Where To Book a Late Season Yacht Charter in the Med

Had enough of busy summer anchorages and peak season charter rates? Can’t get the luxury charter yacht you want, or the holiday dates you need?

A late-season yacht charter in the Med may well be the answer, offering stunning cruising in gentler temperatures and incredible deals on top charter yachts. With many locations across Europe experiencing long summer seasons that stretch right through September and October, some of the best cruising in the Mediterranean can be done in the fall.

Now it’s time to decide where to go:

The Balearics, Spain

The Balearics are one of the best late-season yacht charter destinations in the Med, promising an enchanting, fun-filled mix of late-summer parties, cosmopolitan cities and autumn festivals.

In Ibiza, closing parties rock the White Isle in late September and October, with beach parties and nightclubs drawing superstar DJs and fun-loving crowds. Ibiza has gone very upmarket in recent years, so expect clifftop spa hotels and all the jet-set luxuries, as well as the island’s gorgeous, lesser-known heart of medieval castles, horse-riding trails, and sleepy fishing villages.

Nearby, the utterly blissful natural island of Formentara is the perfect place to soak up the warm fall sunshine while relaxing on beaches of sugar white sands and sapphire seas, while sleepy Menorca never fails to astonish with its ancient ruins, sunny Spanish villages among the citrus groves, and heartbreakingly pretty coves.

For those looking for a bit more action, Majorca is a sensational spot for a late-season yacht charter, with its soaring gothic cathedral, breathtaking mountains and buzzing nightlife, while spectacular Barcelona promises whimsical Gaudi architecture and an outrageously good tapas and cocktail scene.

Balearics autumn festivals: There’s a jam-packed festival schedule in the Balearics throughout autumn, with a classic car show, tennis tournament and classical music concerts, as well as fabulous food and wine fetes celebrating the region’s delicacies. One of the real highlights is the grape harvest festival in the Majorcan wine-making village of Binnisalem. Wear white and prepare to throw some grapes!

If you want to keep summer going well into the fall, then a late-season yacht charter in the Balearics calls your name, and calls it loudly.

French Riviera

The French Riviera in the fall is painfully, astonishingly beautiful. The summer heat haze clears and the Alps become visible again, towering above the coast. The sea, while still pleasantly warm in September, gets that telltale winter sparkle, and the water becomes crystal clear again after the summertime tsunami of tourists and day boats depart.

The glorious perched villages of Provence lose their jostling summer crowds, locals become more welcoming, and the best tables at Michelin star restaurants are yours for the taking.

On a late season charter on the French Riviera, drop anchor and snorkel around the splendid Cap d’Antibes or take a walk around the coastal path past ornate villas and secluded coves, the cool smell of pine in the air. Explore the Provencal markets of Antibes and Saint Tropez, chatting with stallholders over giant wheels of cheese and bushels of sweet-smelling lavender, shop the boutiques of Cannes and Monaco, and dine in some of the best restaurants in Europe.

Bask in the warm autumn sunshine with a lunch on the beach in Saint Tropez, and pamper yourself in magnificent spa complexes high above the Mediterranean. As October progresses, some seasonal venues will close, but there’s always somewhere to live the high life on the French Riviera.

Fall festivals and events: There is so much to do during fall in the South of France. St. Tropez thrills with its happy sailing vibe during the Voiles d’Antibes, while the Monaco Yacht Show has an electric atmosphere of stupendous wealth and glittering parties. The markets are bursting with late summer harvest produce, and many villages have fall harvest events for wine, olives, and gourmet fetes.

Fall is a deeply relaxing and beautiful time to be cruising along the French Riviera. September is normally particularly lovely, while rain is more likely toward the close of October.

Sicily, Italy

Closer to Africa than mainland Europe, Sicily really turns on the fall weather, with delicious temperatures, still-warm seas, and sunny skies.

Imagine sitting in the steaming hot Jacuzzi on a fall night with just the slightest hint of cool in the air, watching Stromboli erupt red lava into the starry sky and send its “river of fire” down the volcano to the sea.

