There is a particular kind of clarity that comes from seeing the Amalfi Coast for the first time from the water — not the road, not a terrace, but the water. The clifftop villages stop looking like a postcard and start making actual sense: these were fishing settlements before they were tourist destinations, built facing the sea rather than the road, and they make far more sense when approached from below. The coastal road, however magnificent, gives you a car-window version of one of the world’s great seascapes. A boat gives you the whole thing. This guide to the Amalfi Coast by boat — anchorages and guide to every worthwhile stop — is written for sailors and skippers who want more than the highlights reel.
The Basics: What You’re Working With
The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline of about fifty kilometres that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea, precisely the Gulf of Salerno — bounded to the west by Positano and to the east by Vietri sul Mare — and is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. That fifty-kilometre run is dense with stops: sixteen municipalities in total, including Amalfi, Atrani, Cetara, Conca dei Marini, Furore, Maiori, Minori, Positano, Praiano, and Vietri sul Mare. You won’t anchor off all of them in a week, but knowing they’re there sharpens the itinerary.
Naples, Sorrento, and Salerno are the main departure points, all with well-equipped marinas and good transport links. Sorrento is the most convenient for those whose focus is the Amalfi Coast itself; Naples suits those who want a day in the city before or after the charter. For most bareboat charters, Salerno is the quietest, least expensive base to rig up and provision before heading west along the coast.
On the subject of boat choice: motor yachts are the most popular choice for this stretch of coast since the ports are close together. Catamarans work particularly well for families and larger groups who want deck space and easy access to the coast’s smaller coves. Sailing yachts suit guests who want fewer ports and more time at anchor — or underway, taking advantage of the thermal winds that build off the cliffs each afternoon. If you’re going bareboat, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 449 — 13.34 metres, four cabins, ten berths — is a popular and well-suited choice, starting from around €2,972 per week. For families, a Lagoon 42 or Bali 4.6 catamaran handles the coves beautifully and keeps everyone comfortable at anchor.
Best Anchorages on the Amalfi Coast by Boat
This is the question every skipper is really asking. Here are the stops worth planning your passage around.
Positano: Fornillo Beach Mooring Field
Positano is the jewel, and everyone knows it — including the harbourmaster. During July and August, the main harbours at Positano and Amalfi are genuinely packed, the coastal road above is backed up most of the day, and the better restaurants require booking well in advance. Free anchoring here is largely theoretical: you may find the area full of local and visitor moorings. Trying to anchor east or west of the moorings, you’ll struggle to find anything less than 20 metres depth while keeping at least 200 metres off the beach — so most skippers sensibly take one of the colour-coded mooring buoys owned by various operators.
The most established option is Grassi Junior Boats’ buoy field opposite Fornillo beach. They offer buoy mooring opposite the Fornillo beach in Positano, with 30 buoy spots for anchor mooring just five minutes from the pier, with 24-hour tender and docking services, including double-attachment mooring buoys for greater stability. The mooring field sits in approximately 30 metres of water, with a maximum boat length of around 55 metres. Call them on VHF 77. Come off the buoy early — Fornillo is sheltered, but a southerly swell rolling in overnight can make things rolly by 0200.
Fiordo di Furore: The Secret Anchorage
Furore is, by any measure, the most theatrical stop on the coast. Just outside the village along the highway towards Salerno, the spectacular Furore Fjord (Fiordo di Furore) beckons — a deep cove set between towering rock faces formed over millennia by the waters of the Schiato river rushing into the sea. By land, reaching the beach involves either 200 steps from the road above or navigating near-impossible parking. By boat, you simply slide in through the cleft and drop the hook in glassy, sheltered water. The Fjord of Furore is a natural wonder, accessible primarily by boat — a small but breathtaking beach with a dramatic setting that makes it a perfect escape from the more crowded areas. Depths at the entrance run around 8–12 metres over good sand and rock; the walls block the afternoon thermal entirely. Arrive before 1000 in July if you want the place remotely to yourself.
Marina di Praia, Praiano: The Skipper’s Favourite
Located near Praiano, Marina di Praia is a small but charming beach nestled between cliffs, with a cosy village atmosphere — often less crowded than other beaches along the coast. It has a working jetty used by local fishing boats, which means you can sometimes find a berth or a secure anchorage just off the mouth of the cove in 5–8 metres over sand. The village nightlife above — including the legendary Africana Famous Club, which has hosted the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy since 1962 and even has mooring buoys for guests wanting to make a splashy entrance by yacht — makes this an anchor-and-stay spot rather than a quick stop. Joining a shared tour aboard a traditional wooden gozzo from here is a budget-friendly way to visit the Furore Fjord and the Punta Campanella marine reserve.
Marina Piccola, Capri: The Unmissable Detour
Strictly speaking, Capri lies just off the main Amalfi Coast run — but no guide to the Amalfi Coast by boat would be complete without it. Marina Piccola, to the south of Capri, is one of the most visually stunning anchorages in the area. Legend has it this was the spot where, according to Greek mythology, the Sirens seduced Ulysses — and it’s not hard to see why. The bay is guarded by a large wall of rock to its left, which wards off strong winds and leaves a calm, sunny spot ideal for dropping anchor. This anchorage lies directly opposite Faraglioni beach and in the vicinity of Capri’s famed giant sea stacks. Plan your Capri approach for early morning: by 0900, the day charter fleet from Sorrento and Naples has arrived en masse.
