Dare Vasko, I am Italian, and even if I am a bit disappointed from your sentences I believe you have some good reasons to be so hard in your judgments.
sincerely I did not see FRANCE as more civilised, but is probably my view.
on the other hand I would love to have your advices since I am planning the same trip.
best Regards
Here you can find detailed coordinates - day by day - from Elba down to Greece :
jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/6633/moving-catalan-french-boarder-greecein brief you go : Portovenere ( for me the best place in Italy for boat), Pisa, Elba, Talamone, Santa Marinella, Torre, Astura, Itchia, Amalfi, Isola Di Dino, Capo Vaticano, Reggio Calabria, Argostoli/Kefalonia
Messina Straight - you enter 1/2h before the stream starts south and you keep close to the main land Italy out of the main shipping channel - this way you will not have a bastardo(secondary stream) and will be with the stream all the way - no problem with ferries or any normal shipping - be careful with the local motorboats they go any direction with no matter what the rule book say... in Reggio - there are transit pontoon at the southeast part of the harbour 40/eur per night for 10m boat - the filling station is the north east part - little bit tricky in windy conditions but we managed just fine...
re: harsh sentences - you are right that I'm too harsh - what I mean by civilized : three examples
France : very uncommon someone to speed fast in a bay with anchored boats
Italy: Every minute there is someone running on max throttle between all anchored boats and you boom almost hit the water constantly... ( it looks like this is not new
even in Pompei from Roman times it looks like they had discovered the "lying policeman" on the roads
France: you pay what you have asked and you get same service (including places like St Tropez, Nice, Cannes, Monaco etc.) - no matter you are 10 meters or 60 meters gin-palace
Italy: if you do not have a gin-palace you are invisible and you do not get any service ( especially in places like : Rapallo / Portofino etc.)
France: when on shore - no mater what nation you are - rich or poor same treatment for everyone
Italy: everyone is treating you like a tourist that is stupid and need to be overcharged - especially in touristic places like Pompei - I pay 30EUR in addition to a taxi driver for 1.5km change of the agreed road - no receipt...
------------------ following all information that I collected about possible stops from French border to Greece -----------
------------------ * means paid marina
*1. Imperia – (it is Porto Di Imperia Ingresso)
*2. Marina di Loano
3. Portofino (anchoring in some of the bays around it) or Santamargherita (just outside the harbour still in the bay) or Lavanga marina
4. Sestri Levante (good anchorage in the bay just outside the harbour, pay attention because you have to remain OUT from the red signals) – visit Baia Del Silenzio
5. La SPEZIA- find a bay around the Island of Palmaria
*6. Marina Di Piza
7. Baratti bay
8. Elba Island
Golfo di Campo, Isola d'Elba: N 42 44.822 E 010 14.562
This is one of 3 large bays on the south coast of Elba. We anchored in the large bay at the NE in 30 ft over sand and clear clean water, excellent holding, and open to the south. Spectacular surroundings with high cliffs and lots of greenery. There is a very nice beach with bars and restaurants to serve you plus the surroundings are very nice with lush green hills covered with a thick pine forest. The anchorage is huge with excellent holding. The night was a big disappointment with load music and singing from one of the bars or hotels ashore till 07:00 the next morning. There is a small marina on the northwest corner of the bay located at the town of Marina di Campo.
Golfo Laconia, Isola D'Elba: N 42 45.351 E 010 18.57
We anchored in the NE corner of Golfo Laconia in 30 ft over sand with excellent holding, here it is also spectacular surroundings with a nice beach at the head of the bay. We hoped it would be quiet here during the night. Well it was not quiet at all, but not as loud as the previous day. We also had a bad swell from the south and when the wind died we were at its mercy yawing from side to side. The other option is to anchor in the small bay at the west within this large bay. It may be quieter there.
Felciaio bay, Isola d`Elba: N 42 45.697 E 010 20.869
We anchored in 12 ft over sand and clear water. This is located within another large bay of Golfo Stella, there are a few other anchoring options in this gulf, all with nice clean beaches. This is a very nice place, not much traffic and we had a great night here. There are some small restaurants ashore to the east of this spot but not much else. The scenery is similar to the last two gulfs. Lots of small indents to explore by dinghy.
