Gulf of Naples & Amalfi Coast · Route Planning
A working reference for a first cruise in this ground: real anchorage names, protection notes, the rules that actually bite, and which loop fits which charter base.
The Ground, In Brief
This is an island-hopping ground, not an offshore one — hops between stops run mostly 5-20nm, so days are short and there's time to swim, anchor early, and go ashore. Summer's prevailing wind is a south-westerly Libeccio, Force 2-5, strongest in the afternoon and dying at sunset — plan to be anchored or on a buoy by early-to-mid afternoon. Sirocco and Libeccio both throw uncomfortable swell onto south- and west-facing anchorages, so treat every anchorage here as fair-weather only, with a bail-out marina in mind. Late summer can bring afternoon thunderstorms after hot, still mornings.
Best months: May-June and September give the same conditions with a fraction of the crowds and far better berth availability. July-August is when Capri, Positano and Amalfi berths need booking weeks ahead, and prices roughly double.
Boats currently on the table sit at two bases — Procida (Marina di Procida) and Salerno (Marina d'Arechi). Each route below leans naturally toward one of them.
The classic islands-and-cliffs circuit — Procida, Ischia, Capri, then down to Amalfi and back. Capri comes early, and the return leg is the one weak point.
See full itinerary ↓Short, gentle coastal hops along the Amalfi shoreline itself, saving Capri for the finale rather than an early, crowded stop. The recommended shape for a first time here.
See full itinerary ↓Two genuine alternatives to the classic run: the Pontine Islands north from Procida, or the unspoilt Cilento coast south from Salerno. Fewer crowds, less polish.
See full itinerary ↓Route A · Your Shape, Refined
Procida → Ischia → Capri → Nerano → Positano → Amalfi → return
Matched boats currently on the table: Karina (Elba 45, flybridge), Daria & Lady Lety (Leopard 45), Odissea (Leopard 46, flybridge), La Suerte & Maria del Mar (Leopard 50, 5+1 cab), plus several further Leopard 45/50s at the same berth.
7-Day Shape
Base at Marina di Procida (usual bareboat departure point) or the busier Marina Grande. In the afternoon, move round to anchor at Cala San Antonio facing Corricella — sand/weed, 5-7m, sheltered from SW-NW winds and one of the prettiest anchorages in the region. Dinghy into Marina Corricella, the pastel, car-free fishing village, for dinner. Alternative: the Chiaia roadstead, sheltered from 3rd/4th quadrant winds.
Short hop to Cartaromana Bay, right under the Aragonese Castle at Ischia Ponte — scenic, sheltered, easy dinghy landing. Or continue to Sant'Angelo — very few berths in the harbour itself, but the wide south bay gives sandy, settled-weather anchoring, with the Maronti thermal springs a short walk away.
Cross to Capri (about 14nm). Marina Grande is sheltered from W/NW but frequently packed solid, with poor holding. The better overnight is Marina Piccola on the south coast, more or less opposite the Faraglioni — but it's open to swell in sirocco/libeccio, so keep Marina Grande as a retreat. Go early (before 9:30am) for the Blue Grotto, and note the Faraglione arch can no longer be sailed through.
Sail to Marina del Cantone, Nerano's sandy bay — anchor and walk in to Lo Scoglio for the famous spaghetti alla Nerano. Ieranto Bay is the highlight of the whole trip: a protected cove reachable only by boat or a 45-minute coastal path. From mid-June there's a seasonal eco-mooring field at Le Mortelle. Li Galli is private — no landing, but worth a slow sail-by near sunset.
Short 8nm hop. There's no marina — pick up a buoy in the cooperative-run field off Spiaggia Grande (VHF 77 for the Lucibello field) or the Grassi Junior field off Fornillo beach. Can be rolly overnight from ferry wash and day-boat traffic — a known trade-off for the view.
A gentle 5-6nm run past Praiano and the arched Fiordo di Furore, worth a tender detour for photos and a swim. Berth at Marina Coppola — 8-11m depth, takes yachts to 35m, the best-sheltered berth on this stretch, and a 10-minute walk to the Cathedral. Ravello is a worthwhile half-day by taxi.
The one weak point in a Procida-based loop: a long transit back (30nm+) through some of the busiest water in the area. Two better options: base at Salerno (Marina d'Arechi) or Castellammare di Stabia instead, cutting this to a manageable coastal hop, or ask about a one-way Procida → Salerno charter.
Route B · Recommended For A First Time Here
Salerno → Cetara → Maiori/Minori → Amalfi → Conca dei Marini → Positano → Nerano/Capri → return
Matched boats currently on the table: Nami (Fountaine Pajot Elba 45) and Tritone (Bali 4.6, flybridge) — both berthed at Marina d'Arechi, modern and well set up for provisioning before departure.
