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What says romance better than casting off on a private floating island? A superyacht offers the ultimate romantic vacation with decadent food and wine, breath-taking scenery, and the freedom to explore some of the world’s most exotic places in luxury. Here are some of the finest superyacht destinations for romance, and some local songs to get you in the cruising mood.
Arriving in St Lucia by superyacht is like entering a dream — the lush, emerald peaks of the Pitons towering high above the turquoise sea, quiet jungle paths ending at sugar-white beaches framed by coconut palms. A yacht charter in St Lucia promises adventure and barefoot luxury in equal measure, as you swim under waterfalls in the rainforest, quadbike through the mountains, dive 2,000-foot drop-offs, and soak in thermal mud pools at Mount Soufriere volcano, steam rising all around. A tropical Eden of jungles and gin-clear seas, St Lucia is a true romantic’s paradise.
St Lucia is a pristine and exotic hideaway for many celebrities, and the luxury offering is sublime — book a private dining experience on the Celestial Terrace at Jade Mountain, one of the world’s top hotels, or dine at the prestigious Cliff at Cap, all white-cloth tables and vertiginous clifftop views. At the superb Sugar Beach Viceroy Resort, indulge in an English high tea set in the sugar plantation estate — or pass the afternoon in their phenomenal rainforest spa, enjoying the infinity-pool view of the Pitons after your treatment. Glamorous St Lucia also has two of the Caribbean’s finest superyacht marinas at Rodney Bay Marina and Marigot Bay Yacht Haven, and the anchorage beneath the Pitons in Soufriere Bay must surely stand as one of the finest superyacht backdrops on earth.
Music to get you in the mood: St Lucia on My Mind- Taj Weekes. This dreadlocked Rastafarian with a smooth voice will ease you into the St Lucia groove with his melodic reggae blend of acoustic roots rock and afro-folk music. Want something livelier? Baecation by local artist Shemmy J will have you dancing on the sundeck with this catchy soca summertime hit.
As you leave the domes and gondolas of Venice behind and float out into the Gulf of Venice, you are approaching the ancient region of Istria — a green, densely forested peninsula that lies at the confluence of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. For lovers of local food and fascinating culture, Istria offers a playground of romantic experiences in a landscape of rocky emerald coves, Venetian palaces, rolling vineyards and Roman ruins.
Anchor in the dramatic LImska Draga fjord, tendering into a tiny shack serving up fresh oysters and mussels from the deep emerald waters. Or spend a day exploring the hilly countryside, sampling the marvellous local Malvasia white wines, cheeses, olive oils and prosciuttos, and the Boskarin white beef delicacy that is iconic to the region. There’s luxury to be found among Istria’s sleepy beauty, most famously in the dreamy Brijuni Islands, where the jetset gather to visit President Tito’s old retreat, and where you can pass a day cycling through the meadows and swimming off perfect beaches.
For couples who enjoy history, it is around every corner- archaeological sites, Byzantine palaces, and most spectacularly, the Pula Colosseum— the world’s largest intact amphitheatre and the home of classical concerts and film festivals. Pass each day on a romantic Istrian charter snorkelling off the back of the yacht, cliff-jumping into sapphire seas, and dining on deck in this green and sun-drenched paradise.
Music to get you in the mood: For a modern take on an Istrian folk song, try Imala San by the Tomi Purich Trio, or for Istrian-inspired jazz, look at singer and flautist Tamara Obrovac. Looking for lively? Try the infectious good humour of 80’s band Gustafi to experience the famous Chava Wave style (a blend of pop, rock, folk and blues music sung in the Chakavian dialect). Want something slower and more romantic? Elis Lovric might be more up your alley.
With its photoshoot landscapes of sheer limestone cliffs and pastel-painted towns, the Amalfi Coast is a dream for romantics — and what better way to explore it than by private yacht? On an Amalfi charter, you’ll dine on terraces under lemon trees, wander past villas wreathed pink in bougainvillaea, and float through glimmering blue grottos, sunlight turning the water an ethereal blue.
On the island of Ischia, you’ll bathe in hot springs and walk hand-in-hand through gardens high above the sea, while on Positano you’ll shop for Positano sandals before taking a lunch table at Le Sirenuse. History runs deep in Amalfi, where the tremendous Arab-Norman cathedral stands guard over a landscape of olive and lemon terraces sloping steeply down to the sea, and Ravello dazzles with its jaw-dropping views of the coast from Villa Rufolo’s cliffside gardens
Yet of all the magnificent spots on the Amalfi, one name towers above the rest: the almost mythically beautiful Capri — where the wealthy have escaped to for millennia, from Roman emperors through to silver screen royalty. Capri is ground zero of places to be in Italy in the summertime — a glittering playground of haute couture boutiques, Michelin-star restaurants, and historic sites. After a day of exploring (or just a day relaxing among the beautiful people at Lido del Faro Beach club), you’ll want to settle in for sunset drinks at a clifftop bar before dining at Olivio at Capri Palace, or in the lemon grove at Zagara. There are few more romantic places on earth than Capri.
Music to get you in the mood: We suggest starting off with an Italian classic, turned up loud. You cannot go wrong with O Sole Mio by Three Tenors or Andrea Bocelli in this regard. If you’re looking for music for sipping cocktails on a deckchair and watching the Amalfi float by, we suggest something chilled, like the suitably named No 8 Capri on the Islands of Chill compilation.
A superyacht charter in the Cyclades is one of the most exclusive experiences on the planet, and the opportunities for romance on these stunning Greek islands are near-endless. On Mykonos, you can wander hand in hand under thatched windmills, spend lazy afternoons in decadent beach clubs, and shop Mykonos Old Town, where Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Zimmerman display their haute couture along whitewash-and-bougainvillaea laneways.
While the nightlife, boutiques and perfect beaches of Mykonos are hard to draw away from on charter, for many, Santorini remains the jewel in the Cyclades’ crown. For there is nothing on this earth quite like dropping anchor in the cool, deep waters below Santorini, looking up to where the white cube village of Oia sits perched on the edge of the volcanic caldera far above.
The dramatic, almost fierce beauty of this island has made it one of the most romantic settings on earth— and there can be no better way to see it than from a clifftop terrace, cocktail in hand, watching the sun fall like a ball of fire into the Aegean. Other romantic things to do on Santorini include winery tastings, spa treatments, donkey rides down to the volcanic beaches, and walks along the windswept coast, soaking in the views.
Music to get you in the mood: Get started with one of the most famous of all Greek songs: Never on a Sunday (the Children of Piraeus), with a fantastic version by Pink Martini, or one of pop legend Nana Miskouri’s greatest hits, such as White Rose of Athens. For lively instrumental pieces from one of the greats, where else to turn but to Santorini, by Yanni?
Stop dreaming and start planning with a romantic yacht charter through Bluewater.