Conca dei Marini and Arienzo: The Quieter Pair
Nestled near the village of Conca dei Marini, the bay offers crystal-clear waters and a peaceful atmosphere — a perfect spot for swimming and sunbathing, with beautiful views of the surrounding cliffs. Depths here allow anchoring in 6–10 metres over sand and posidonia, though you must respect the protected seagrass. A short passage west brings you to Arienzo. A short boat ride from Positano, Arienzo Beach is a quieter alternative to the main Spiaggia Grande — known as the “300 steps beach” due to the staircase from the road, it is much easier and more enjoyable to access by boat, with clear waters and a private setting that make it a favourite for those looking to escape the crowds.
Rules, Regulations and What Will Get You Fined
The Amalfi Coast is not the Wild West of anchoring. Know the rules before you leave the marina.
- Anchoring restrictions: There is a total anchoring ban within 200–500 metres of swimming areas — often marked by buoys — and the mandatory use of designated mooring fields in congested spots like Positano and Praiano to protect the seabed.
- Speed limits: Navigators must maintain a vigilant lookout for high-speed ferry traffic and respect a 10-knot speed limit within 300 metres of the coast.
- Marine Protected Areas: Special care must be taken in the Punta Campanella MPA, where anchoring is restricted to protect posidonia seagrass, and around the private Li Galli islands where landing is prohibited.
- Licensing: Italian regulations state that skippers wishing to sail more than six miles offshore need to hold an International Certificate of Competence (ICC), and must produce the registration document for the boat.
- Emergency contact: There is no lifeboat service in Italy — emergencies are handled by the Guardia Costiera. The number for assistance is 1530.
The Italian Coast Guard enforces these rules with increasing vigour each season. The best advice is to always check for local variations with relevant local officials — each maritime district can issue its own amendments, and the harbourmaster in Amalfi or Salerno will give you the latest version free of charge.
Timing, Weather and When to Go
The Amalfi Coast enjoys a classic Mediterranean climate, boasting long stretches of sun-drenched days and balmy temperatures. In high summer (June–August), expect daytime highs between 25°C and 30°C, with light southerly breezes ranging from 5 to 20 knots — ideal for relaxed coastal cruising and gentle sea swells.
The consensus among experienced skippers is clear on timing: shoulder season wins. June and September reward flexibility — the sea is warm, the weather reliable, and the anchorages noticeably quieter. Late September has a particular quality that experienced Amalfi guests tend to mention unprompted, as the summer crowds have gone and the coast settles back into something closer to its everyday self. April, May, and October are valid alternatives for visiting when the weather is mild, the tourist crowds are less intense, and better boat availability allows for better prices.
One local quirk to note: the scirocco sweeps the Amalfi Coast with warm, dry air from Africa, typically building from the south in the afternoon. Build this into your day — plan any longer passages for the morning, anchor by midday, and spend the afternoon in the water. The thermal winds off the cliffs can be playful for sailing yachts after 1400, but they make anchoring uncomfortable on exposed eastern-facing bays.
Gear Worth Having Aboard
Two pieces of kit earn their place on every Amalfi charter, and we’d be remiss not to mention them.
First: a quality snorkel set. The Amalfi seabed is exceptional — particularly around the Punta Campanella reserve, where posidonia meadows shelter octopus, sea bass, and the occasional moray. The Cressi Palau Short Snorkelling Set (around €60) is compact enough for the charter bag, with a dry-top snorkel and tempered glass mask that handles the Med’s brilliant, low-angle light beautifully. Don’t let it live in the bag.
Second: a reliable waterproof chartplotter app, and we’d pair it with a Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator (around €380). In an age of busy ferry lanes, hard-to-reach coves, and coastguard phone numbers that occasionally just ring out, two-way satellite messaging is not a luxury on this coast — it’s quiet peace of mind for whoever is at home tracking your track.
For the chartwork itself, the Italian Waters Pilot by Rod Heikell remains the definitive paper reference for the Gulf of Naples and Amalfi cruising grounds — worth the shelf space in any boat’s nav station alongside your Navionics or C-MAP subscription.
Conclusion: Make the Amalfi Coast by Boat Your Next Passage
The Amalfi Coast by boat — anchorages and guide notes gathered from seasons of passage-making — adds up to one simple conclusion: this is among the finest fifty kilometres of coastal cruising in the entire Mediterranean. The coast can be visited by land or by sea, but the sea is the best way to experience a unique holiday — admiring from an exclusive perspective a constantly changing landscape of small villages and high cliffs. Exploring the Amalfi Coast by boat is an experience that differs from a trip by land in every meaningful way: the exclusivity of admiring harbours, coves, and small towns from a unique point of view keeps you away from the crowds of tourists that flock here each year.
Plan for the shoulder seasons, respect the MPA boundaries, pick up a buoy at Fornillo before sunset, and slide into Furore at first light. Do those four things and the coast will give you everything it has.
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