There's a different Sicily out there — one you'll only find beyond the harbour, where the land falls away and only the turquoise remains. Aboard the Cornelia, a 12-metre Beneteau Oceanis 393 Clipper, you'll sail it with us.
From the deck of a sailing yacht, Sicily reveals itself in a way the coast road never can. Baroque palazzi turn into silhouettes. Fishing villages become white dots against ochre cliffs. The sea itself becomes the road — and time, for once, stops keeping score.
The Cornelia is not a charter boat ferrying tourists. She's a private sailing yacht, skippered by friends of Villa Siciliu — a family of sailors who know every cove from Syracuse to Marzamemi, every lunch tavern on the shore, every hidden place where the water turns a shade of blue you didn't know existed.
You're not a passenger. You're a guest aboard someone's boat.
When the engine cuts, the only sound is the hull moving through water and the canvas filling with wind. This is sailing — slow, quiet, absolute.
From the bow you can see the full length of the Sicilian coast — limestone cliffs, wild beaches, fishing villages unchanged for centuries.
The best places on this coast are the ones you can only get to by boat. Cavagrande from the sea. The natural arch of Cala Mosche. The rocky pools of Calafarina where the water is so clear you can count the fish from 5 metres up.
Your skipper knows them all — and knows which one will be sheltered from today's wind, which one has nobody else at this hour, which one catches the afternoon light perfectly.
The day begins in Syracuse, in the old port of Ortigia — a UNESCO island-city of baroque churches, sea-worn walls and fishermen selling the night's catch at dawn.
You board at the marina. Coffee first. Then the lines are cast, the engine hums softly, and slowly the old city slips behind you.
Ortigia → open sea
Some guests want to learn to sail. They stand at the wheel, trim the sheets, laugh when the boat heels for the first time. Others just want to lie on the bow in the sun with a cold glass of wine and do absolutely nothing for six hours. Both are perfect.
The Cornelia has space for eight, a full galley, a sun-warmed deck, a platform that folds down for swimming, snorkelling gear, and a fridge stocked with fresh fruit, Sicilian cheese, bread and a bottle of Etna Bianco.
Every sailing day is different — shaped by the wind, the sea state, the light. These are the moments guests tell us about when they come back the next summer.
The moment you take the helm, feel the boat respond, and realise this is nothing like a motorboat — it's alive.
Jumping from the stern platform into water 40 metres deep — transparent all the way down, warm as bath water in August.
Sails down, anchor set, the boat swaying gently. Bread, cheese, tomatoes, and a chilled white from Mount Etna.
It doesn't always happen — but when a pod of dolphins decides to ride the pressure wave off your bow, you never forget it.
Optional add-on — stay out late, watch the Ionian turn copper and gold, sail back with the lights of Ortigia guiding you home.
Anniversary, birthday, proposal — we can arrange flowers, champagne, a private chef for dinner on deck. Tell us the story.
The cure for anything is salt water — sweat, tears, or the sea.— Isak Dinesen
A typical Cornelia day unfolds like this. The exact route depends on the wind and your preferences — we tailor every trip.
Espresso, fresh pastries, a clear blue sky through the kitchen window. Check the wind forecast one last time — it's a good day.
Twenty minutes to the marina in Syracuse. Park, walk through the baroque alleys, and find the Cornelia waiting at her berth.
Welcome aboard. A quick safety briefing, the lines come in, the engine hums. The harbour opens, and the open Ionian lies ahead.
Engine off. The mainsail goes up, then the genoa. The boat heels gently and starts to glide — suddenly silent except for the water rushing beneath.
Your skipper picks today's best cove — somewhere sheltered, quiet, and painfully beautiful. Sails down, anchor set, swim platform folded out.
Jump in. Drift. Float on your back and look at the sky. Back on deck for bread, burrata, tomatoes, olives, a chilled glass of Etna Bianco.
Weigh anchor, sails up again. Your turn at the helm if you want it. A long lazy run down the coast, the light getting warmer by the minute.
Into the harbour as the sun lowers. Salt in your hair, sunburn on your shoulders, a smile you can't wipe off. The villa is twenty minutes away.
Everything you need to plan your Cornelia day from Villa Siciliu.
Beneteau Oceanis 393 Clipper — 12 metres, 3 cabins, full galley, swim platform, snorkelling gear.
Up to 8 guests. Perfect for families, groups of friends, special occasions.
Marina of Syracuse (Ortigia) — 20 minutes from Villa Siciliu by car.
6–8 hours. Sunset extensions available on request.
May to October. June and September are the sweet spot — warm, uncrowded, steady winds.
Skipper, fuel, light lunch on board, soft drinks and water, snorkelling gear, beach towels.
Swimsuit, light layer, sunscreen (reef-safe), sunglasses, hat, camera. Soft-soled shoes if you have them.
We coordinate directly with the Cornelia skipper. Write to us and we'll confirm the day.
Tell us your dates and your dreams — a quiet swim day, a family adventure, a sunset proposal — and we'll organise the perfect day aboard the Cornelia, just for you.
Plan My Sailing Day