How To Plan An Italian Riviera Yacht Charter Around Imperia Sailing Week

A yacht charter built around Imperia Sailing Week does not need to follow the race fleet. Spend a few days in Imperia for the event, then take your own boat along the coast. Western Liguria is compact enough for short passages, and the French border sits close enough to bring Menton or Monaco into a one-week itinerary without turning the holiday into a race between marinas.

Imperia Vela Week runs from 28 August to 6 September 2026. The 12 Metre racing comes first, from 29 August to 1 September, followed by Vele d’Epoca from 2 to 5 September. Rather than trying to sail somewhere new every day while also following the programme, choose which part of the event you most want to see and build the charter around it.

Arriving for the opening weekend works well for anyone interested in the 12 Metres. Stay in Imperia for the first races, collect the charter afterwards and spend the rest of the week exploring the coast. Classic-yacht enthusiasts can reverse the order, sailing first and returning to Imperia for Vele d’Epoca.

West from Imperia

Sanremo is the natural first destination for a westbound charter. The passage is short enough to leave time ashore, and the town gives you a larger Riviera stop without travelling far from Imperia. Beyond Sanremo, the Italian coast quickly approaches France. Menton makes an easy introduction to the Côte d’Azur and feels gentler than Monaco, with an old town rising above the waterfront and enough restaurants and beaches to justify staying overnight rather than treating it as a waypoint. Monaco is the obvious next stop for crews who want it, although there is no obligation to turn a Ligurian charter into a tour of famous marinas. Harbour space and costs need checking in advance, and a week spent moving constantly between major ports can quickly lose the relaxed pace that makes early September attractive. A simple route through Imperia, Sanremo and Menton leaves room for weather, swimming and an extra night somewhere you like.

Or stay on the Italian side

Turning east gives the trip a different character. Alassio is within comfortable reach and has long been one of Liguria’s established seaside resorts. Nearby Laigueglia is smaller, with the old settlement still pressed close to the water. The coast between them is better suited to an unhurried charter than an itinerary designed around ticking off as many ports as possible.

There is little reason to force Genoa into a short trip unless the city is a destination in its own right. Distances begin to dominate the schedule once a crew tries to cover too much of Liguria in a week. Shorter passages leave the boat available for what people often imagine before they book a Mediterranean charter in the first place: sailing for a few hours, stopping for a swim and having enough time ashore to enjoy where they have arrived.

Choosing the yacht

The boats racing at Imperia may provide inspiration, but they should not decide what you charter. A modern monohull suits couples and smaller groups who want sailing to remain central to the holiday. Western Liguria does not require an enormous yacht to cover the distances involved, and an experienced crew can spend more of the trip under sail without needing long passage days.

Groups interested in space and time at anchor may prefer a catamaran. The extra deck area works well for swimming stops and slower days, particularly when not everyone aboard wants the same amount of sailing. Motor yachts suit another kind of itinerary altogether. They make it easier to move quickly between coastal towns and spend more of the day ashore, although fuel use and berth costs change the budget considerably.

Crew experience should carry more weight than the event when choosing between them. A sailing week does not require a sailing yacht if half the group would rather spend the afternoon in Menton.

Leave room for the forecast

The route may look neat on a map, but weather still decides what feels sensible once the boat leaves the marina. Liguria is exposed to changing Mediterranean conditions, and local forecasts, harbour information and the charter company’s briefing should govern the daily plan. A compact itinerary leaves more options when a passage no longer looks appealing.

Staying another night in Sanremo does not wreck a trip whose next stop is Menton. Missing a distant reservation after building the week around long daily passages is harder to solve. September also deserves the same respect as any other Mediterranean sailing month. Warm weather and warm sea do not guarantee identical conditions every day, particularly along a coast backed closely by mountains.

Keep time for Imperia away from the marina

The event may bring you to the city, but there is more reason to stay than the racing. Western Liguria’s hills begin just behind the coast, and a short journey inland leads to villages surrounded by olive terraces. Taggiasca olives are closely tied to Imperia and its province, while local menus move between seafood from the coast and the olive oil, vegetables and herbs grown behind it. A charter itinerary often works better when one afternoon disappears ashore. The same applies during Sailing Week. Watching the fleet leave in the morning does not oblige you to spend the next six hours waiting beside the harbour. Explore Porto Maurizio, have lunch away from the event or head into the hills and return when the boats come back.

A straightforward seven-day plan

A westbound week could begin with two nights around Imperia and the regatta, followed by Sanremo, Menton and perhaps Monaco before returning east. Crews who want to remain in Italy could spend the sailing portion between Imperia, Sanremo, Alassio and smaller places along the coast. Neither route needs a different overnight stop every day.

Two nights in one port can be better than adding another destination simply because there is space for it on the itinerary. It gives the crew an evening without checking the next morning’s departure time and leaves somewhere to return to after a day sail. Imperia Sailing Week supplies the dates and a good reason to arrive. Once the racing is over, western Liguria is compact enough to let the rest of the holiday slow down.