ELRE
Yacht charter Amalfi Coast, read the way you read a villa
Bases from Naples to Salerno, weekly costs, the Punta Campanella marine park rules and what to check.
A yacht charter Amalfi Coast is the opposite of the island charters in the Mediterranean: the coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the towns are steep and close together, and the sea is the easiest way to see what the coast road hides. One operator guide describes the road along this coast as narrow and congested in summer, and notes that boats reach coves and grottoes the road cannot. The question is therefore not how far you sail, but where you stop, for how long, and under which rules.
This page follows the method ELRE uses for properties: sourced data first, then judgement, then real costs. For the general mechanics of a charter (broker, owner, contract) see our guide to luxury yacht charter. ELRE does not own or operate vessels and is not a broker: availability, prices and contract are confirmed by the operator or broker you deal with.
Where the week starts
Most Amalfi Coast charters in the listings we read are based at or sail from Salerno, Naples, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Capri or Ischia (Boatbookings). The same listings include yachts based elsewhere, in Sicily, Sardinia, Montenegro and the French Riviera, that are offered for this search: check the actual embarkation port in the proposal. Naples Capodichino is the main airport; Silver Star Yachting, a Naples-based operator, also points to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport for the southern end. Boat International gives Porto di Mergellina in Naples as a berth for yachts up to 75 m.
What a week looks like
Operators publish a 7-day pattern that links Capri, Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, Naples and Ischia (Boatbookings), and a shorter Capri–Positano–Amalfi version (Silver Star). Silver Star names the stops that recur: anchoring off the cathedral of Amalfi for lunch, an aperitivo at sunset facing the Faraglioni of Capri, swimming in the bays near Nerano, and the beaches and grottoes of Furore, reachable by sea only. Longer routes can add Ischia, Procida, Vietri sul Mare, Minori and Maiori.
A practical reading, which is our judgement and not a sourced rule: on this coast the berth in a port such as Capri or Positano is often the scarce item, so ask early whether the yacht has a confirmed berth or will anchor offshore and use the tender.
The rule that decides where you can anchor: Punta Campanella
Between Sorrento and the Li Galli islands the sea is the Punta Campanella marine protected area. On the park’s own website the zoning works like this:
- Zone A (integral reserve): access, navigation and anchoring of any vessel are prohibited unless the managing body authorises them.
- Zone B (general reserve): anchoring is prohibited. Mooring is allowed only at sites the park has designated and equipped, with prior authorisation. Motorised craft keep to 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and 10 knots beyond.
- Zone C (partial reserve): mooring needs authorisation at designated sites, and motor navigation stays at 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and 10 knots beyond.
The park’s supplementary regulation for 2026 (valid for 2026, published on 8 June 2026 and read by us on 28 October 2026) adds the detail that matters for a yacht:
- Distances and speed. Navigation is allowed at least 200 m from beaches and 100 m from steep coast, at no more than 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and 10 knots beyond, in displacement mode. In zone B, pleasure craft may navigate only to reach a mooring field with buoys for their size, by the shortest route and at 5 knots at most.
- Anchoring. The 2026 text lists the areas where boats may anchor, each with its own coordinates, for example off Marina di Puolo and in the Scaricatoio–Punta Germano area. Do not assume you can anchor elsewhere in the park: ask the broker to name the anchorage.
- Mooring fields. Buoys are assigned by vessel size, one vessel per buoy, with a fee. The size classes in the tables stop at 24 m, and at Ieranto the limit is 15 m with a maximum stay of 2 hours. Our reading is that a yacht longer than 24 m has no buoy class of its own in these tables: confirm this with the park.
Local press reports that the Coast Guard fined boaters in August 2026 mostly for anchoring in prohibited zones and for not keeping the required distance from the coast (Metropolisweb). Ask your broker who checks the current rules with the park, and for the written answer.
What a yacht charter Amalfi Coast costs
The base rate covers the yacht and its crew. Boatbookings lists weekly rates in euro for the Amalfi Coast search (53 yachts, page undated, footer 2026): crewed catamarans of 15–20 m from roughly 9,000 to 45,000 euro, motor yachts of 22–36 m from roughly 26,000 to 172,000 euro, and a 60 m Benetti at about 340,000–360,000 euro. Boatbookings itself shows listing inconsistencies, for example a cabin count that differs between title and specification, so verify details in writing.
As a general benchmark, the broker Denison Yacht Sales reported weekly averages from BOAT International listings (July 2023): about 40,000 euro under 30 m and about 71,000 euro between 30 and 40 m. These are averages, not a price list.
On top of the rate expect the APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance), usually 30–35% of the fee according to Denison; VAT, which was 22% for Italy in the 2022 figures published by WI Yachts and must be confirmed in writing for your itinerary; and a crew gratuity, indicated by WI Yachts at 10–15% of the weekly fee in the Mediterranean.
When to go
Boat International describes July and August as the hottest months in Italy, with highs around 30°C and crowded coasts in August, and June and September as quieter with pleasant temperatures. We found no season statement on the Amalfi pages of Boatbookings and Silver Star, so ask the broker for the months the yacht actually operates.
Three checks before you sign
- Berth or anchorage. For each night, is there a confirmed berth, or an anchorage inside or outside the marine park?
- Who verifies the park rules. Ask for it in writing, with the date of the check.
- Costs in writing. Rate, APA percentage, VAT, gratuity and cancellation terms before the deposit.
Frequently asked questions
Where do Amalfi Coast charters start? Typically Naples, Salerno, Sorrento or the coast and islands themselves. The proposal states the port.
Can I anchor anywhere along the coast? No. Part of the sea is the Punta Campanella marine protected area, with zones and an annual regulation.
How much does a week cost? From listing prices of a few thousand euro for a small crewed catamaran to several hundred thousand for a 60 m motor yacht, plus APA, VAT and gratuity.
Is a day charter possible? Yes: operators offer day charters to Capri, Positano, Amalfi, Nerano and nearby bays (Silver Star).
Thinking of a house by the water?
Many of our clients look at the sea and at a villa in the same year. Federico Cappellina Architects designs contemporary villas in the Triveneto and Lombardy: visit the studio, or request a private consultation.
Sources
- Amalfi Coast yacht charter — Boatbookings (undated, footer 2026)
- Amalfi Coast yacht charter — Silver Star Yachting (undated)
- Italy luxury yacht charter — Boat International
- Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area — zoning and rules (official source; may predate the 2026 supplementary regulation)
- Checks at sea and fines — Metropolisweb, 31 August 2026 (secondary source)
- How much does it cost to charter a yacht — Denison Yacht Sales (July 2023)
- WI Yachts, charter terms (VAT 2022, gratuity) — already cited on /luxury-yacht-charter/
- Guida operatore sulla strada costiera (SS163): da ricerca web, fonte non aperta direttamente
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