Private yacht charter in Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo is the harbour at the centre of the Costa Smeralda, on the north-east coast of Sardinia, and among the best-known yachting harbours in Italy. The coast around it was developed from the early 1960s by a consortium led by Prince Karim Aga Khan. From the water it is two basins, the old port and the marina, with granite coves on either side and the Maddalena archipelago an hour to the north-west. A Porto Cervo yacht charter has all of it within a short cruise.
The harbour is at its busiest in August and in the regatta weeks, when the quays are a destination in themselves. The yacht lets you take the evenings in port and the days at anchor, and leave for Corsica or the quieter bays when the coast fills.
The Costa Smeralda from the water
Porto Cervo. More than 700 berths in two basins, 100 of them for large yachts, with room for yachts up to 120 metres, customs and immigration on site and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's clubhouse on the marina.
The bays to the south. Pevero, Romazzino, the Spiaggia del Principe, Capriccioli and Cala di Volpe, a short run south of the harbour for a swim and lunch at anchor.
The Maddalena archipelago. About an hour north-west, the seven main islands of the national park, Caprera, Spargi and Budelli among them, make the classic day out of Porto Cervo. Within 300 metres of their coasts a park ticket is required, the sea in front of Budelli's pink beach is closed to boats, and under the 2026 rules speed in the park's general protection zones is limited to 7 knots within 500 metres of the coast.
Bonifacio and the Lavezzi. Across the Strait of Bonifacio, about two hours away, the citadel of Bonifacio above its narrow inlet and the granite Lavezzi islands, in a French nature reserve where yachts of 24 metres and over may anchor only beyond a set line. Our Corsica yacht charter page covers the island beyond.
Tavolara. To the south, past Olbia, the limestone massif of Tavolara rises to 565 metres inside a marine reserve created in 1997, around an hour and a half from Porto Cervo.
A week from Porto Cervo
A week might start with an afternoon in the bays south of the harbour, then spend two days in the Maddalena, with Spargi, Caprera and Budelli seen from the water. A crossing of about two hours leads to the Lavezzi and Bonifacio, a day along the south-east coast of Corsica reaches Porto-Vecchio, and the return across the strait brings a last evening in Porto Cervo. No passage is much longer than two and a half hours for a motor yacht at a typical cruising speed.
When to go
The season runs from June to September, with May and early October quieter. August is the peak, the weeks around 15 August above all. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's calendar adds a superyacht regatta in late May or early June, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in early September and, in even years, the Rolex Swan Cup that follows it; berths for those weeks are committed early. The mistral, Sardinia's dominant north-westerly, and the often windy Strait of Bonifacio decide which days go north and which stay on the Costa Smeralda.
Marinas and arrival
Embarkation is usually in Porto Cervo itself, with Porto Rotondo and Olbia, to the south, as alternatives. Olbia Costa Smeralda airport, which handles most of the private aviation into north-eastern Sardinia, is about 32 kilometres away, around 35 to 40 minutes by road and longer on summer Saturdays.
Yachts and what a week costs
Porto Cervo's large-yacht berths draw superyachts every summer, alongside sailing yachts and motor yachts of every size; our superyacht charter page explains how the largest are arranged. As a guide, 20 to 30 metre motor yachts run from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 per week in the Mediterranean and 30 to 45 metre yachts from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, before running costs; above 50 metres, rates start from around EUR 250,000 and are quoted individually. The Advance Provisioning Allowance of 25 to 35 percent covers fuel, food and berthing, a significant line in Porto Cervo in August; VAT for the cruising area and a customary gratuity of 5 to 15 percent take the week to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. What a yacht charter costs sets out each line.
How a Porto Cervo charter is arranged
We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and your dates, settle the berth question early for August and the regatta weeks, and set out the full cost, park tickets included, before anything is signed. The Sardinia yacht charter guide covers the island's other coasts and the regatta calendar in more depth.
Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.
