Chaotic, frenetic, friendly, spontaneous, traditional in fact a mass of opposites. Walk the streets, sit and people watch, look both ways before you venture across any street or walkway (Vespas know no boundaries), visit all the sites or none – but go to Naples.

Sitting at a café eating pizza with a glass of wine watching the scene – trying to work out who is in charge of the parking permission on a public street. No matter if it is a Mazerati, or a Porsche, if you are not in – you are not in!

The shopping is varied from top of the range to street markets, and the locals are mostly looking in the street markets, however their style is unmistakable.

After three days we did not want to leave and the ferry port ticket office almost made sure we did not. Selling us tickets for a ferry which had already left and not showing any indication that another ferry was departing on that same day! When we approached waving obsolete tickets he smoothly pocketed his mobile phone and slipped another A4 sleeve with a departure time of one hour later in front of our noses and scoffed at the idea that our obsolete tickets would pose a problem. He was correct – no worries!

The approach to Procida is of painted houses along the shore and is exactly what the trigger happy photographers are expecting.

In Procida the check in with the usual hassles and solutions, provisioning, etc precedes the party heading off across to the bay on the other side of town for a simple meal in restaurant recommended by a local. Approaching the seaside restaurant and who should be seen sitting at the table but a group of four Sydneysiders who are anchored off in the bay? You go across the world and what happens?

An enormous and delicious dinner of pasta and seafood under the stars and the full moon rising above the dome of the church on the hill set the scene for what is to follow. Meandering home to the yachts through the narrow streets we avoid cars careering along with rear view mirrors practically touching the buildings on both sides of the road.  And so to bed – after the Limoncello nightcap.

A last minute change to the programme sends the four yachts off to the island of Ventotene on the first official rally day. The local information is that this is quiet, beautiful and interesting. It is a beautiful little place and was once a prison island but now holds none of the horror which may have once been associated with the place. The locals go from Rome to enjoy the water, food, wine and sun. And indeed we meet a couple at dinner who have done just that and they entertain us both at the restaurant and then back at the yacht for Limoncello nightcap. The languages of communication go from English, to Italian, to Russian, to German, to French and at the end of the evening we are all fluent in all five languages!

Day two takes us to the island of Ischia but not before we anchor off Ventotene for a swim. The water is pleasantly refreshing and the day relaxed. Waiting for the afternoon breeze to come in is spent watching the locals (who drive their boats in the same style they drive their cars), lunching, reading and generally ‘chilling out’.

The houses on Ishcia stretch along the coastline with verdant mountains rising steeply behind. The mountains are of particular interest because the restaurant recommended and reserved for dinner, specialises in rabbits bred in caves and slow roasted. The road winds up above the town leaving the heat and traffic behind and the cool breeze is welcome. The Il Focolare traditional restaurant does not disappoint beginning ricotta and herbed pasta balls with our welcoming aperitif moving through a range of ten tastings including the fresh metzenelli (pasta) and finishing (after the rabbit) with lemon cheese tart.

A walk before bed was a necessity.

Santa Angelo on Ishcia is another ‘must do’ bay. The town is smaller and the private marina is very small but there is a large bay and of course a taxi service to take yachties ashore. Restaurants and shops are plentiful and good quality. A climb to the church is a very good workout and not for the faint-hearted.

Next day the sail to Sorrento became a little competitive but after all this is a “cruise in company”. That evening moored in the harbour Marina di Cassano two kilometres from Sorrento town the quay looks a little tired and very basic. The restaurant chosen for dinner is the only establishment on the quay that is well presented. It is a working harbour and the contacts of Italian skipper employed to help with the event is the only reason we have a marina berth for the four yachts for the night.

Dinner is traditional fried house specialities followed by home made pasta and the most succulent sword fish ever eaten.

The little church adjacent to the restaurant is open in the evening for a special service and the locals are attending. It is a traditional celebration of the virgin Mary and the church itself is beautiful.

A steep zigzag road leads from the marina up the famous cliff to the road to the city centre and the fitness freaks are up early next morning to work off the pasta. A leisurely walk to the town centre follows the climb for others in the party and there is a bus or train. Most of the group end up in the town for coffee, after the enjoying the sight of large houses with gardens of lemons, oranges, figs, salad, herbs, flowers and vegetables all overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The city itself is piazzas, tiny cobbled lanes and an Aladdin’s cave of speciality shops. Lemon products, ceramics, fruits, leather goods and the white light soft clothes are famous in the area. The traffic is crazy but it is amazing how quickly one can acclimatise to it and there are areas of cool, shade and quiet within high walls in the interior.

Moored out on a buoy with water taxi service available 24 hours is the only option in Positano. There is no harbour. Stylish shops, coffee shops and trattorias, cobbled streets, and no car traffic - but the pedestrians make up for that, even in June.

The town is as stated in all the travel books and more. A bus ride to Amalfi and to Ravello is a must. It is precipitous and gut wrenching but fantastic. The skill and patience of the bus drivers is legendary. Along with the sense of humour and fun that we experienced all along the way this made a very enjoyable trip enormous fun.

And also on to Paestum, the ancient Greek site with three of the most intact Doric temples.

Mooring in Amalfi is finally arranged by our local contact after many phone calls and energetic conversations. There is no way four yachts could have travelled in company and achieved the success with mooring without the assistance of our local guide.

Finally time to leave Amalfi and head towards Capri where the booking of berths for four yachts is almost an impossibility, and the expense, if the reservation were possible to achieve is out of control. An overnight stop at Nerano and wonderful dinner ashore with Rosa may help to prepare the crews for the rigours of Capri.

Suitably energised and on the way to Capri harbour the phone call from “the contact” comes through and we are in!

Ferries, private yachts, large motor yachts, small craft buzzing in and out to the Blue Grotto – the tiny harbour somehow copes with it all. So onto the tourist circuit. First a visit to the Grotto. The entrance is always very busy and the time inside brief but the intensity of the colour is electric. Cost was E30.00 with tips. On return we transferred to Anacapri by open taxi (with canopy) (E25.00) for lunch. The chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro (E9.00) to take in the view across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvios and the islands of Prochida and Ishcia, then a drink on the terrace at Hotel Caesar Augustus to cool down and relax before the taxi ride back to the harbour.

Night life in Capri, coffee and breakfast in the piazza, a walk along the designer labelled shop-lined streets and allies, taking in the view down across Marina Piccolo, a lemon Granita to keep up the sugar, people watching - whatever the activity undertaken the island is famous for a very good reason.

The next two days are not programmed and are spent swimming in bays, shopping, attending an outdoor concert on Capri, experimenting with restaurants and spas or retracing steps to favourite places on Ishcia, Capri and Procida.

The weather continued warm and with the exception of a night at anchor where wind and tide were not favourable for a smooth sleep, all was perfect.

Favourite places to revisit were Santa Angelo on Ishcia and the bay of Corricella on Procida is a beautiful place for a final swim and lunch ashore before returning the yachts to the marina.