Italian gems: 7 days exploring the Tyrrhenian Sea on board The Wellesley

Captain David Pott, of 56 metre The Wellesley, available to charter with Thompson, Westwood & White Yachts, reveals a route that takes in the jewels of Italy’s western coastline and its islands

Day One

Arrive at Naples airport, where your captain will escort you to The Wellesley, docked at Marina di Stabia. Enjoy a welcome lunch under way during the 17nm journey to Capri. The yacht will anchor below the sheer cliffs of Anacapri while guests swim, before relocating to the port as the sun sets. Take an open-roofed taxi to dinner under a canopy of lemons at Da Paolino (save room for the dessert buffet).

The yacht will head to the famous Blue Grotto; hop on a wooden rowing boat for a tour through the luminous azure waters. Relax on board while The Wellesley makes the hour and a half journey to Positano. The yacht will anchor beneath the vertiginous and colourful town and the chef will prepare a special dinner on board while the lights of the cascading houses sparkle above.

Awake in the calm waters of Cala Razza di Giunco, Sardinia, as the yacht will have made the 175nm journey while you slept. Enjoy a leisurely paddleboard or take the tender to the pastel-hued Hotel Cala di Volpe, which featured in The Spy Who Loved Me. In the evening the boat will move on to Porto Rotondo, developed in the 1960s and made famous by Silvio Berlusconi’s parties.

The yacht will travel north to the superyacht hub of Porto Cervo. Visit the Walk of Porto Cervo, where major brands such as Versace and Valentino have boutiques. After lunch, venture to the turquoise lagoons of the Maddalena Islands for sunset cocktails and dinner, while the crew prepares for an overnight voyage to the historic island of Elba.

Spend the morning anchored outside the fortified harbour of Elba’s Portoferraio – it’s the perfect place to make the most of The Wellesley’s extensive toy box. In the afternoon tender in to the curved port and explore the twisting streets, which are packed with fishermen selling sardines. Take a tour of the Palazzina dei Mulini, the yellow house where Napoléon lived when he was exiled to the island in 1814.

Enjoy a morning cruise along the craggy coastline of Elba to anchor in a secluded bay near Porto Azzurro for a day of watersports. As the sun sets, tender in to the harbour to stroll around the palm-lined pedestrianised square, which is packed with family restaurants and terraced cafés. Enjoy an aperitif of Italian wine before heading back on board for supper. Overnight the yacht will make the 65nm journey back towards the mainland.

Awake early for a guided tour of Pisa. The city may be famous for its leaning tower but it is also filled with gothic churches, Renaissance piazzas and Romanesque buildings. While you are on shore the yacht will move to Viareggio, where you can enjoy a final dinner on board before departing from Pisa airport the following morning.