This trades the long open crossings of Route A for short, coast-hugging days along the Amalfi coast itself before pushing out to Capri at the end — a gentler introduction to the area, with Capri as the finale rather than an early, crowded stop.
7-Day Shape
Depart Marina d'Arechi (modern, good provisioning) for Cetara, a real working fishing village famous for colatura di alici, the anchovy sauce — no big marina, anchor off in settled weather. Only 7nm, a gentle start.
Cetara to Maiori, the longest beach on the whole Amalfi coast, and neighbouring Minori, a few minutes away by boat — anchor off either, or use the small harbour facilities.
Minori to Amalfi (Marina Coppola berth, Cathedral visit), then a short hop on to anchor off Conca dei Marini, from where you tender or swim into the Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto).
Conca dei Marini to Positano via Praiano and the Furore fjord — buoy field off Spiaggia Grande or Fornillo, same fields and same trade-offs as Route A.
Positano to Marina del Cantone/Nerano, with the Ieranto Bay walk-or-dinghy excursion and a slow pass by Li Galli.
Nerano to Capri — Marina Piccola or Marina Grande, Blue Grotto early, Faraglioni — saved for the finale rather than an early stop, so it lands with more impact and less rush.
Capri to Salerno, around 24nm — or, weather permitting, hug the coast back via Positano for a longer but more scenic final day. No long, congested open crossing like Route A's return leg.
Route C · If You Want Something Quieter Or Wilder
Both options start from the same two bases already on the table, just point in a different direction — worth knowing about even if the classic run stays the main plan.
Ventotene & Ponza/Palmarola
From Procida, head north past the Phlegraean islands to Ventotene (wreck diving, a genuinely untouched island feel) and Ponza/Palmarola (dramatic sea stacks and caves known as "The Rifles"). Crossings are longer — Ventotene is about 25nm from Procida — and the islands are much less crowded than Capri or Amalfi.
Agropoli, Santa Maria di Castellabate, Acciaroli, Palinuro
South of Salerno, less discovered, with unspoilt fishing harbours and a back-to-basics feel compared with the polish of Amalfi. Good as a quieter add-on to a Salerno-based week, or as a full alternative if the classic run has already been done and something calmer and cheaper is the goal.
Field Reference
The names, protection, and bottom type that actually matter when picking a spot to drop the hook, across both Route A and Route B.
| Place | Type | Protection | Bottom / Depth | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cala San Antonio (Procida) | Anchorage | SW-NW winds | Sand/weed, 5-7m | Some reports of local anchoring restrictions — check on arrival |
| Chiaia roadstead (Procida) | Anchorage | 3rd/4th quadrant | Sand + Posidonia | Anchor sand patches only |
| Cartaromana (Ischia) | Anchorage | Sheltered bay | Moderate | Popular, can be busy |
| Sant'Angelo (Ischia) | Small harbour + bay | South bay, settled weather only | Sandy, no dangers | Very few berths in the harbour itself |
| Marina Grande (Capri) | Harbour/anchorage | W/NW | Sand/Posidonia, poor holding | Extremely crowded in season |
| Marina Piccola (Capri) | Anchorage | Exposed to sirocco/libeccio | 70m-10m | Retreat to Marina Grande if wind swings onshore |
| Marina del Cantone (Nerano) | Anchorage | Good | Sandy | MPA rules apply |
| Ieranto Bay | Day anchorage/dinghy | Sheltered cove | — | No road access; MPA zone, seasonal Le Mortelle buoys |
| Positano (Spiaggia Grande/Fornillo) | Buoy fields only | Exposed to ferry wash | — | No free anchoring near the pier; call VHF 77 |
| Marina Coppola (Amalfi) | Marina | Most sheltered on this coast | 8-11m | Book ahead, especially weekends |
| Conca dei Marini | Anchorage | Fair weather | — | Access point for Emerald Grotto |
Read Before You Drop The Hook
Applies across all three routes — these are enforced, not suggestions.
Anchor on visible sand only, never on seagrass meadows. Use mooring buoys or fields wherever they exist — Le Mortelle, Positano's two fields, Capri's south-coast field.
Zoned A (no access) / B (restricted) / C (monitored) around Capri's peninsula. Roughly two-thirds is open to unrestricted navigation/anchoring; speed limits are 5 knots within 300m of shore in the core zone, 10 knots beyond.
Keep at least 200-300m off swimming beaches when anchoring — it's enforced, not a suggestion. Capri issued 17 fines in one operation in August 2025.
Private islands off Positano — no landing, but fine to sail close and swim off the boat.
Only enterable by small rowboat, in calm conditions — closes entirely in swell. Go early, ideally before 9:30am.
Heaviest around Procida Marina Grande, Ischia Porto, and Capri Marina Grande — time arrivals and departures away from scheduled ferry windows where possible.