Charter a sailing boat or catamaran in the Northern Adriatic, from Venice to Rimini

The North Adriatic covers the Italian coast from Trieste to Pescara, passing through Venice, Ravenna and Rimini. This sailing area is captivating thanks to the richness of its heritage — historic cities, Venetian lagoons, Byzantine mosaics — and the concentration of charter bases makes it a very accessible starting point from France. Here is everything you need to know to prepare your cruise.

Types of boats to hire in the North Adriatic

Sailing yacht, catamaran, crewed yacht: here are the options available from the marinas of the North Adriatic.

• Monohull yacht hire: this is the most popular option in the North Adriatic and the most affordable. It is perfectly suited to seasoned sailors who wish to fully enjoy the thrill of sailing in a sea with varied conditions.
• Catamaran hire: for those seeking comfort and space. The catamaran offers greater stability as well as more living areas on board. It is the ideal option if your budget allows it and if you want to enjoy a relaxing holiday with family or friends.
• Motorboat hire: more accessible for day trips or short weekends, it is also an interesting option to quickly reach the main cities and marinas of the Adriatic coast.
• Yacht hire: luxurious units with a full crew (skipper, cook, hostess) are available from the main marinas, to reach Venice, the Croatian coast or sail down to southern Italy.

Which formulas for your cruise in the North Adriatic ?

Four formulas available according to your level and preferences:

• Bareboat hire — if a member of your crew has sailing experience and the required licences, he can handle the boat. The unit is fully privatised and you enjoy your cruise with family or friends in complete freedom.
• Boat with skipper — ideal if no member of the crew is qualified, or simply to sail without constraint. The professional skipper handles the boat and shares his knowledge of the area to take you to the best anchorages and restaurants.
• Boat with crew — service included on boats over 24 metres and optional on some catamarans. The captain, cook and hostess take care of navigation, meals and service on board throughout the cruise.
• Cabin cruise — you book a cabin on board a high-end, human-sized boat, shared with other travellers and a professional crew in charge of navigation, cooking and service. A good option to travel as a couple or without the budget needed to privatise a boat.

What budget for a week in the North Adriatic ?

The table below gives you an order of magnitude of the average prices for a one-week hire in the North Adriatic. These prices may vary depending on the season, availability, model, age of the boat...

The price includes : the boat hire and the main equipment on board (sails, crockery, wifi, dinghy, bedding and outboard engine).

The price does not include : insurance, port and mooring fees, skipper, hostess, cleaning often included in a compulsory pack, extras (kayak, stand-up paddle…) and provisioning.

If you wish to hire a yacht in the North Adriatic, please contact us directly to obtain the pricing grid. The price range on this type of model is indeed very wide. Lina, our specialist for the crewed & luxury boat segment, will be able to send you the best offers.

We recommend taking out our cancellation insurance for your boat hire in the North Adriatic. It covers the entire crew — unlike an individual or bank card insurance, limited to the holder only.

We also encourage our clients to subscribe to the deposit waiver insurance. Material damage can occur in any sailing circumstance. This insurance will allow you to recover a significant part of your deposit in the event of damage.

Where to sail in the North Adriatic ?

The North Adriatic stretches from the Slovenian border in the north to the coast of the Marche and Abruzzo in the south. Four major sailing areas are available to you:

• Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the north. From Trieste, Monfalcone or Grado, you will explore the Gulf of Trieste, Miramare Castle and the Marano Lagoon, on the doorstep of Slovenia.
• Veneto around the Venice lagoon. From Caorle, Lignano Sabbiadoro, Aprilia Marittima or Porto Levante, set sail aboard an Italian boat in Venice to discover the city of the Doges, Burano, Murano and the Venetian islands.
• Emilia-Romagna around Ravenna and Rimini. An ideal area to combine sailing, gastronomy and heritage, with the famous Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna and the republic of San Marino nearby.
• The Marche and Abruzzo in the south. The bases of Fano, Ancona and Pescara give access to the Mount Conero nature park and the Tremiti Islands. They also allow you to sail down to boat hire in the South Adriatic or to reach the Croatian coast on the other side of the Adriatic. For those willing to explore further south along the Tyrrhenian coast, the village of Palinuro Italy in the Cilento area is also worth discovering.

