "Venice of the South").

Ionian Calabria by sailboat

Exploring the Ionian coast of Calabria by sailboat means rounding the striking Capo d'Armi, the end of the European continent, and skirting a land that changes profoundly from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The "Riviera dei Gelsomini", as far as Locri, takes its name from the ancient Calabrian jasmine gatherers, the flower pickers. Sailing in this area means enjoying the wild beauty of the Ionian Sea, a favourite nesting ground for Caretta Caretta turtles, among the most uncontaminated coastlines in the Mediterranean. Where to moor in these parts? At the Roccella Ionica Tourist Harbour (Blue Flag), one of Calabria's most popular summer destinations because of the great "Roccella Summer Festival" event.

The province of Reggio Calabria gives way to that of Catanzaro heading north, with the "Riviera degli Angeli" and the "Costa degli Aranci". The former is perfect for a break among the so-called "slow living" villages, such as Badolato; the latter boasts one of Calabria's best-loved tourist resorts: Soverato, the "Pearl of the Ionian Sea", which combines nightlife and equipped beaches with the natural beauty of the "Baia di Soverato" Regional Marine Park (or of the Hippocampus, due to the special presence of seahorses). Coves not to be missed? Caminia, Pietragrande and Copanello (Stalettì).

You cannot explore Calabria by sailboat without docking in the port of Crotone, choosing it as a base for visiting the "Costa dei Saraceni". Here is the Protected Marine Area of Isola di Capo Rizzuto, among the largest in Europe, and the Crucoli Torretta beach. A short stretch of fine reddish-coloured sand, overlooked by Torre Melissa and Cirò Marina (both Blue Flag and Green Flag).

Our sailing tour in Calabria ends (or begins, for those who choose to take the reverse route) on the "Costa degli Achei", in the province of Cosenza, amidst the marine beauties of Roseto Capo Spulico, Trebisacce and Villapiana (all Blue Flags). The port base serving this stretch of coastline is Corigliano-Rossano and Cassano all'Ionio, with the splendid Sibari Lakes Tourist Port.

Are you looking for a sailing boat rental service in Calabria? You can choose a sailboat rental in Calabria with or without a skipper, depending on your sailing skills.

For an autonomous sailboat rental it is necessary to have a sailing licence and to check the boat's homologation to know how many people you can take on board.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to opt for a full service sailboat rental with skipper in Calabria, we advise you to consult the relevant sites and official port and sea resort portals.

You will find the solution that suits you best.

What are you waiting for? Come and discover Calabria on a sailing boat!