Perched atop cliffs that separate the town from its busy marinas, Sorrento and its surrounding waters make for a magical boat charter destination.
Boats moored in Sorrento (Photo: Jenny via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
There are a wide number of companies offering boat rentals in and around this captivating coastal town in southwestern Italy, with everything from modest sailboats to state-of-the-art catamarans to extravagant superyachts available. Many of them come crewed or with a skipper, but if you like the idea of traversing the ocean independently then boats under a certain size and engine horse power can be rented without a license. Most boats can be hired from Marina Grande, the main port of Sorrento, but there are also smaller ports located in the Bay of Naples and the Sorrentine Peninsula. Below are three of the best companies for finding a Sorrento boat rental.
Click & Boat
A well-established name in the boat rentals sector, click & Boat offer more than 40,000 vessels for hire worldwide. Billed as a collaborative peer-to-peer platform, owners can create a free listing for their boat by adding pictures, a description, a price, and tips about the local sailing area. Renters can then contact them directly via an online messaging service to ask any questions, as well as view feedback from previous renters. Bareboat rentals are the cheapest option, but you can also have a captain onboard for an additional cost. When we searched for charters in Sorrento, there were over 100 vessels available, with prices starting at €76 per day (before fees) for a 12-metre crewed motoryacht that comes with a fridge, a sundeck and an onboard toilet.
SamBoat
Another reputable industry name, SamBoat prides itself on making renting a boat easy. You search for your ideal boat according to price, size, dates of travel and other requirements, then when you’ve found one that fits your criteria you send a booking request to the owner. If the request is accepted, you pay your rental online, with the amount deposited to the owner when your rental period begins. On the day itself, you board the boat and make sure it fits with the descriptions before signing your contract and heading off onto the open seas. When we searched for charters in Sorrento, we found hundreds of options (including both crewed and bareboat charters) with prices starting at €99 per day (before fees) for a 6-metre skippered motorboat with a sundeck, deck shower and outdoor fridge.
Aprea Coast
Based out of offices on Via del Mare, a 10-minute stroll from Port of Sorrento Marina, Aprea Coast have been in Sorrento for over two centuries. As a result, they pride themselves on knowing every corner of this stretch of Italian coast and the most beautiful sea beds the area has to offer. They have several motor-powered boats and RIBS available for hire, both with or without a skipper, including smaller vessels that require no license to helm yourself. Among them are a G-10 Hybrid Giuilia that comes equipped with a bathroom, kitchen, large cockpit table and spacious sundeck, and can accommodate up to 10 guests plus two crew members. Small options include 5.99-metre inflatables (no licence needed) and a 6-metre inflatable (compulsory nautical license). All of their vessels also come with Bluetooth audio speakers and high-tech WiFi antennas, plus ice boxes and beach towels.