Monaco Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Monaco to Villefranche and Cap Ferrat

Board your yacht at Port Hercules by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and champagne on the flybridge, cruise five nautical miles west to Villefranche-sur-Mer. Anchor in the luminous horseshoe bay for a morning swim and snorkel along the rocky edges, where octopus and wrasse drift between the boulders. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck, salade niçoise with just-seared local tuna, chilled Provençal rosé and crusty bread. After lunch, cruise to Cap Ferrat’s Paloma Beach for an afternoon swim in sheltered turquoise water, with the Rothschild villa’s pink façade peeking through the pines above. As the sun drops, your captain positions the yacht for sunset views over the western Riviera. Overnight at anchor in the bay of Villefranche or return to Port Hercules.

Antibes, Cap d’Antibes and Cannes

Depart early and cruise 16 nautical miles to Antibes. Berth at Port Vauban and walk the ramparts of the walled old town, browse the morning market on Cours Masséna, and visit the Musée Picasso housed in the 12th-century Château Grimaldi. Return aboard and cruise around Cap d’Antibes, pausing at one of the sheltered southern bays for a snorkel over red coral and seagrass. Continue 12 nautical miles to Cannes, arriving in time for a late-afternoon stroll along La Croisette. Dinner ashore at one of the Vieux Port’s waterfront restaurants, or let your chef prepare a candlelit supper on the aft deck with the lights of Cannes reflected in the harbour. Overnight in Cannes.

Îles de Lérins and Return to Monaco

A short seven-nautical-mile cruise from Cannes brings you to the Îles de Lérins. Anchor off Île Sainte-Marguerite for a morning snorkel over the underwater sculpture park, contemporary artworks submerged in shallow, clear water surrounded by seagrass and reef fish. Tender across to Île Saint-Honorat, where Cistercian monks have made wine for 16 centuries, and walk the island’s eucalyptus-shaded paths before a long al fresco lunch on the yacht. In the early afternoon, set course back to Monaco, 28 nautical miles along the coast, arriving by late afternoon with the golden Riviera light on the starboard side. Disembark at Port Hercules, bronzed and thoroughly spoilt.

Monaco to Menton and Ventimiglia

Board at Port Hercules and cruise east along Monaco’s coastline. Within ten nautical miles you cross into France’s Menton, the warmest town on the Riviera, sheltered by the Alps and famous for its lemon groves, pastel-painted old quarter and the Cocteau Museum on the harbour wall. Anchor off the old town for a morning swim and a wander through the covered market. After lunch aboard, continue six nautical miles to Ventimiglia, where the Italian Riviera begins. The old town perches above a palm-lined promenade, and the Friday market is the largest on the Ligurian coast. Overnight at anchor or in the small harbour.

San Remo and Imperia

Cruise 15 nautical miles along the Italian Riviera to San Remo, the ‘City of Flowers’, famous for its Art Nouveau casino, its old town (La Pigna) of steep medieval lanes, and the annual Festival della Canzone Italiana. Berth at Porto Vecchio for a mid-morning espresso on the promenade and a stroll through the covered flower market. Continue 12 nautical miles west to Imperia’s Porto Maurizio for a late lunch of trofie al pesto and grilled branzino at a harbourside trattoria. The afternoon is yours for exploring the Parasio old town, perched on a headland above the harbour. Overnight in Imperia.

Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure

This is the headline day. Cruise roughly 40 nautical miles south-east along the Ligurian coast to the Portofino promontory. Drop anchor in the iconic harbour, a crescent of pastel-painted houses surrounding emerald water, fishing boats bobbing alongside superyachts. Tender ashore for a late-morning espresso at a harbourside café, climb to the Castello Brown for panoramic views, and swim off the rocks at Paraggi Bay (a ten-minute walk or two-minute tender ride from Portofino). Your chef prepares lunch at anchor, fresh pesto, focaccia di Recco and chilled Ligurian Vermentino. In the late afternoon, cruise two nautical miles to Santa Margherita Ligure for an evening passeggiata along the palm-lined seafront and dinner ashore. Overnight in the harbour.

Return Along the Riviera to Monaco

Depart Portofino or Santa Margherita early and set course west for the return to Monaco, roughly 85 nautical miles, a comfortable day’s cruise at 20 knots with stops. Pause at Bordigera for a mid-morning swim in clear Ligurian water, then continue past Ventimiglia and Menton. Your chef prepares a farewell gourmet lunch on the aft deck as the coastline shifts from Italian olive groves back to the French Riviera’s dramatic headlands. Arrive at Port Hercules by late afternoon, in time for a final sunset drink on the flybridge overlooking Monte Carlo.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Western Riviera itinerary with the 4-day Italian Ligurian route for a full 7-day charter covering France and Italy, from the Îles de Lérins to Portofino and back, without repeating a single anchorage or port.