Boaters from all over the world love sailing among the islands of Campania. Much has been accomplished in terms of facilities, but there is still much to be done. The 2027 America’s Cup, to be held in Naples, will undoubtedly provide a valuable opportunity for development
by Paolo Viola and Niccolò Volpati
There is no shortage of berths, with over 17,000, about the same number as in Tuscany and just under those in Sardinia, Liguria, and Sicily. Moreover, Campania’s coastline is very extensive. Suppose you count the central islands, including Capri, Ischia, and Procida. In that case, it reaches approximately 480 km, with an impressive number of landings, particularly from the mouths of the rivers Garigliano, Volturno, and Agnena. Further south, Mingardo, up to Sapri, you can count about seventy! Many are small landings intended for small watercraft and boats owned by fishing enthusiasts. Still, others are actually well-organised marinas, such as Marina di Stabia, d’Arechi, di Camerota, and, obviously, Capri, Ischia and Procida, which abound in facilities. The reasons for this, in addition to the coast’s topography, are also historical. The Kingdom of Naples strongly relied on seafaring, and, even before that, the Roman Empire had established its own military port in Pozzuoli.
Marina d’Arechi is a modern facility with a thousand berths, capable
of accommodating superyachts of up to 100 metres in length.
If you look at Campania’s coastline from north to south, it could be divided – disregarding administrative boundaries – into four different areas: the Casertano (from Formia to Capo Miseno), the Gulf of Naples (from Capo Miseno to Punta Campanella, including Capri, Ischia and Procida), the Salernitano (from Punta Campanella to Paestum), and Cilento (from Paestum to Sapri). Each of these areas exhibits a notable degree of uniformity, both in the morphology of the coast and in its utilisation. But there are also significant differences between them.
In the region of Caserta, the coast is low and dominated by landings in the mouths of rivers, which are used only by smaller boats due to the barrier that forms with every rainfall, making the entrances entirely precarious. There is a ‘draft’ of a Marina called “Pineta Mare”, which has never been completed and would require quite a lot of restructuring work, stretching from the mouth to the seabed and the docks. If modernised, it could no doubt entirely change the face of this area, which is currently in a state of severe degradation. But this is Castel Volturno, and unfortunately, no one dares touch it!
The marinas of Campania
Sud Cantieri Marina, Pozzuoli, www.sudcantieri.it
Mergellina, Napoli, www.marinamololuise.com
Santa Lucia, Napoli, www.ormeggioslucia.com
Marina di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia, www.marinadistabia.it
Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia, www.stabiamainport.com
Porto di Amalfi, Amalfi, www.portodiamalfi.com
Marina d’Arechi, Salerno, www.marinadarechi.com
Agropoli, Agropoli, www.portodiagropoli.com
Acciaroli, Acciaroli, www.marinadiacciaroli.it
Marina di Camerota, Camerota, www.portodicamerota.it
Porto di Sapri, Sapri, www.marinaportodisapri.com
Ischia S. Angelo, Ischia, www.marinadisantangelo.it
Ischia Forio, Ischia, www.marinadiforio.it
Ischia Marina di Lacco Ameno, Ischia, www.marinadilaccoameno.com
Ischia Casamicciola, Ischia, www.marinadicasamicciola.it
Marina di Procida, Procida, www.marinedi.com/marina-di-procida
Marina di Capri, Capri, www.portoturisticodicapri.com
Campania has many bays where you can drop anchor and enjoy the tranquillity of the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of the docks. One of the best anchorages on the island of Procida is Chiaia, located in a large bay that opens onto the picturesque fishing village of Corricella. Those looking to anchor around Ischia should consider Baia dei Maronti, which is protected on one side by Capo Grosso and on the other by Punta Sant’Angelo. Another not-to-be-missed harbour is Marina Piccola on Capri. Although it has no facilities, it is perfect for a night of complete relaxation. Finally, the harbour of Baia di Positano is a jewel of the Amalfi Coast, located near the beach of Marina Grande.
A view of Procida and the Port of Chiaiolella, which can accommodate 315 boats of up to 45 metres in length.
In the Gulf of Naples, the three ‘urban’ marinas (Mergellina, Santa Lucia and Molosiglio) are always full, and, if we want to preserve the famous Neapolitan waterfront at all, these marinas cannot in any way be expanded. It would be easier to work with the small marinas and coves that can be found to the west of the city (from Posillipo to Marechiaro) or to the east (from Portici to Torre Annunziata, while the excellent Marina di Stabia would be perfect if it didn’t suffer from the missing execution of the ground work and consequent urban void which currently surrounds it). More difficult, however, is it to intervene on the Sorrento peninsula, with its high coast and high seabed, where only a few precarious landings and moorings could be built over time.
Positano, a charming and beautiful place particularly loved by those who enjoy pleasant locations.
The area around Salerno suffers to the north from the high Amalfi Coast, which offers its famous natural landscapes but very few opportunities for building ports or landings. The only exception is the two ‘urban’ ports of Santa Teresa and Masuccio, located in the region’s capital. However, the splendid Marina d’Arechi, situated a bit further south, constitutes a trustworthy resource, well-equipped and offering excellent services. It was supposed to be a port island, but had to be adapted to a new plan because the narrow strait that separated it from the coastline was entirely covered by land.
