A practical guide to chartering a yacht in the Mediterranean — bareboat versus skippered, where to base, licensing, costs, and the practical details UK sailors usually wish they'd known.
A Mediterranean charter week is, for many UK sailors, the most cost-effective way to sail in genuinely warm water with reliable wind and a fresh boat under their feet. A 40-foot yacht for a week with five friends works out at less per person than a comparable land-based holiday and gives you a different week entirely.
This guide covers the practical decisions: where to base, bareboat versus skippered, what licence is enough, what to budget, and the unglamorous details that make the difference between a great trip and a frustrating one.
Why the Med
A few things make Mediterranean chartering particularly suited to UK sailors:
- Reliable summer winds (notably the meltemi in the Aegean, the mistral in southern France, the bora on the Croatian coast)
- Short passages between islands — most cruising is 15–35 nautical miles a day
- Warm water and reasonably warm air
- Well-developed charter infrastructure with abundant bases
- Generally English-speaking marina staff in the major bases
- Decent flights from UK regional airports
A Caribbean charter is glorious but expensive and a long flight. A Med charter is more accessible for most UK sailors most years.
Bareboat versus skippered
Two options, with a third in between:
Bareboat. You skipper the boat yourself. Cheapest. Requires the right qualifications (see below) and genuine confidence. You manage the navigation, weather, mooring, and crew yourself. For experienced skippers, the freedom is the whole point.
Skippered. A paid skipper takes the boat. They live aboard with you. You're a guest on their boat. Best for groups without a Day Skipper among them or where everyone wants to switch off. Adds roughly £150–£250 a day to the cost. The skipper expects feeding and a bunk.
Skippered for the first day. A middle path — some charter companies provide a skipper for the first day or two to brief you on the boat and the local area, then leave you bareboat for the rest. Useful if you have the qualifications but don't know the cruising area.
Most experienced UK sailors choose bareboat after one or two trips. New skippers benefit from the first-day-skippered model.
Where to base
The major Mediterranean charter bases, with rough character:
- Croatia (Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar). Vast cruising area, hundreds of islands, calm protected waters. The standard "easy first Med charter". Busy in July and August.
- Greece (Aegean — Athens, Lefkas, Kos). More wind than Croatia (the meltemi), more challenging anchorages, fewer crowds, classic Greek-island sailing.
- Greece (Ionian — Lefkas, Corfu). Calmer than the Aegean. Beginner-friendly. Beautiful scenery.
- Italy (Sardinia, Sicily, the Tuscan coast). Higher cost, more sophistication, mixed cruising.
- France (Côte d'Azur, Corsica). Expensive but stunning. Strong mistral days.
- Turkey (Marmaris, Göcek, Bodrum). Excellent value. Beautiful coast. Very little tide.
For a first Med charter, Croatia or the Ionian Greek islands are the easiest. For a second or third, Aegean Greece or Turkey reward the extra effort.
Licensing: what you actually need
Bareboat charter companies require licensing. The most commonly accepted UK qualifications:
- RYA Day Skipper (Practical) certificate. The minimum almost universally accepted in major Med bases. Some companies want one or both crew members to hold it. Some want the skipper to also have an ICC (see below).
- International Certificate of Competence (ICC). A separate certificate based on your RYA qualification, mostly used in countries that require an "international" recognition. Croatia in particular requires an ICC for all bareboat skippers; Greece traditionally accepts Day Skipper without ICC but is variable.
- VHF Short Range Certificate (SRC). Almost always required for the skipper.
- Crew sailing CV. Many companies want a list of past charters and miles sailed. Honesty is best — they verify selectively.
Confirm the exact requirements with the specific charter company before booking. Requirements have shifted over the past few years and continue to vary by country.
Cost structure
A typical Med charter week breaks down roughly:
- Base price (boat for the week). £2,500–£8,000 depending on boat size, season, and base.
- Skipper if hired. £900–£1,400 a week.
- Cleaning fee. £100–£250.
- Final fuel and water bill. £100–£300.
- Marina overnight fees in port. £30–£80 per night per marina (some bases charge, some don't, some allow free anchoring nearby).
- Provisioning. £200–£500 per person for the week if you eat aboard most evenings.
- Eating ashore. Variable. Greek tavernas are reasonable; French marina restaurants are not.
- Flights and transfers. £200–£600 depending on origin and timing.
For a four-person bareboat in Greece in shoulder season, total cost typically lands around £900–£1,400 per person all-in. July and August can double that.
Provisioning
A pragmatic provisioning approach for a UK group:
- Order online from a local supermarket for first-day delivery to the boat. Most bases have arrangements with grocery delivery services.
- Stock the boat for breakfast and lunch every day, and dinner half the days. Eat ashore the other dinners.
- Don't over-provision — the fridge is small.
- Buy local wine, not familiar imports. Cheaper, better.
- Get fresh bread daily from the islands.
What to pack
Less than you think.
- One pair of soft-soled deck shoes
- Swimsuit and a beach wrap
- One light layer for evenings
- A real waterproof for the rare bad-weather day
- Sun hat with chin strap (the wind takes the hatless ones)
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Polarised sunglasses
- A small drybag for shore trips
What you don't need: hard suitcases, smart shoes, formal clothes, multiple changes per day. Boat space is limited. Pack as if for a weekend, not a week.
The first-day briefing
Every charter starts with a briefing from the base manager. Pay attention; ask about:
- Local hazards specific to the cruising area
- Marinas and bays they recommend or warn against
- The boat's quirks — every charter boat has them
- Where to find help if anything breaks
- Emergency contact numbers and procedures
- The fuel and water gauge calibration (charter boats often read inaccurately)
A good briefing takes 90 minutes. A skipper who rushes the briefing is signalling they don't want you to ask later.
Common mistakes
Three errors first-time Med charterers make:
- Booking the biggest boat the budget allows. A 50-foot bareboat is a lot of boat for a four-person crew with one Day Skipper. The right boat is the one your group can comfortably handle in a strong wind.
- Underestimating the meltemi or mistral. Both can blow Force 7+ for days. Local knowledge says when each is expected. Plan flexibility into the route.
- Trying to cover too much ground. A relaxed week visits 4–5 ports. A stressed week tries 8 and arrives nowhere properly.
Where to find charter companies
The directory on this site lists Med charter operators by base, alongside boat-sales brokers who often have charter relationships. Browse the Charter category to compare bases, fleet sizes, and skippered/bareboat options.