Best Places To Wake Up To At Anchor: The Mediterranean Edition

As spring moves towards summer, our dreams turn to long days on a yacht in one of the great yachting playgrounds of the world. The magical Mediterranean is calling. From Croatia’s dreamy Dalmatian islands in the north to Morocco’s date-palmed marinas in the south, from the dramatic Balearics in the West to the Greek Islands in the East: The Mediterranean has many wonders — far more than could be explored in one yachting lifetime.

Waking up on a superyacht in any of these places is heaven. And of all the places to wake up on a yacht in the Mediterranean, here are some of its shining stars.

For Glamour and Sparkle: The French Riviera

The birthplace of superyachts, there’s an electric thrill to waking up on charter on the French Riviera. Whether you’re anchored in deep water looking up at the cliffs of Monaco, having a morning swim off the yacht in the dreamy Cannes Islands, or taking the tender into St Tropez for a morning of boutique shopping and beach clubs, there’s an extraordinary feeling to cruising in this part of the world. Is it the sense of Hollywood glamour that cloaks the coast, felt in the Belle Epoque dining rooms and the glamorous beach clubs? Is it the quiet Mediterranean charm of pine tree coves and summer cicadas or the medieval villages that perch in the fragrant hills? The blinding flash of paparazzi cameras at red-carpet events? Or is it that legendary light so loved by artists as it falls across the Alps and down to the red-rock coast where it meets this ancient sea? Whatever it is, the Riviera remains one of the most exciting places on earth to wake up to at anchor.

For Sheer Grandeur: Santorini, Greek Cyclades

No one forgets their first approach to Santorini, the massive caldera rearing up out of the Aegean Sea, the tiny white village of Oio perched like an ant on the high escarpment. To wake up on a yacht in Santorini is to be perpetually awed by the landscape, the knowledge that the yacht is floating above the remnants of a volcanic crater. Getting an anchorage in Santorini is hard, but your superyacht captain will make it work. And you will be glad they did as you head ashore to explore Santorini, shopping the boutiques, wandering whitewashed lanes beneath the windmills, and taking donkey paths down to red-rock beaches. And finishing the day, of course, with a sunset drink by an infinity pool on the high cliff, watching the sun plunge into the Aegean.

For Sunlit Archipelagos: The Maddalena Archipelago, Sardinia

Waking up in the Maddalena Archipelago, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’d been transported to the Caribbean due to the extraordinary shades of blue around the yacht— blinding aquamarine and turquoise falling off to cobalt in the deeper waters. However, that’s where the similarity to the Caribbean ends, for there are no palm trees here. The Maddalena islands are arid and almost fiercely beautiful, a near lunar landscape of boulders and crags, all lapped with sapphire blue water. The Maddalena Archipelago is a place for swimming off the yacht in water so clear you can see your shadow on the bottom and lazing on the perfect sands in the shadow of giant boulders. Wander the sandy paths on the islands through maquis scrub that smells of Mediterranean herbs and sunshine and climb to the top of small hills to get a great view of the islands. Most of the archipelago’s 62 islands are blissfully uninhabited, but if you simply must visit civilisation, the eponymous town of La Maddalena on the biggest island makes for a lovely stop.

For Lemon Groves and Ethereal Blue Grottos: Capri

Ah, Capri. Can there be a better way to start a summer’s day than sitting on the aft deck of a superyacht, looking up at the famed cliffs of Capri over breakfast? Capri has been attracting the elite for over 2000 years, from Roman emperors to silver-screen royalty. There is no better way to see Capri than by superyacht as you float through the Blue Grotto, relax on a deckchair on the rocks at exclusive La Fontelina, and shop the glamorous designer boutiques. A long lunch in Capri is one of life’s truly great pleasures, particularly on a high cliff terrace shaded by lemon groves. You’ll dance the night away with the beautiful people in Capri, but no one can ever eclipse the view.

For A-List Parties in Pine-Scented Coves: Paklemi Islands, Hvar, Croatia

The Dalmatian Islands are a superyacht paradise. Setting off from the high fortress walls of Dubrovnik and floating out into the green, pine-forested islands of Dalmatia, where Venetian palaces still stand and ancient vineyards roll down to the turquoise sea. Jetsetters gather every summer on the chic island of Hvar, drinking and dancing on terraces, lazing in stunning beach clubs, and walking through a purple wonderland in the lavender fields. Once night falls, the hottest table in town is offshore in the Paklemi Islands, where DJs play and the champagne sprays at the exclusive Carpe Diem Beach club. Waking up late on your superyacht in the Paklemi Islands, you’ll dive off the swim platform into the Adriatic Sea and spend the day playing on the water toys.

This is just a short list of thousands of spectacular anchorages across the Mediterranean. How many have you ticked off your yachting bucket list?