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Sardinia + Corsica

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean has an expansive seacoast of white sand beaches and granite rock formations that create deep inlets and bays. Sardinia’s southern point lies just 100 nautical miles from Africa, and to the north Corsica is located only 10 nautical miles away across the narrow but formidable Strait of Bonifacio.

Home to a variety of charming islands and a rugged and beautiful coastline--Costa Smeralda and the La Maddalena Archipelago is one of the best sailing grounds in all of the Mediterranean. It’s vastly different than the other sailing itineraries in Italy, let alone the entirety of Europe's waterways. The combination of its isolated coast and offshore islands makes Costa Smeralda best explored by sailboat. Tourism to these places is limited by the exclusivity of the regional resorts, and the itinerary is rewarding for its abundant beauty. There is a nearly endless variety of protected coves for sailors to explore means that you could easily spend a week or a lifetime getting to know the region.

Sailing Collective is a hands-on, bespoke charter company exploring coastlines of the world on crewed sailing adventures. Our customized voyages integrate adventure, heritage, and great sailing through a unique and thoughtful approach to modern travel.

Location

Sardinia & Corsica
Italy

Season

Early to Late Summer

Itinerary

Our Sardinia & Corsica voyage begins on the Italian island of Sardinia, approximately 30 minutes from Olbia airport. Itinerary example*:

Bonifacio

Sailing along the cliffs of Southern Corsica, Bonifacio is an improbable appearance. A harbor entrance so narrow among such steep shoreline that until you are under the overhanging cliffs of the old city it remains difficult to believe it is there. Buildings within the fortified wall sit right up along the edge of the cliff and appear more pronouncedly precarious as you make your approach. Inside the Port of Bonifacio, You have the option to either dock at the marina-- a harrowing affair with slime-lines and push boats and people attempting to communicate with you through loud whistles. Going ashore leads you to as quaint of a town as you’ll find anywhere in the world. Walk up the steps from the harbor and cross a drawbridge to enter the old fortified city

Lavezzi

A number of flat lying islands are located in the Strait of Bonifacio are notable for their orange granite boulders that litter the island edges. Lavezzi is an eerily beautiful island. A marine reserve surrounding the islands forbids fishing of all kinds and on shore the preserve protects nesting birds which find refuge in the stacked rock formations. The boulders cascade from piles on land into the sea. A boulder-strewn seafloor makes for fantastic snorkeling in the anchorages but also adds to the very tricky navigation as you make the approach.

Isola Tavolara

Isola Tavolara is located just south of the Bay of Olbia and is conspicuously recognizable by its steep limestone cliffs that tower 565 meters above the sea and stretch about 5 nautical miles long. In the west, the cliff dips to a cove and a sun-soaked white sand beach. The eastern side of the island is used as a NATO radio communication station and is off-limits, but sailing past the towering antenna infrastructure that spans mountain peaks is impressive from a distance.

Caprera

Sailing north from Olbia or Tavolara you will enter the La Maddalena archipelago arriving first at Isla Caprera--a largely uninhabited island that has some significant old military infrastructure scattered throughout. The tale of Giuseppe Garibaldi and the unification of the kingdom of italy looms large over the island and his retirement home is a museum worth venturing to. Caprera is connected to La Maddalena island by a causeway with roads that twist through the mountainous landscape ashore.

La Maddalena

La Maddalena is the name of the island group that sits north of mainland Sardinia and is also the name of the largest and most populous island in the archipelago and is also the name of the only town on the island. Going ashore affords you a wander through narrow walking streets lined with fragrant and colorful flowers that overflow from the window boxes of homes that have their shutters flung open to the warm summer air.

*Itinerary is always subject to change based on guest preferences, weather, and captain recommendations.

Crew

Professional Captain

Your professional crew are talented explorers who combine their love of sailing with personalized hospitality. Each captain is professionally certified and able to lead your one of a kind experience at sea.

Meet the captains

Private Chef

A Sailing Collective chef embodies our philosophy of travel, storytelling, learning, and sharing. We use local ingredients to create a unique culinary experience for each voyage. This is unlike any food adventure you've ever been on.

