 Salvatore – or Toto – doffs his blue bucket hat as he welcomes me on board the Lagoon 42 catamaran at the marina in Portorosa, on the north coast of Sicily. From watching season after season of Below Deck during the pandemic, I know better than to wear shoes on a boat. But he assures me all is fine unless I am planning to wear stilettoes. At 6ft 1, I will never be caught in heels even though I do feel inspired by the opulence of Italian fashion. Dressed in red shorts and a white T-shirt, and with an all-year-around tan, Toto is the epitome of a seasoned skipper and is pleased when I demonstrate an interest in sailing. Sailing in Sicily allows you to travel to some of the most remote islands (Picture: Gergana Krasteva) As he moves around the deck, untying ropes in preparation to leave dock, I notice the name of the white boat: Lotus. What a coincidence, I think to myself, as what gave me the idea to travel to Sicily this summer is the second season of the HBO series White Lotus. There is no denying the appeal of all the filming locations – and some need little introduction – particularly the San Domenico Palace in Taormina. It is also because of the show that interest in Italy and its turquoise beaches saw web searches rise by more than 50% since the finale in December. The white 'Lotus' catamaran hired through SamBoat (Picture: Gergana Krasteva) Great for the country's tourism – but bad for the pocket – as it is becoming more and more expensive to book accommodation in the region. This is why I am travelling with SamBoat – a company often referred to as Uber of the sea. Operating in 76 countries, it is the fastest-growing global platform for boat rental. But this boat set-up is a great alternative to an Airbnb or self-catering apartment – as it's safe to say that one of the perks of exploring Italy in this fashion is having the inside knowledge of local skipp){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Salvatore – or Toto – doffs his blue bucket hat as he welcomes me on board the Lagoon 42 catamaran at the marina in Portorosa, on the north coast of Sicily.
From watching season after season of Below Deck during the pandemic, I know better than to wear shoes on a boat.
But he assures me all is fine unless I am planning to wear stilettoes. At 6ft 1, I will never be caught in heels even though I do feel inspired by the opulence of Italian fashion.
Dressed in red shorts and a white T-shirt, and with an all-year-around tan, Toto is the epitome of a seasoned skipper and is pleased when I demonstrate an interest in sailing.