Float through the Aeolian Islands­ in early autumn, exploring glittering black sand beaches, strolling through sunlit olive groves, and diving some of the Mediterranean’s best sites. Soak in warm thermal springs and mud baths, learn to make pasta with a Sicilian matriarch, and wander the streets of Catania, a splendid city in the shadow of Mt. Etna.

The scenery around Sicily’s coast is magnificent, with medieval villages perched on towering cliffs, while the capital Palermo delights with its delicious food, Baroque and Gothic architecture, and atmospheric catacombs.

Fall festivals: Sicily really puts on a show in the fall with its harvest festivals, with grape and olive harvests in the low country, and truffle, mushroom and pistachio season in the mountain villages. There’s a seafood festival, couscous festival, cured meat festival, a gourmet and music festival — and best of all, a wine festival in the spa town of Montevago.

With the fierce heat of midsummer gone, fall is a glorious time to visit Sicily.

Turquoise Coast, Turkey

It’s hard to know why anyone wouldn’t choose a late-season charter on Turkey’s stunning Turquoise Coast, with September day temperatures in the low 80s, barely a drop of rain, and sea temperatures in the high 70s. An October charter is even better for those who don’t like strong heat, with an average high temperature of 77 degrees.

On a Turkish luxury yacht charter, float along the enchantingly pretty Turquoise Coast in the shadow of the Taurus Mountains. Journey up the Dalyan River to Tomb Bay, where ancient Lycian tombs are carved into the cliffs, hike the spectacular Lycian Way, or bathe in the hot springs and nutrient-rich mud pools at Gocek.

Visit bustling bazaars of colourful carpets and spices, swim in Cleopatra’s Baths, and drink and dine in the glamorous port towns of Bodrum and Turkbuku. The bright turquoise sea still holds the summer heat in the late season, making this a perfect opportunity to enjoy some of the best diving and snorkelling in Europe, with a glimmering underwater landscape of caves, tunnels, and drop-offs. And with some of the greatest beaches in the Med, including the superb lagoon of Ölüdeniz, Turkey is downright irresistible.

Harvest events: The pomegranate harvest takes place in October in Dalyan, while the grape harvest takes place across the Turquoise Coast.

With warm seas and sunny skies, this ancient landscape of mountains, deep forest, and beautiful beaches is utterly magnificent in the fall.

Greek Islands

The strong summer winds of the Aegean abate in the late season, making early fall an utterly splendid time to cruise the glamorous Cyclades, Ionian Islands, or Saronic Gulf.

On a Cyclades yacht charter, dine on a clifftop terrace in Santorini, a collapsed volcanic caldera high above the Aegean, or stroll the whitewash and blue lanes of Mykonos, windmills standing guard above the sea.

In the Ionian Islands, anchor off the incredible Shipwreck Beach, explore the caves of Kefalonia, trace the Homeric myths of Ithaca, or admire the Byzantine palaces of charming Corfu.

In the Saronic Gulf, visit glamorous Hydra and picture-perfect Spetses before taking the short cruise to the Peloponnese Peninsula to visit exclusive Port Heli or explore the ancient wonders of Olympia, Mycanae, or Epidavros.

Fall festivals: For those looking for harvest festivals, the Peloponnese delights, with wine-making festivals in the first half of September.

With crystal clear seas and deliciously comfortable temperatures, Greece is simply stunning in the fall.

Still looking for inspiration?

There are some other exceptional fall destinations for late season yacht charters in the Med, with Malta and Croatia offering spectacular cruising through September before getting cooler and rainier in October. Sardinia also deserves a special mention due to its far southern location, stunning beaches, and mountain harvest festivals.

ELYSIAN

Elysian is available at a reduced rate for summer Mediterranean charters. Her large exterior deck spaces make her ideal for relaxing gatherings underneath the French Riviera’s sun, and an inviting salon creates an ideal environment for quality family or social time. 

For more information of chartering a yacht in the late season in the Mediterranean, contact Denison’s Yacht Charter Division.