Meet the chefs

Trip Details

PACKAGE INCLUDES

Private Captain
Private Chef
Fresh, local provisioning
Travel concierge

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Marina: Porto di Cannigione
Boat name: Dignity
Charter Company:
Sail Sicily

Embarking: Meeting time is after 7 p.m. on Saturday, Day 1 at the Porto di Cannigione. Upon arrival, look for the boat donning a Sailing Collective flag or ask a Sail Sicily rep to point you towards Dignity or Cpt. Paul Porter. If you arrive earlier in the day, you can store your laugage at the marina and explore the area. If you plan on arriving after 7 p.m., please let us know as soon as possible and we so we can make accomodations!

Disembarking: You will arrive back to the marina by sunset on Friday Day 7, you will dine in town and spend the last night on the boat at the marina. Disembarking is by 9 a.m. the next morning. Your crew can help arrange a taxi for you if needed.

AIRPORT

Olbia, Sardinia - Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB)

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

Head here for some of our favorite spots.

TRANSPORTATION FROM AIRPORT TO MARINA

Taxi transfers: The taxi stand is just outside the airport with accessible and affordable taxi service to Marina di Portisco. Transfer is 23 miles and should cost roughly $30.

For further information, please visit the Sailing Collective recommended travel service of ROME2RIO for other transfer options from the airport to the marina. If you arrive early and wish to explore Sardinia, taxis can be rented for a full date at the price of 60EUR.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

Please ensure your passport is valid for the period of travel and for six months after you return. Your passport name must match the name on the flight ticket otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid.

It is the responsibility of each individual to ensure relevant visas are obtained where necessary. The Sailing Collective cannot be held responsible for refusal of entry or travel due to lack of visas. If you are in any doubt please contact your Embassy for full details.

We may spend a day sailing to Corsica so please ensure you have visa access to go into France ahead of time. Please tell a Sailing Collective representative ahead of time if you are unable to go into France.

WEATHER

During summer Sardinia has a virtual sunshine guarantee. The southern coast counts on average no more than three rainy days between June and August. The water temperature at Sardinia's beaches is warm all year. With highs in the mid 80s with nearly tropical water temperature, expect to experience summer temperatures when vacationing in Sardinia.

PROVISIONING

Sailing Collective will provision your journey with local foods and produce. Cooking Aboard: Your Sailing Collective chef/crew is incredibly talented and can handle the group's needs with ease. We are all about participation and learning, so if you'd like to help, just ask and we'll get you involved! Collective groups may choose to dine out more times than scheduled if the group or individuals choose.

Included in provisioning package:

6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 3 Dinners, Light Snacks, Water, Coffee & Tea
Not included in provisioning package:

Soft Drinks, Alcohol, Wine, Beer, etc.

Dietary Restrictions: Important to notify your Sailing Collective representative of any dietary restrictions ahead of time and fill out details in Guest Form

ADDITIONAL COST

Recommended $300 – $600 in spending money depending on spending habits.
Additional food and beverages including alcohol.
All expenses on shore including meals and drinks.
Flights and transportation to and from the marina location.

GRATUITY

Tips are split evenly between the crew and it is common to offer 10% to 20% of the cost of the carter. Gratuity can be offered in Euros or Dollars, PayPal or Venmo.

PACKING LIST

Collapsible bags in place of large rigid suitcases are advised for ease of transport on and off the boat.

During days on the water, you’ll want to be wearing light and comfortable clothing. As the vast majority of your time will be spent outside, prepare for elements - bring a light rain coat just in case, a hat to shield yourself from the sun, and a set of warm clothing. Throughout the week we may dine out at a nice restaurant, so bring gear that you’ll look nice in and suits your style. Loading and unloading from the dingy can be a wet activity, a pair of shoes that you can get wet is recommended.

KEY ITEMS:

printouts of important info such as meeting details and travel documents
passport
camera - dry bag or case for your phone and camera is highly recommended
hat / sunglasses / sunscreen
light rain coat / wind jacket
boat shoes or non-slip shoes
shoes you don’t mind getting wet such as flip flops
books / travel books
any special dietary foods
water bottle
toiletries

OPTIONAL:

sailing gloves
games
iPod/music player
beach towel (1 towel is provided with linens)
bug spray

Boats

Dufour 48 Catamaran

The Dufour Catamarans 48 has been designed to satisfy the requirements of charter guests wishing to live on board throughout an adventurous week. Offering a large living room was essential and the result is perfectly achieved. The kitchen connected to the cockpit, is fully equipped and ergonomic with its many storage spaces. At the front, there is the office space – chart table, equipped with a repeater screen and an autopilot control with joystick, to control the boat from the inside.

