Imperia Sailing Week 2026: Why The Italian Riviera Is Worth Watching This September
For ten days at the end of August and beginning of September, Imperia becomes one of the more interesting places on the Mediterranean for anyone who likes sailing history. The 2026 Imperia Sailing Week runs from 28 August to 6 September, bringing the 12 Metre class to the Ligurian coast before the 40th edition of Vele d’Epoca takes over the harbour.
The first fleet carries some serious America’s Cup history. Twelve Metres contested the Cup from 1958 until 1987, and boats from that era are still raced competitively today. Their name refers to the International Rule under which they were designed rather than their actual overall length, which is considerably greater. Among the yachts connected with the 2026 event are Kookaburra II and Kookaburra III, both associated with Australia’s 1987 America’s Cup campaign.
Racing for the class is scheduled from 29 August to 1 September. The mood changes almost immediately afterwards, when the classic yachts arrive for Vele d’Epoca and race from 2 to 5 September. Visitors therefore get two rather different reasons to spend the week around the harbour. The 12 Metres bring close competition between yachts designed within the same rule. Vele d’Epoca opens the field to boats from different periods, with the restoration, lines, materials and histories of the yachts becoming part of what people have come to see.
Forty years of classic sailing in Imperia
Vele d’Epoca has been bringing classic yachts to Imperia since the 1980s and now sits among the established gatherings on the Mediterranean classic-yacht calendar. Many of the boats travel between the great regattas of the northern Mediterranean, moving through places such as Antibes, Cannes, Monaco and Imperia during the season. Seeing them together in harbour is part of the attraction. A yacht that appears elegant from the quay may have crossed the starting line hundreds of times and undergone years of restoration to remain competitive.
The anniversary programme extends beyond the racecourse. Events around Imperia accompany the sailing, giving visitors time to move between the harbour and the city rather than spending the entire day watching boats from a distance. Imperia itself gives the week more character than a purpose-built marina could. The modern city grew from Oneglia and Porto Maurizio, two neighbouring towns that still feel distinct. Porto Maurizio climbs above the sea through narrow streets and old buildings; Oneglia remains busier and more commercial, with strong links to the olive trade that shaped this part of Liguria. A few days here can easily include the races without becoming a trip devoted entirely to them.
An overlooked stretch of the Italian Riviera
Western Liguria has some famous neighbours. Sanremo lies further along the coast, followed soon afterwards by the French border, Menton, Monaco and Nice. Travellers arriving from northern Europe often continue towards those names without spending much time around Imperia.
Early September is a good moment not to. The busiest Italian holiday period is beginning to ease, but the sea is still warm and coastal life has not moved into autumn. Restaurants remain busy, beaches are still part of the day and the mountains rise almost immediately behind the towns. Those hills shape the food as much as the sea does. Taggiasca olives grow around Imperia and appear throughout local cooking, alongside olive oil, herbs, vegetables, focaccia and seafood. A few kilometres inland, villages sit among terraces and olive groves rather than Riviera hotels.
Sailing Week fits naturally into a trip built around both coast and countryside. You can spend the morning near the racing, drive inland for lunch and return to the sea before evening without covering much distance.
Watching without racing
A world championship can sound like something intended mainly for crews, owners and people who already know the class. Imperia is easier to approach.
Much of the pleasure comes from seeing the yachts in and around the harbour before and after racing. Classic boats reveal far more at close range than they do in photographs, particularly once crews start preparing them for the day.
Someone visiting primarily for a Mediterranean holiday can simply choose the parts of the programme that interest them. There is no need to understand rating rules or follow every result to enjoy watching a fleet of 12 Metres leave harbour or seeing classic yachts moored together after racing.
The timing also gives sailors a reason to stay beyond the event. Sanremo lies along the coast to the west, while Menton and Monaco are close enough to include in a longer trip. Travellers heading east have the Ligurian coast towards Alassio and beyond. A few days at Sailing Week can therefore sit inside a much wider holiday rather than dictate it.
Why 2026 is worth the trip
Vele d’Epoca reaches its 40th edition just as Imperia hosts the 12 Metre championship, putting two generations of competitive sailing into the same programme. The boats provide the spectacle, but the location keeps the week from feeling like a specialist sporting event. Imperia remains a working Italian coastal city once the racing stops. Dinner does not have to take place inside a regatta village, and the following morning does not have to begin at the racecourse.
Anyone travelling specifically for classic yachts will find plenty to watch. Someone who simply wants an excuse to spend the first week of September on the Italian Riviera may find Imperia an equally good one.