Lastly, Cilento is a region destined for prosperous tourist development, as it is cut off from the primary communication routes (the Salerno-Reggio Calabria route runs further inland, approximately 50 km from the coast). Therefore, the vast promontory that goes from Pestum to Sapri is still sparsely inhabited. However, this beautiful territory offers several interesting harbours (Agropoli, Castellabate, Casal Velino, Camerota, Scario, Policastro, Sapri), which in part need to be protected, expanded, equipped, but above all made accessible to larger yachts. To conclude, there is a considerable number of bays and coves that could accommodate small marinas, enriching the offer of moorings in an area that, thanks to its natural beauty, mild climate, and tranquillity, is rapidly developing into a high-quality tourism destination that is not only seasonal.
Bagnoli and the America’s Cup
Campania, however, is also the land of untapped opportunities. A shipowner like Aponte appears to have realised this, as dock rumours have it that he is interested in buying Marina di Stabia and is likely planning essential developments for the area. But perhaps the most significant example is Bagnoli and the former Italsider area. For those who enjoy browsing the internet, you may find a video by Istituto Luce featuring an old interview with Pietro Nenni, in which the journalist asks the socialist leader: What would happen here if one day Italsider were to cease to exist? Nenni’s answer was simple: “That’s impossible. The steel plant in Bagnoli will always be there!”. That is not exactly how things turned out, in the sense that steel production has since come to a halt; however, Nenni was partly right. Still today, this city cannot entirely escape the skeleton of Italsider, which still seems to linger in the closet.
Sant’Angelo d’Ischia is one of the most charming villages on the island. An oasis of peace and tranquillity, it is closed to cars and, with its characteristic narrow streets and houses built close together, is a typical example of Mediterranean architecture.
The number of berths in Campania is relatively consistent, but, with some exceptions, these are often small harbours for small watercraft. The Marina of Stabia, Mergellina in Naples, and the Marina d’Arechi in Salerno are the only ones that can accommodate yachts up to 100 metres in length. On the islands, Ischia has plenty of ports for mega yachts (Ischia Porto, Forio, Lacco Ameno, and Casamicciola). In Procida, the Marina di Procida is equipped for ships of up to 90 metres in length.
And yet, Bagnoli would be a perfect spot to develop marinas. The seabed is high, and it would be challenging to build a breakwater. Yet, such a construction could guarantee access even for mega-yachts. In addition, the old factory already has two piers, which were used to load and unload materials for Italsider. There are interesting projects that involve the construction of a marina with over 800 berths, of which more than 200 could be 24 metres long, if the two existing piers are utilised. What has hindered this development so far? Reclamation. The area in question is extensive and contains high concentrations of heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Recently, the Government found the resources to start construction works, and the announcement that Team New Zealand had chosen Naples as the venue for the 2027 America’s Cup has given operations a further boost. Precisely, the area of Bagnoli will be hosting the headquarters of participating teams, which means the area needs to be ready as early as next year.
Cetara is a small fishing village on the Amalfi Coast, nestled between the sea and the mountains. It is a niche tourist destination thanks
to its deep connection with traditional economic activities.
The exceptional event confers exceptional powers, and the Mayor of Naples has been appointed a commissioner. Procedures will likely be streamlined, and there will be some kind of “light” reclamation to avoid being late for the appointment. After all, the area between Coroglio and Nisida already offers summer buoy camps for approximately three thousand boats, and it is not as if the water is only polluted in the winter. In contrast, in the summer it is clean. In the past, the area was even granted a concession for a fish farm. From the famous dish sea bream all’acqua pazza (lit. ‘crazy water’), we had gone to sea bream all’acqua that smells like hydrocarbons. So why not do a reclamation that would make it possible to install the America’s Cup village? In fact, that is what will happen. The doubt we allow ourselves to express is: What will happen after this?
The Marina di Agropoli is a haven a stone’s throw
from the city centre. With around 1,100 berths,
it is the first port in the Cilento region.
The fact that the reclamation will be done is good news. Additionally, it will be completed within a specific timeframe, and Bagnoli will host the America’s Cup. However, all this would make even more sense if we already had a plan in place for developing the area after 2027. We hope that the Mayor, the Council, and the Government are already considering this. The former Italsider site, in fact, could be an area to moor mega yachts and offer the services they require. There is sufficient space on the land to build a yard that could accommodate refittings, and the entire area is already well-developed from a tourism perspective. Yachts and mega yachts sail through the Gulf, go to Capri, Ischia or to the Amalfi Coast. Therefore, having a new Marina that can accommodate them and facilities on land that make them want to stay even after the summer season is over would lead to a significant number of satellite activities, including job opportunities. In short, tourism, but not only. However, we want to remain optimistic and believe that our administrators share these reflections, and that they haven’t announced them yet.
* Paolo Viola
Paolo Viola (Naples, 1936) is an engineer and urban planner specialising in harbour design, head of the “Marina & Waterfront” area at WiP Architetti s.r.l., ranked among the top 100 architecture and design firms in Italy. He founded the Master’s programme on“Sustainable planning and design of harbour areas” at the Università Federico II° in Naples and is the author of the book “Porti turistici, approccio multidisciplinare per una strategia progettuale integrata” (Marinas, a multidisciplinary approach for an integrated design strategy – Flaccovio, 2010).
(Focus Harbours – Campania, 4th chapter – Barchemagazine.com – Excerpted from Barche, November 2025)