Porto Azurro, Isola,'Elba: N 42 45.692 E 010 23.727
Anchored in 30 ft over unknown bottom but the holding was excellent. This is just outside the main harbour to the SE of the Western point where the hotel is situated just above on the cliffs with the road snaking around it. It is an easy dinghy ride to the harbour where you can tie up to where all the other tenders are. This is a very good anchorage, it is a busy anchorage but all goes quiet at dusk. In town you will find very good provisioning, an open market once a week, many restaurants and cafes, a nice square where you can sit and watch the crowds go by. There are 2 marinas available; one near the town dock where you can also get fuel at the fuel dock and the other is to the south where they have pontoons and also a full service marina with travel lift and other services.
9. La Rochette: N 42 46.443 E 010 47.636
We anchored in 17ft over sand north east of the old fortress on top of the hill. It is a good stop over when reaching the mainland from offshore. There is a nice beach to the north of the anchorage with a hotel and many umbrellas and deckchairs. Land the dingHy at the corner of the beach or better swim to shore, we all need a bit of exercise. Not much else here, the castle is a good hike up and very nice views from there. It was a quiet anchorage with excellent holding, but again, the swell got to us during the night.
10. Talamone: N 42 33.374 E 011 08.405
We anchored in 12 ft close to the small marina, the holding is not that good so look for a good spot with some sand and check it out later when you go snorkeling. There is a nice village on the top with restaurants and a very good lookout point, but not much else. Dinghy into the harbour and tie up near the ferry terminal.
11. Isola Del Giglio
12. Cala Galera: N 42 24.371 E 011 12.701
Very nice anchorage. Although very busy during the day, it is secure and very quiet at night, very good holding over sand. Marina Cala Galera
www.marinacalagalera.com/ is very close. Marina Porto Ercole is just south. There are a few bars on the beach. At the village of Porto Ercole you will find limited provisioning but many restaurants and coffee shops. Porto Ercole fortress is a must-see on top of the hill to the south.
13. Santa Marinella: N 42 02.124 E 011 52.560
We anchored just outside the marina in 13 ft over sand, we did have a roll but it settled down. Sleep was very good with calm seas and no swell. There is a very lovely town with all provisions and a few coffee shops and restaurants around the square in the village - not many tourists around this time of year. We hired a diver to clean the bottom - he charged us €50:00 (Ettore tel # 338-284-2665). There is a nice pizza place on Via Aureli, you buy pizza by weight and it’s delicious. Fuel available at the marina in the south west corner.
14 Anzio (said to have swell but OK in good weather )
Anzio: N 41 26.803 E 012 38.310
We anchored just outside the harbour in 8 ft over sand bottom. The Guardia di Finanze came for an inspection, they did not board but were very polite asking a lot of questions. They asked to see passports; boat papers; boat insurance and the Costituto. They spent a whole hour with us while also giving us some background history of Anzio and the US led invasion of 1943. We spent some time touring the town which is very nice with a lots of outside coffee shops where one can sit for hours; good provisioning at the supermarket. The waterfront on the east coast is also very nice. Tie up the dinghy where convenient - we asked the dinghy/yacht club located at the north corner of the harbour past the inner break wall, they were very happy to accommodate us, no need to lock the dingy as they may need to move it. Make sure you do not anchor in the channel as the authorities will ask you to move. This is a very nice harbour with a big fleet of fishing boats and you will find fish vendors in the morning around the small fishing harbour at the south west corner.
Wifi : dlink-d7c8b1
15.
S.Felice Circeo (anchored long way out but shelter is good as usual wind is directly offshore) Wifi : Villa Penelope good speed and signal visible for miles
OR
Terracina (get close in towards harbour.) usually strong afternoon wind parallel with coast but just OK at anchor, drops overnight Wifi : LePalmeWIFI Need to register with email
16. Gaeta, shelter OK near shore close to marina. Holding is patchy, mixture of soft clay with more crumbly clay (anchor can come up with a big lump on the tip)
(dinghy to shore, turn left and head inshore of marina to find a spot for dinghy. Water taps there as well, potable and non-potable so check which side of post has potable. Marina don't seem to bother if you fill cans).
Wifi: WiFi_BaseNautica or Yacht Club Café (marina seems to leave Wifi unsecured).
17. Isola di Ponza: N 40 53.839 E 012 57.706
This is a very picturesque harbour anchorage, the anchorage is small but adequate, holding is suspect in some areas. There are a few marinas around and some of them will come and see if you need a slip. The rate in September was €40.00 for us, which is reasonable considering you will be right in town, they will help you berth. You can tie up the dinghy at one of the few landing metal frames near the ferry dock. The water front is where all the restaurants and provisioning is, but there is a sea level and then there is a ramp that takes you to the upper level with better views of the harbour and its many fishing boats. There is also a marina to the north west of the anchorage. You can also explore the many coves along the east shore north of the harbour.
