Discover some of the best cultural destinations in Europe

A yacht charter is the best possible way to experience the sea and a great escape from the stress of life ashore, but it can also be a voyage of discovery. Many of the top cultural destinations in Europe are scattered around the Mediterranean Sea and the ideal way to visit them – with the best accommodation and the most scenic location in almost every port of call – is to go there by yacht.

The smart way to visit – enjoying the highlights of the Greek capital while avoiding its edgy, gritty character and air pollution – is an Athens yacht charter, taking day trips into the city from one of its marinas, which are just five miles (9km) from the centre with balmy sea breezes and a relaxing ambience. And here’s an insider’s tip: in the best berths at Athens Marina, you’ll get a spectacular view of the city from your sundeck, especially at night when the Acropolis and Parthenon are bathed in light.  

Naxos is another gem, just a few hours’ sail to the south. A cultural hub back in classical Greek and Byzantine times, Naxos Old Town today is a lively and lovely place with neat, whitewashed houses and Venetian fortified mansions, steep cobbled streets winding up to the hilltop castle and a gorgeous waterfront. It is well worth venturing out of town too, with ancient sites and mountain villages to discover in the island’s lush interior and isolated beaches along the coast. 

Highlights include Positano, a gorgeous small fishing port and exclusive beach resort where you can literally live La Dolce Vita, and ancient Amalfi, renowned for its rich architectural heritage and especially the Duomo di Sant’ Andrea, a remarkable Roman-Moorish cathedral set in a pretty piazza. 

Perched on a hilltop high above the Tyrhennian Sea, Ravello is famous for its two historic terraced gardens that inspired both DH Lawrence and Richard Wagner – who set part of his opera Parsifal here – and which now play host to an annual midsummer music festival.  

An Amalfi Coast yacht charter can easily include the fabled isle of Capri, which lies just ten miles offshore, the enthralling city of Naples and the key ancient Roman sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum with their nemesis, the volcano Vesuvius, looming overhead.  

While in Rome, you must also see the iconic Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, both of which you’ll recognise from classic films. There’s the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, of course, and the Borghese Museum with Baroque sculptures and paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian. And don’t miss the stunning panoramic view from Palatine Hill, where Romulus founded the city almost 3,000 years ago.  

When you’ve had your fill of culture in the capital, it’s only a day’s sail from Rome to some of Italy’s finest yachting destinations like Elba, Sardinia or the Amalfi Coast. 

A stroll around the famous Dubrovnik city walls is the stand-out attraction but there is no shortage of treasures within. A rich heritage of Greek, Byzantine, Venetian and Croatian culture gives this UNESCO World Heritage Site a unique character and the annual Dubrovnik Summer Festival, from 10 June to 25 July, is a contemporary highlight.  

Sailing deep inland from the superyacht hub of Porto Montenegro, between sheer mountain slopes and towering limestone cliffs on a waterway dotted with ancient monasteries on tiny islands, you’ll discover the medieval walled city of Kotor. This is a double UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can stroll around streets full of Byzantine and Venetian history. Brave the steep climb up the ninth century walls behind the city and you’ll be rewarded with truly breathtaking views.  

While all other visitors make do with a hotel room, a visit by yacht provides your own luxurious private haven the size of a whole hotel and your pick of the very best locations. For the ultimate culture trip, plan your charter to coincide with one of the city’s world-famous events like Carnival, the Bienniale or the Venice International Film Festival.  

Ibiza is also the cradle and undisputed epicentre of modern global dance music culture. This is where it all started in the early 1980s at three iconic superclubs, two of which are still going strong with a roster of the world’s top DJs. The beat goes on at Pacha, on the waterfront facing Ibiza Town, and Amnesia, in the small village of San Rafael, and their VIP areas are often packed with celebrities. The insider’s tip for a clubbing experience with true Balearic spirit is the smaller, more intimate Underground, also in San Rafael.  

The architectural gems of the Catalan capital include Gaudi's world famous unfinished masterpiece, the awe-inspiring Sagrada Familia, the enthralling Gaudi House Museum and the ancient streets of the Gothic Quarter. But it’s not just about the past; Barcelona combines plenty of that with some breathtaking modern architecture by the likes of Mies van Der Rohe and Santiago Calatrava.  

The other major draw, of course, is the city’s unrivalled food culture which ranges from tapas bars, both traditional and avant-garde, to amazing seafood restaurants and, with a grand total of 22 Michelin stars, some of the foremost elite fine-dining places on the planet.  

Cultural highlights of an Antibes yacht charter also include a relaxing day of lunching and lounging on Plage Keller, the social hub of the literary scene in the 1920s, and fine dining at Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc, the Mecca of the belle-époque and perhaps the most historically significant luxury resort in the world, followed by a stroll through its famous gardens.  

Don’t miss the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, an astonishing relic from the Byzantine era that has stood here for 1,500 years, or the fabled Topkapi Palace, the opulent nerve centre of the Ottoman Empire. For sheer beauty nothing beats the 11th Century Chora Church, now an excellent Museum – except perhaps the Süleymaniye Mosque with its dramatic location. For a deep dive into the unique, timeless character of Istanbul, dive into the multicolour chaos of the 600-year-old Grand Bazaar.  

The top tip for a culture trip on a Malta yacht charter, however, is to take a stroll through prehistory at Ggantija Temples on the island of Gozo. Dating all the way back to the middle of the stone age, this 5,000-year-old complex of remarkably well-preserved limestone temples is one of the world’s oldest monuments, built well before the pyramids of Egypt. It’s a genuinely unique experience.