Italy, Sicily and Sardinia.

Italy has well over 5000 miles of coastline, surrounded by the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ligurian, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas.
The west coast can be extremely crowded in the summer, especially in the north. July and August are very popular months of course, so in the spring and autumn the coasts are more peaceful and the weather can be very pleasant..
Once the undisputed domain of power boating, many Italians have now discovered the beauty of sailing. To cope with this insatiable demand many marinas have been built, particularly along the Italian Riviera (Genoa, Portofino, Elba, Punta Ala and Porto Ercole being the best known spots to exclusive yacht charterers). South of Rome sailing yachts are less common.
The east coast of Italy has been less endowed by nature and is less popular for cruising, even the local sailors often preferring to cruise in neighbouring Croatia.
Italy's best cruising spots are spread around the rim of the Tyrrhenian Sea where groups of islands alternate with attractive harbours on the mainland. Some of the most picturesque anchorages are on Sardinia, while close to the Straits of Messina one can either anchor in the shadow of Stromboli in the Aeolian islands or within sight of Mount Etna on Sicily.
The proximity of ports or marinas to all tourist attractions makes it easy to visit the main points of interest without leaving the boat for more than a few hours.
With a large resident boating population, yachting facilities in Italy are of a very high standard. Purpose-built marinas or docks for yachts are available almost everywhere and the only deterrent can be the high docking fees charged in some places, some of the highest being those at Porto Cervo.

The climate varies from north to south and between the islands. The north can have cold winters, while the south can be extremely hot in summer. Generally the coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate. The summers are hot and dry along the coast. The prevailing winds of summer are NW, although in many areas there is a daily pattern combining land and sea breezes.