18. Isola Ventotene: N 40 47.843 E 013 26.188
We anchored in 30ft over sand in front of the old harbour entrance. This is an amazing little island with a village and museum on top, a quaint little harbour dug out of solid rock during the Roman times. Room for sailboats inside the harbour, assistance available. Find a spot where convenient to tie up your dinghy. There is a ramp leading from the port to the top of Ventotene.
Walk to the top and there you will find a very nice village with restaurants and cafes, limited provisioning is available. There are organized walks to many parts of the island, check with the museum curator. The anchorage is wide open but was very calm when we were there in early September. There is a small marina located at the north west of the island for when the weather is not good to anchor.
19. Ischia (Il Castello North, Isola d'Iscia: N 40 43.996 E 013 57.683)
There are two anchoring options here: one is to the south of the Castello and the other is to the north of Il Castello. We anchored at north anchorage as the south anchorage was full and the only spots available there were too deep. We managed to grab the bottom on our 2nd attempt in 12 feet of water with a bottom of sand and weeds. It is very rolly here and in the south anchorage due to heavy boat traffic up and down the coast plus the water taxis, but it does become very calm after sunset.
To tie up your dinghy you will need to go under the small causeway connecting Iscia to the Il Castell island, turn right and head south west till you find a water taxi dock. Ask permission and they will help you tie up in a spot where you do not interfere with their taxis. From here it is a very short walk to the village with provisions and a multitude of cafes and restaurants. It cost 10€ to visit the Il Castello including the ride to the top with an elevator. The water taxis are convenient if you don’t feel like launching your dinghy.
20. Procida, Cala San Antonio: N 40 45.567 E 014 01.774
We anchored in this large bay in 30 ft over sand with excellent holding. You cannot enter the small harbour with your boat as there is no room to anchor or tie up. Tie your dingy where convenient inside the harbour. There is a set of stairs at the west end of the waterfront that takes you to the top, where within a short walk you have provisioning and cafes. There is a lot of nice walks in town above the fishing village and you may also visit the new marina on the North West shore of the island. This is one of those places that you would see on a postcard, homes built on a cliff’s side all painted in pastel colours, it is just wonderful and the locals are very friendly. This is definitely worth a visit.
21. Naples, Rada Di Magellina: N 40 49.789 E 014 13.834
Anchored in 25 ft. over sand the holding is excellent. The backdrop is totally different from what we have seen this past summer, what you have here is a thousands of multi-level apartments that would look awful if not for the kaleidoscope of colours dotting the hill of Naples. You can tie up the dingy in one of the marinas to the west of the anchorage, but you will need permission. Also with permission you can tie up at one of the marinas or clubs at the Borgo Santa Lucia to the east of this anchorage, the latter is downtown Naples where all the attractions are, so it is very convenient especially if you need provisioning. When we were there in September we could not find a spot in any of the marinas around here.
*22. Porto Torre del Greco: N 40 47.068 E 014 21.675
Tied up at one of the marinas in the harbour for €60.00/day water end electricity included. From here we can visit Naples, Pompei, Heracleneum etc… by train, but it is a long uphill walk to the train station. Torre del Greco is built on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, so everywhere you go is uphill or downhill, there is no walking on the level. With many restaurants and cafes the town comes alive in the evening especially near the main square up the hill. There is a supermarket close to the harbour with a very good selection of food. This is a poor town and it does not look very clean but the people are very friendly and ready to help you. It is worth a visit. We spent 3 days here and enjoyed it very much. Fuel options are 2, one across the outer wall and the other inside further at the corner of the outer wall.
23. Capri
Marina Piccola, in the centre of the south coast, is an attractive anchorage, but the village itself is a very popular tourist spot.
Cala del Rio on the west coast and Pta di Massullo on the east are other possible anchorages.
*24. Marina D'Arechi - good price new marina
25. Agropoli has a transito berth( one night free) - bow or stern to, starboard side as you enter the port, before the yacht club berths, against quite a low wall, lazy lines. Water and electricity is chargeable.
