In a single week the Gulf of Naples offers what few cruising grounds combine: three very different volcanic islands, the Amalfi Coast seen from the sea, and legs rarely longer than twenty miles. The trade-off is real: few well-sheltered anchorages, expensive and crowded harbours in summer, constant ferry and launch traffic, and two marine protected areas whose rules apply to yachts. This route is built around those constraints. Distances are indicative, measured on a direct route: check them on your chart before each leg.
In brief
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base | Procida (marina). Naples is a possible alternative |
| Access | Direct flights to Naples (NAP), then ferry or hydrofoil to Procida from Naples or Pozzuoli |
| Total distance | ~85 NM (loop), indicative direct-route distances |
| Sailing time | ~19 h over 6 sailing days, plus one spare day |
| Duration | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Level | Intermediate: short legs, but heavy traffic and demanding harbours |
| Recommended boat | 38-45 ft monohull; catamarans struggle more for a berth in Capri and Positano |
| Best time | June and September; May and October are quieter |
| Key point | Book Capri and Amalfi ahead in summer; anchoring is tightly regulated in the marine protected areas |
Explore the stops
Approximate destination locations for trip planning. Use current nautical charts and local information for navigation.
Procida · Ischia Porto · Capri (Marina Grande) · Nerano · Positano · Amalfi · Sorrento
Two rules to apply every time
1. Book the key nights. Between June and September, berths in Capri (Marina Grande) and Amalfi go fast and cost a lot. Book them before you leave, and keep an anchorage as plan B if the weather allows.
2. Read the marine protected area charts. Ischia, Procida and Vivara belong to the Regno di Nettuno marine protected area; the Sorrento peninsula, from Nerano to Positano, to the Punta Campanella one. In the latter, navigation is banned in zone A (Vervece rock, Vetara reefs, the shoal west of Li Galli), anchoring is banned in zones A and B, and in zone C it is only allowed from 8 am to 8 pm, never within 100 m of a beach or on seagrass.
Day by day
Day 1: Procida to Ischia, ~6 NM, ~1 h 30
A short warm-up through the Procida channel. Stop: Porto d'Ischia, a small and busy circular harbour, or Lacco Ameno further north-west. Ashore: the Aragonese castle on its islet linked by a causeway, and the island's thermal springs. Watch out: ferry traffic at the entrance to Porto d'Ischia.
Day 2: Ischia to Capri, ~18-20 NM, ~4 h
The longest open-water passage of the week. Stop: Marina Grande, booked ahead, or anchor at Marina Piccola on the south side in settled weather. Ashore: the Piazzetta, the Gardens of Augustus, Villa Jovis. Watch out: the seabed drops steeply around Capri; anchorages are few and deep.
Day 3: round Capri, then Nerano and Positano, ~13 NM, ~3 h
In the morning, sail round the island past the Blue Grotto and the Faraglioni, then cross the Bocca Piccola to the bay of Nerano (Marina del Cantone) for a swim. Night stop: Positano, on a mooring buoy or at anchor off the beach, tender ashore. Watch out: Nerano lies within the Punta Campanella marine protected area; check the zone before anchoring and treat it as a daytime stop. Positano has no harbour: it gets rolly with southerly wind or swell.
Day 4: Positano to Amalfi via Li Galli, ~12 NM, ~2 h 30
A detour round the Li Galli islets, keeping well off (the western shoal is zone A), then along the coast to Amalfi. Stop: Amalfi harbour, booked ahead in summer, full services. Ashore: the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, the Valle delle Ferriere, Ravello by road.
Day 5: Amalfi, spare day, 0 to 8 NM
A weather margin. In good conditions, a round trip to the Furore fjord or Cetara; otherwise, Ravello ashore.
Day 6: Amalfi to Sorrento, ~18 NM, ~4 h
Back past Positano, then round Punta Campanella and through the Bocca Piccola up to Sorrento. Stop: Marina Piccola in Sorrento; anchoring off the town is not advised (rocky bottom, traffic). Watch out: the Punta Campanella passage, where the sea builds quickly when the westerly picks up.
Day 7: Sorrento to Procida, ~18 NM, ~4 h
Across the gulf with Vesuvius astern. Leave in the morning, before the breeze and the traffic build. Stop: Procida marina, back to base. In summer, overnight anchoring around Procida is tightly regulated: plan on the marina.
The mistake to avoid
Turning up in Capri or Amalfi on an August Saturday without a booking. Berths are gone by mid-morning, the fallback anchorages are deep and exposed, and you may end up heading for a distant shelter late in the day.
Summary table
| Day | Leg | NM | Time (~5 kn) | Stop | Shelter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Procida to Ischia | 6 | ~1 h 30 | Porto d'Ischia | Good |
| D2 | Ischia to Capri | 18-20 | ~4 h | Marina Grande or Marina Piccola | Good in harbour, moderate at anchor |
| D3 | Capri to Nerano then Positano | 13 | ~3 h | Positano (buoy or anchor) | Moderate, open to the south |
| D4 | Positano to Amalfi via Li Galli | 12 | ~2 h 30 | Amalfi harbour | Good |
| D5 | Amalfi, spare day | 0-8 | n/a | Amalfi harbour | Good |
| D6 | Amalfi to Sorrento | 18 | ~4 h | Marina Piccola, Sorrento | Good |
| D7 | Sorrento to Procida | 18 | ~4 h | Procida marina | Good |
| Total | ~85 | ~19 h |
Practical checklist
- Harbour bookings for Capri and Amalfi in July-August
- Zone charts for the Punta Campanella and Regno di Nettuno marine protected areas
- Tender and outboard in good order: essential at Positano and Nerano
- Extra fenders for crowded quays
- Fuel and water: fill up in Capri (Marina Grande), Amalfi or Sorrento
Book and prepare
- Compare sailing yachts available in Procida or from Naples for your dates.
- Flights: direct flights to Naples (NAP), then a ferry or hydrofoil to Procida.
- Licence: to charter bareboat, the skipper must show a recognised certificate of competence; without one, a skippered charter is always possible.
Sources (checked October 2026): 7-day Procida itinerary published by The Moorings; SamBoat, 7 days in the Bay of Naples; Punta Campanella marine protected area decree (Italian Ministry of the Environment); Italia.it, islands of the Gulf of Naples. Indicative distances: check them on an up-to-date chart before each leg.