Procida, Ischia and the Bay of Naples by boat

The Bay of Naples is made for a relaxed sailing week: legs are short, often under 7 nautical miles, and the scenery changes daily: pastel fishing villages, thermal beaches, a castle on its own rock, the sunken Roman town of Baia and the city of Naples spread along the shore. A typical week loops out of Procida or Naples. You sleep mostly in marinas and spend the days anchored or on a buoy inside the Regno di Nettuno marine protected area.

Where to charter a yacht for Procida and Ischia?

The closest charter bases are on the islands and on the mainland: see yacht charter in Procida, boat rental in Naples and, for the southern side of the gulf, Sorrento and the wider Amalfi Coast. Charter weeks usually run Saturday to Saturday. To sail bareboat you need a licence the charter company accepts; see our guides to the boat licence in Italy and the ICC certificate. If nobody on board has one, hire a skipper or book a crewed yacht. Both options can be booked on Ship O'Hoi.

A 7-day sailing itinerary from Procida

The loop below starts and ends at Procida. If your base is in Naples, add a first leg of approx. 13 nm from Naples to Procida past Posillipo and Capo Miseno, and sail the same way back at the end of the week (see Day 6). Distances are rough estimates; plan with up-to-date charts and a pilot book.

Day 1: Procida Marina Grande – Corricella – Chiaiolella (approx. 4 nm)

Leave Marina di Procida, the island's large marina (491 berths), which takes boats up to 50 m and answers on VHF 06. Head down the east coast to Corricella, the old fishing village the marine park says has survived almost untouched. Then round the south of Procida into Chiaiolella bay. Vivara, the islet just off Procida's south-west tip, is an uninhabited State Nature Reserve and an important stop for migratory birds, so enjoy it from the water. Spend the night in Chiaiolella's harbour, where one operator runs 80 berths for boats of 9–45 m, with 2–4 m of water at the quay.

Tip: call Chiaiolella on VHF 9/16 before you enter. Sailing in and out is not allowed, so drop the sails outside and keep at least 20 m off the red light.

Day 2: Chiaiolella – Castello Aragonese – Ischia Porto – Casamicciola (approx. 7 nm)

Cross the short channel to Ischia and head for the Castello Aragonese. It stands on a rock joined to Ischia Ponte by a causeway and was built up from 1441 by Alfonso of Aragon. Just south lies Cartaromana beach, with thermal water and the castle as a backdrop. Continue north round the island to Ischia Porto. The Riva Destra quay is lined with restaurants and is where the big yachts moor. End the day in Marina di Casamicciola (VHF 8), which has berths up to 70 m on the Molo Barocco, the Molo Torretta and floating pontoons.

Tip: a lot of ferry traffic runs between Naples, Pozzuoli, Procida and Ischia. Cross the lanes at right angles and keep well clear of hydrofoils.

Day 3: Casamicciola – Lacco Ameno – Forio (approx. 5 nm)

It's a short hop west to Lacco Ameno, which has one of the marine park's mooring (buoy) fields. You can use it only from dawn to sunset, and only after booking and paying online. You may not anchor inside the field or within 100 m of it. After a swim in San Montano bay, carry on to Forio on the west coast, where the marina sits between Punta Caruso and Punta Imperatore and takes boats from 6 to 40 m. Forio faces west towards the sunset, and Citara and Sorgeto beaches are just south.

Tip: small-boat berths (up to 12 m) at Marina di Forio can sell out for the whole summer, so book as early as you can.

Day 4: Forio – Sant'Angelo – Maronti – Procida (approx. 17 nm)

A longer day. Round Punta Imperatore and follow the steep south coast to Sant'Angelo. The marine park notes that the underwater cliff below its tower is home to rare false black coral. Then comes the long sandy sweep of the Maronti beach. Stop for lunch and a swim only where the marine park allows it (see the rules below). In the afternoon, round Ischia's east end and cross back to Marina di Procida for the night.

Tip: this is the week's most exposed stretch, so pick a calm day and keep Forio or Casamicciola as a fallback.

Day 5: Procida – Capo Miseno – Baia – Pozzuoli – Procida (approx. 14 nm)

Today you sail the Phlegraean coast. Capo Miseno is only a few miles across from Procida. Beyond it lies Baia, where the Roman resort town now lies under the sea inside the Parco Sommerso di Baia. The park runs from the southern mole of Baia harbour to the Lido di Augusto in Pozzuoli, and its boundary is marked with buoys. Yachts may not anchor or moor freely inside, so look from outside the buoys and see the mosaics on an authorised boat tour or guided dive. Continue past Pozzuoli, then sail back to Procida.