26. The Bay south of Agripoli: N 40 20.517 E 014 58.068
From Torre del Greco we had a very nice trip, sailed a bit with full main and genoa, motored close to the spectacular Amalf coast until just past Amalfi ( took a lot of photos) and then headed south east towards Agripoli. Anchored in 20 ft over murky water and sand bottom. We tried the marina before anchoring but it was packed and they wanted too much for a small spot left open, so we opted to anchor. We had no swell here and it was a good night rest. You can dingy to the harbour and tie up where convenient, the town has a lot to offer including provisioning.
27. Capo Palinuro, good shelter behind the small island
*28. Marina di Camerota
29. Cala Iscoletti: N 39 59.973 E 015 25.706
This is a very nice cove with free mooring, depths in the middle are in 60ft and the moorings are set in 30 ft around the inside close to shore. This is a spectacular little cove with lush green cliffs that seem to overhang above you, but plan to arrive early in the morning or at just before sunset otherwise you will not get a mooring as there is only a few. It started out very well but then we got a bit of south wind in the range of 10knts and from then on it got very sloppy, even when the wind clocked to the NW it was like a bathtub. So in the morning we headed into a marina.
*30 Marina in Scario: N 40 03.132 E 015 29.604
We took a berth for a couple of days at the Co-Op Mare Blu for €35.00/ night. This is a sleepy town with adequate provisioning, fuel by order to exact amount and many cafes and restaurants around the harbour. Most of the buildings are built with stone making the place look very rustic, it is a very clean place unlike Naples and Torre del Grerco. In calm weather you can anchor outside the marina south of the main breakwater, the bottom is sand with excellent holding.
31. Sapri, sheler OK in bay but sometime need to switch sides in afternoon as wind move. Marina is quite expensive and miles from town.
Hypermarket on coast road, a fair distance from beach. Tie dinghy to a fence and walk along the road.
Wifi: TP-LINK_4431CF or TP-LINK_E1A0F3
32. Cetraro OK as an overnight stop, shelter not too bad.
Wifi: Hotel_Carruba_WiFi3 or Hotel Carruba4 (Password hotelcarrubacetrarocosenza)
or
*Porto Cetrero: N 39 31.628 E 015 55.117
Tied up at one of the pontoons in the harbour, cost €30.00/night including w & e. The town of Cetrero is about 3 km south and then the old town is up a steep hill. The marina let us have the use of the Renualt electric two-seater car, so we went to the bank and then to Cetrero Alta and walked around the beautiful historical old town. On the way back to the Marina we stopped at the Lidl supermarket. The use of the electric car is gratis (free) to the marina customers, there is only one available so you will need to book it. Fuel pontoon is as you come in to the harbour to port @ €1.865/liter.
33.
Vibo Valentia, good anchorage just outside harbour. Not so easy to leave dinghy but eventually can find a spot at SW side of harbour.
OR
*Marina Stella Sud good price. Wifi good but showers aren't (each shower is inside a loo cublicle, behind a locked door, weird).
*34 Tropeo: N 38 40.903 E 015 54.356
We anchored in 13 ft over sand close to the port entrance with a nice beach ashore, excellent holding. We had a great sleep with no swell - WOW. The other option is to go inside the marina if the weather is not good or there is a chance of a swell. The Porto offers haul out facilities and some storage space. It is a short walk to a very nice old village. Tie up your tender in the harbour near the small fishing boats.
*35. Scilla: N 38 15.361 E 015 43.007
We came here just to take pictures as the holding is not very good and also it is very much open to any swell, but instead a gentleman came and asked if we needed anything. At first I said no we are just taking pictures, but on the way out I asked him if he had a spot for us, because the place is so nice and picturesque. The guy said yes wait a minute please and eventually he ties us up fore and aft facing the opening. He tied us to 4 mooring lines for €20.00/night including transfers from boat to shore. This is a very good deal, no need to launch the tender.
We went for a walk to the old village by the water with its narrow cobble stone streets then we climbed up to the top of the hill to the castle and eventually ended up down the other side at Marina Grande with a very nice beach and a lot of locals chatting and walking around. We stopped for pizza and beer and then we headed back to the boat the easy way on a road below the castle at sea level, which takes you right to the harbour without having to climb over the top of the hill. There is an anchorage in front of Marina Grande over sand and would be fine in good weather. This place is worth a visit.
36. Reggio di Calabria
37. Roccella Ionica
38. Le Castella you can anchor in the bay or go in the harbour and find a free berth on the fisherman quay , else there a small Marina there too if that's what your into.
39. Crotone
40. Cirò Marina
41. Laghi di Sibari
42. Leuca