Naples Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes
The Bay of Naples is a cruising ground of extraordinary density. Within 30 nautical miles of the waterfront you have three islands, an active volcano, two buried Roman cities, a UNESCO-listed coastline, volcanic hot springs, and some of the finest food in the Mediterranean. The routes below are designed to showcase this variety. The 3-day and 4-day itineraries cover different ground and can be combined into a 7-day grand Bay of Naples charter without repeating a single stop.
Day Charter Routes
Naples City and Castel dell’Ovo: A Cultural Day on the Water
Begin the morning with a tender transfer to the Borgo Marinaro harbour beneath Castel dell’Ovo. Climb the ramparts for panoramic views of Vesuvius and the bay, then walk along the lungomare to Piazza del Plebiscito and the Royal Palace. Continue into the historic centre: Spaccanapoli, the Cappella Sansevero (arrive early to avoid queues for the Veiled Christ), and Via San Gregorio Armeno’s nativity workshops. Lunch at Pizzeria Brandi – the birthplace of the pizza margherita – or at Palazzo Petrucci near the castle. Afternoon at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale for the Pompeii galleries and the Alexander Mosaic. Return to the yacht for a sunset cruise across the bay, your chef preparing fresh buffalo mozzarella and Neapolitan babà on the aft deck.
Pompeii and Vesuvius Day Charter
Cruise from the Naples waterfront to Marina di Stabia (roughly 15 nautical miles, 45 minutes), the closest port to Pompeii. Your crew arranges a car for the 8-kilometre drive to the archaeological site. Arrive at opening for the quietest streets and allow 2–3 hours for the highlights: the Forum, the House of the Faun (site of the Alexander Mosaic), the Villa of the Mysteries (with its vivid frescoes), and the 20,000-seat amphitheatre. After Pompeii, drive to the Vesuvius car park at 1,000 metres and hike 30 minutes to the 1,281-metre summit crater. The panorama from the rim – the bay, Naples, Capri, Ischia, both ancient cities – is staggering. Return to the yacht at Marina di Stabia for a late lunch on the aft deck, then cruise back to Naples as the afternoon light gilds the bay.
Naples to Procida Day Charter
Cruise west from Naples to Procida – roughly 18 nautical miles, just under an hour. Approach Marina Corricella from the south for the full impact of its pastel waterfront: peach, lemon-yellow and terracotta houses stacked above fishing boats in a harbour that feels decades removed from the mainland. Take the tender ashore and wander car-free lanes, stopping for granita di limone at a harbourside café. Walk through the tunnel to Spiaggia della Chiaia, the island’s loveliest beach, for a swim. Lunch ashore at a family-run trattoria serving the day’s catch. Return to the yacht for an afternoon cruise back via Capo Miseno, the ancient Roman naval base at the bay’s western headland.
3-Day Bay of Naples Yacht Charter Itinerary: Naples, Capri and the Amalfi Coast
Day 1: Naples – City, Culture and Cuisine
Board your yacht at the Naples marina by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and champagne on the flybridge with Vesuvius as your backdrop, take the tender ashore for a morning in the historic centre. Walk Spaccanapoli, visit the Cappella Sansevero for the Veiled Christ, and descend into Napoli Sotterranea’s underground tunnels. Lunch at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (founded 1870, Forcella district) for the definitive margherita – or your chef recreates it on the aft deck using San Marzano tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella sourced that morning. Afternoon at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale for the Pompeii galleries, the Farnese Marbles and the Alexander Mosaic. Return to the yacht for an evening cruise to a sheltered anchorage, your chef preparing spaghetti alle vongole and sfogliatella as the city lights come on across the water.
Day 2: Capri – Blue Grotto, Faraglioni and the Piazzetta
Depart early and cruise 12 nautical miles south to Capri. Morning at the Blue Grotto – arrive by 9 a.m. for the best light and shortest queue. Your crew arranges the rowing-boat transfer through the metre-high entrance into the cavern of electric blue water. After the Grotto, circumnavigate Capri’s dramatic southern coast, passing the Green Grotto and White Grotto before arriving at the Faraglioni. Pass through the 56-metre natural arch by tender. Anchor at Marina Piccola for a swim and lunch, then take the tender ashore: the funicular to Capri town, the Piazzetta for an afternoon aperitivo, Via Camerelle’s luxury boutiques, and custom sandals at Canfora (founded 1946). Dinner at Il Riccio (one Michelin star, perched above the Blue Grotto) or aboard your yacht anchored off Marina Grande.