Bed size: Mattress is between a double and queen size bed

For more informatoin about the Dufour 48

Lagoon 52

Luxurious and contemporary, noble and luxurious materials, with soft shades for a harmonious interior continuous horizontal and fluent lines give the interior open and generous spaces continuity between exterior and interior life a slender exterior design for a boat with a strong character.

Lagoon 46 Flybridge

The new catamaran LAGOON 46 combines easy sailing with plenty of comfort. Relaxed, effortless sailing paired with comfortable accommodation are the highlights of the LAGOON 46 catamaran. The French yacht designers placed value on an elevated helm station and on the three spacious lounge areas on this catamaran. The LAGOON 46 catamaran comes with 3 or 4 cabins and offers enough space for up to eight guests plus crew.

Bedsize: Just shy of a queen-size mattress

For more information about the Lagoon 46 Catamaran

Lagoon 50

A flybridge with two secure accesses and a helm station provides perfect visibility. And behind the helm station, a huge modular recreation area conceals a storage area large enough to store all the cushions. A large open cockpit facing out to sea, large stern skirts enable easy access to the boat and a large modular dining area with removable bench seats to welcome children and adults alike.

Bali 54

The BALI 5.4 Open Space is characterized by completely open spaces and very ergonomic living spaces. In addition to the recognized innovations such as the rigid front cockpit with lounge area and sunbathing, the new platform linking the two rear skirts with large bench and chests, the large tilt-and-turn door and sliding windows, a panoramic relaxation area on the roof, the BALI 5.4 offers new access to the front cockpit through an interior door and cabins through panels opening onto the rear cockpit.

Bali 4.6 Catamaran

New for 2020, the Bali 4.6 builds on the success of the 4.5, as well as other acclaimed Bali models, while simultaneously raising the bar for her class of recreational cruising catamarans. This ambitious new model from Olivier Poncin and the acclaimed CATANA R&D team is a head-turner from the start with smooth modern lines, integrated hull windows, and more space for living in comfort and style

You’ll immediately recognize the Bali DNA in many of her design features, including the sweeping, rigid foredeck cockpit providing the perfect sunbathing area, and the signature garage door-style aft opening that seamlessly joins interior and exterior spaces. And naturally, she provides the peace of mind and seakeeping qualities that comes with a yacht with a CATANA shipyard build.

Bali 4.6

The Bali 4.6 builds on the success of the 4.5, as well as other acclaimed Bali models, while simultaneously raising the bar for her class of recreational cruising catamarans. This ambitious new model from Olivier Poncin and the acclaimed CATANA R&D team is a head-turner from the start with smooth modern lines, integrated hull windows, and more space for living in comfort and style.

Dufour 46 Monohull

Constantly looking to the future, Dufour designs each new model to provide pleasure and feel in complete serenity, whatever your cruising project and however you use your yacht. For over 60 years, we have been designing and building innovative, high-performance sailing boats. Marked by an assertive character and an identity recognisable among the crowd, Dufour yachts suit your desires and your boating programme to offer you amazing and comfortable sailing experiences and the pride of owning an elegant and safe yacht from an emblematic brand.

Fontaine Pajot Astrea 42

By inventing the Astréa 42, Fountaine Pajot Sailing Catamarans reaffirms its ongoing commitment to build and innovate based on its experience. The Astréa 42 builds on the strengths that have made the Saona 47 so successful: its inverted bow stands out as the trademark of the series. This innovative feature sketches out an elegant and dynamic silhouette, while creating stunning volumes inside the boat in spite of a relatively small overall size, with a mere 12.58 metres in length.

Nautitech 46 Fly

There’s no shortage of gathering spaces for small-group conversations or even a solitary escape when it’s time to get away from the pack on this spacious catamaran. Forward are two cushioned lounges that unfold onto the trampoline, forming double sunpads with a place for drinks in between. Aft, the cockpit will accommodate six for dinner, two more on the side lounge and four across the transom seat. Up top, eight can keep the helmsman company.

Lagoon 40

With her new visual identity, the 40 immediately stands out. While faithful to the image of Lagoon’s "DNA", a new style is born: an individual, streamlined and accomplished design depicts her large portholes and panoramic view. This creates a refined and high-performance unit, emphasised by the chamfer running from the bow to the stern. A new generation Lagoon, recognisable at first sight.