When to go on a cruise in the North Adriatic ?

The sailing season runs mainly from April to October. Summer (June to August) offers warm temperatures and maximum sunshine, but it is also the busiest period. The mid-season months (May, June, September) are often considered the best for sailing: pleasant temperatures, stable winds and less crowding in the ports.

Here is an average of the temperatures recorded in recent years in the North Adriatic:

Sailing conditions

The North Adriatic is a closed and shallow sea, where sailing conditions can evolve rapidly. Daily weather checks are essential. The seabed varies from less than 15 metres in the lagoon to 20-35 metres offshore, with no particular draft issues for series catamarans and monohulls.

The distances between the main bases remain accessible for any one-week cruise: Trieste–Venice ≈ 60 nautical miles, Trieste–Pula (Croatia) ≈ 50 miles, Venice–Ancona ≈ 150 miles. Navigation is mainly done on sight. The main marinas are modern, well-equipped and offer an excellent level of services.

Three main winds shape the area:

• The Bora — a cold and powerful wind coming from the north-east. Mainly present in winter and early spring, it can blow in violent gusts even in season, particularly in the Gulf of Trieste.
• The Sirocco — a warm and humid wind blowing from the south-east. It quickly raises a formed sea.
• The Maestrale — a thermal breeze from the north-west, milder, frequent in the afternoon in summer.

What documents to hire bareboat ?

You will need a coastal boat licence as well as a VHF certificate (CRR or foreign equivalent) for a bareboat hire in the North Adriatic. In Italy, the French coastal licence is accepted as equivalent to the patente nautica. To hire a large unit (generally from 24 metres or beyond 12 nautical miles from the coast), an offshore licence or equivalent will be required. The base will check your documents at the time of the departure briefing.

Useful information for your cruise

What language is spoken in the North Adriatic ?

The official language is Italian. In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Slovenian is also spoken locally. English is commonly understood in the marinas and tourist areas, and French is often practised in the hire bases.

What currency to use on site ?

The currency used in Italy is the euro (€).

How to get to the North Adriatic ?

Many direct flights are available from London to the airports of the area: Trieste (TRS) in the north, Venice Marco Polo (VCE) and Treviso (TSF) for the Venetian lagoon, Bologna (BLQ) for Romagna, Rimini (RMI) or Ancona (AOI) for the south. The train is also a practical option to reach Venice or Bologna.

How do I finalise my booking ?

Once we receive your hire request, an advisor will contact you by phone to understand your sailing project. He will then send you boat proposals by email. Once the boat is found, you will be able to pay a deposit on your client area to validate the hire and secure the boat.

Are there any sailing restrictions in the Venice lagoon ?

Yes, several rules apply in the Venice lagoon to preserve the heritage and limit shoreline erosion. The speed is strictly limited (generally between 5 and 7 knots depending on the canals), some passages are forbidden to private pleasure boats, and the channel markers must be scrupulously respected. The Grand Canal is particularly regulated. Your hire base will provide you with detailed cartography of the authorised areas at the time of the departure briefing.

If I hire a boat in the North Adriatic, am I allowed to sail to Croatia or Slovenia ?

Yes, it is possible and even common from the northern bases (Trieste, Monfalcone, Grado). Three conditions are however required:

• The hired boat must be approved to sail in Croatian and/or Slovenian waters. This is often the case for boats based near the border, but it is not systematic: check this point with your advisor.
• Pay any customs duties and entry formalities upon arrival in the country concerned.
• Pay the Croatian nautical vignette if you enter Croatian waters. Its cost depends on the size of the boat and the duration of the stay, and it is obtained at the first Croatian port of entry.

If you prefer not to privatise a boat, you can also opt for a catamaran cruise Italy with crew or a cabin cruise in the Croatian Adriatic.