Day 3: Positano, Li Galli and Sorrento
Depart Capri and cruise 12 nautical miles east to Positano. The approach from the sea – pastel houses cascading down near-vertical cliffs – is one of the great arrivals in yachting. Take the tender ashore for a morning of shopping and an espresso at a clifftop café. Continue 4 nautical miles south to the Li Galli islands – Homer’s Siren islands, once owned by Rudolf Nureyev – for a snorkel in crystal water over rocky reef. Lunch on the aft deck between the islets. Afternoon cruise to Sorrento (9 nautical miles from Capri), the elegant clifftop town overlooking the bay. Walk the main piazza, sample local limoncello, and enjoy views across to Vesuvius. Return to Naples in the late afternoon, or extend to the 4-day itinerary for a full island circuit. Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine this 3-day route with the 4-day itinerary for a comprehensive 7-day charter.
4-Day Bay of Naples Yacht Charter Itinerary: Ischia, Procida, Herculaneum and Vesuvius
Day 1: Ischia – Castle, Hot Springs and Volcanic Cuisine
Cruise west from Naples to Ischia – 20 nautical miles, roughly an hour. Morning at the Aragonese Castle, the imposing medieval fortress on its volcanic islet, with panoramic views from the ramparts and clear water around its base for swimming. Cruise south to Sant’Angelo, a car-free village on a dramatic isthmus, for lunch ashore at a harbourside restaurant. Afternoon at Sorgeto Bay, where natural volcanic hot springs bubble through the rocks and mix with the cool sea – your crew knows the warm spots. Your chef prepares dinner on the aft deck: coniglio all’ischitana (Ischia’s signature slow-cooked rabbit in a terracotta pot with tomatoes, garlic and local herbs), paired with Ischia’s own Biancolella wine.
Day 2: Procida – The Bay’s Hidden Gem
A short 5-nautical-mile cruise from Ischia brings you to Procida. Anchor off Marina Corricella – the pastel-painted fishing harbour featured in Il Postino and The Talented Mr. Ripley, named Italian Capital of Culture 2022. Take the tender ashore and wander car-free lanes, stopping for granita di limone. Explore Spiaggia della Chiaia (accessible through a tunnel cut into the rock) and the island’s tiny churches. The pace here is genuinely unhurried – 10,000 residents, no resort infrastructure, just authentic Neapolitan island life. Lunch on the aft deck with views across to Ischia’s volcanic peaks. Afternoon cruise to a sheltered anchorage near Capo Miseno, the ancient Roman naval base.
Day 3: Herculaneum and Vesuvius
Cruise east to the Naples waterfront and arrange a car to Herculaneum – just 11 kilometres from the port. This smaller, wealthier Roman town was buried not by ash (like Pompeii) but by superheated pyroclastic flows that carbonised and preserved intact upper storeys, wooden furniture, vivid frescoes and the Villa dei Papiri’s 1,800 carbonised scrolls. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Continue by car to the Vesuvius crater car park and hike 30 minutes to the summit at 1,281 metres for the bay’s most dramatic panorama. Return to the yacht for a late lunch, then cruise to a quiet anchorage off the Sorrento coast for the evening. Your chef prepares pasta alla Nerano (the courgette pasta invented in 1952 at nearby Marina del Cantone) for dinner.
Day 4: Sorrento, Punta Campanella and Return
Morning in Sorrento: walk the clifftop piazza, browse the inlaid woodwork (tarsia) shops, and sample local limoncello. After lunch, cruise south to Punta Campanella – the rocky headland at the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula, now a marine reserve with excellent snorkelling over Posidonia meadows. This is the point where the Bay of Naples meets the open Tyrrhenian Sea, and the views back toward Vesuvius and across to Capri are extraordinary. Return to Naples in the late afternoon (15 nautical miles, 45 minutes), or continue directly to Capri for the 3-day Amalfi Coast extension. Guests looking for a full week can combine this 4-day route with the 3-day Naples–Capri–Positano itinerary for a comprehensive 7-day grand Bay of Naples voyage.