Tip: the park's zone A off Punta Epitaffio is closed to all boats and swimmers. Check the zoning map on the park's site before you go.

Day 6: Procida – Posillipo and Naples from the sea – Procida (approx. 25 nm)

Sail east past Capo Miseno and Nisida along the villa-lined Posillipo coast, with the city and Vesuvius opening up ahead. Off Posillipo you pass the small Parco Sommerso di Gaiola, between Marechiaro and Trentaremi bay. Most charter yachts must stay outside it (see below). Carry on towards the city waterfront, then turn back for Procida.

Tip: the approaches to Naples are the busiest water of the week, with ferries, hydrofoils and ships. Keep a constant watch and stay out of the harbour entrances.

Day 7: Procida – return to base

Keep the last day for a short sail or swim and return the boat on time; check your contract for return and refuelling times. With a spare day or a longer charter, you can cross to Capri (approx. 16 nm) or Sorrento (approx. 18 nm). Our Amalfi Coast guide covers that side of the gulf.

Rules and safety in the Bay of Naples

Regno di Nettuno marine protected area. The sea around Ischia, Procida and Vivara is the Area Marina Protetta Regno di Nettuno, the largest in Campania at about 11,256 ha. Besides zones A (integral protection), B and C, it has "no take" B n.t. zones and a zone D protecting whales and dolphins over the Cuma canyon. Key rules for yachts:

• Zone A: no navigation, anchoring or mooring at all.
• Sailing is free in zones B n.t., B, C and D. Under engine the limits are 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and 10 knots (displacement speed) from 300 to 600 m in zones B and C, and 10 knots in zone D.
• Anchoring is never allowed in zones A and B n.t., on Posidonia seagrass or coralligenous beds signposted by the park, or in or near mooring fields. Elsewhere in zone C you may anchor with a park authorisation. From 1 June to 30 September the park caps the number of daily authorisations for visiting boats and issues them in order of application. People renting from operators the park has authorised count as residents, so ask your charter company about its status.
• Mooring buoys must be booked. Approach and leave them at no more than 3 knots, perpendicular to the coast.
• No jet skis or water-skiing. Only rowing boats may enter sea caves. Never discharge untreated waste water or bilge water.

Anchoring and buoy authorisations are requested and paid for in the park's BlueDiscovery app (authorisations); a fee applies, so check the park's site. The rules are updated yearly (regulations).

Parco Sommerso di Baia. Anchoring and mooring are not free anywhere inside the sunken park of Baia. In zone B, engines need the park's authorisation and speed is limited to 5 knots. Zone A off Punta Epitaffio is closed to boats and swimmers.

Parco Sommerso di Gaiola. In the Gaiola marine park off Posillipo, zone A is closed. Zone B is closed to boats over 8 gross tonnes or drawing more than 1.2 m, which covers most charter yachts. Pass outside it.

Ferries and local ordinances. Hydrofoils from Naples' Molo Beverello and ferries from Calata Porta di Massa and Pozzuoli serve Ischia and Procida. Local ordinances, including the summer bathing-safety rules on distances from beaches, are on the Guardia Costiera portal; read the current ones for Naples, Pozzuoli, Ischia and Procida.

Licence. Under Italian rules, you may only drive a boat without a licence within 6 nm of the coast and with an engine of up to 30 kW (40.8 hp). Further out, or with a bigger engine, you need a licence. On a charter yacht the skipper needs a licence the company accepts, or you hire one (see our Italian boat licence guide).

Best time to sail the Bay of Naples

The season runs roughly from May to October. June to September is the busy period: the Regno di Nettuno caps daily anchoring permits for visiting boats, and Forio's small-boat berths can sell out. May, early June and late September are quieter, with better odds of a free berth or buoy. Check the park's and marinas' sites for the current season.

FAQ

Can I anchor anywhere around Ischia and Procida?

No. It is all a marine protected area: outside the banned zones and seabeds you need a park authorisation, requested in the BlueDiscovery app.

Is Procida or Naples the better base?

Procida keeps every leg short. Naples adds approx. 13 nm each way but shows you the city and the Phlegraean coast on the way.

Can I sail over the sunken city of Baia?

Not freely: anchoring and mooring need the park's authorisation. See the ruins on an authorised boat tour or guided dive.

Can we continue west to Ponza and Ventotene?

Yes, with a longer charter. Ventotene is about 20 nm west of Ischia and a natural next step. See our guide to the Pontine Islands by boat.

Plan the rest of your trip

Continue with the Amalfi Coast guide or the Pontine Islands, and check what to bring on a yacht charter before you fly.