The America’s Cup is coming to Naples in 2027, bringing the world’s oldest international sporting trophy to Italian waters for the first time. With AC75 foiling yachts racing in the Gulf of Naples, Vesuvius rising behind the course and Capri and the Sorrento Peninsula on the horizon, this will be a very different America’s Cup experience.
The America's Cup is coming to Naples in 2027, bringing the world's oldest international sporting trophy to Italian waters for the first time. With AC75 foiling yachts racing in the Gulf of Naples, Vesuvius rising behind the course and Capri and the Sorrento Peninsula on the horizon, this will be a very different America's Cup experience.
The Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup will take place off the Naples waterfront, with the race course positioned between Castel dell'Ovo and Posillipo. For visitors staying in Naples, Sorrento, Capri or along the Amalfi Coast, the event offers an opportunity to combine world-class sailing with a private yacht, helicopter flight and chauffeur-driven transfers.
Sorrento Voyage can arrange the entire experience around your race days, from getting you from the airport or hotel to the marina to positioning your private yacht in the spectator area. Helicopter tours over the Gulf, Capri and Vesuvius can also be added for a different perspective on the event.
America's Cup 2027 dates in Naples
The America's Cup is not simply a single week of racing. The 2027 event unfolds over several stages, giving visitors different opportunities to experience the competition.
The Louis Vuitton Cup, which determines the challenger for the America's Cup Match, starts on May 22, 2027. Fleet racing is scheduled for May 22 and 23, followed by match racing from May 26 and continuing into June.
The main America's Cup Match is scheduled for July 10–18, 2027, with July 19 reserved as a possible additional race day.
There is also a Preliminary Regatta in Naples from September 24–27, 2026. This gives sailing fans the chance to see the teams testing the Gulf of Naples course almost a year before the main event.
Race schedules can change according to wind and official decisions, so the latest information should always be checked as the event approaches.
Where will the America's Cup races take place?
The race course will be positioned off the Naples seafront, between Castel dell'Ovo and the Posillipo headland.
This location puts the racing unusually close to the city. From the Naples waterfront, spectators will be able to see the AC75 yachts racing across the Gulf, while the Race Village on Viale Francesco Caracciolo and around the Rotonda Diaz will provide public viewing areas, giant screens, presentations and entertainment.
The team bases are located in Bagnoli, in western Naples. This is where visitors can also see the boats preparing for their days on the water.
The combination of the race course and the surrounding landscape is one of the defining features of the Naples edition. The boats will be racing with Naples, Vesuvius and the coastline forming the backdrop.
Watch the America's Cup from a private yacht
For visitors who want to follow the racing from the water, a private spectator yacht offers a completely different experience from watching from shore.
Sorrento Voyage offers private boats departing from Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Positano and Amalfi. From Sorrento, a fast cruiser can reach the spectator area in roughly 45 minutes, while the journey from Capri takes around an hour, depending on the boat.
The day can begin well before the racing starts. You might leave Marina Piccola in Sorrento in the morning, stop for a swim near Nerano or below the Faraglioni of Capri, enjoy lunch on board and then head towards the race area as the teams prepare for the start.
Your captain positions the yacht at the edge of the spectator zone, subject to the official regulations in force during the event. From the water, you can follow the pre-start, tacking duels and mark roundings rather than watching the action from a distant shoreline position.
The available boats range from traditional gozzi to sport cruisers and motor yachts of 40 to 80+ feet. Larger yachts can also be arranged for groups and corporate hospitality.
Reserve your America's Cup private yacht
What is included on the private boat tour?
The private America's Cup boat experience is designed around a full race day on the Gulf.
Depending on the selected boat and arrangement, the service includes up to eight hours on board, departure from your chosen port, an English-speaking professional captain and fuel.
Guests are welcomed with prosecco, soft drinks and snacks. Towels and snorkeling equipment are available for swimming stops, while music and live race audio can accompany the day.
The yacht is positioned in the official spectator area according to the regulations established for the event.
Lunch is not automatically included, but it can be arranged as an additional service. Sorrento Voyage can organize a private chef, a customized menu or a restaurant reservation in Capri or Nerano.
The experience can therefore be kept simple or turned into a full hospitality day, depending on your group and plans.
Start the day with a helicopter tour
A private helicopter flight offers another way to experience the America's Cup and the Gulf of Naples.
During a 30-, 45- or 60-minute flight, the itinerary can include views of the Gulf, Vesuvius, Capri, the Faraglioni and the Amalfi Coast. Depending on aviation restrictions and the official rules during race periods, the flight can be planned around the America's Cup schedule.
A helicopter experience is particularly interesting when combined with a private yacht.
One possible itinerary starts with a morning helicopter flight over Capri and Vesuvius. After landing, a private transfer takes you to the marina, where your yacht is ready for the afternoon racing. Once the races finish, you cruise back towards Sorrento or Capri as the light changes over the Gulf.
This creates a full day combining the coast from above and the America's Cup from the water.
Check helicopter availability for Cup week
Private transfers during America's Cup week
Getting around Naples during the event will require some planning. The waterfront will be busy, and traffic restrictions and road closures may affect access to the Race Village and other areas on race days.
Sorrento Voyage provides private chauffeur services using Mercedes V-Class and S-Class vehicles and luxury minivans.
Transfers can be arranged from Naples Capodichino Airport to Sorrento, Positano, Naples hotels and ferry connections for Capri. Drivers can also coordinate race-day journeys between your hotel, the Race Village, marina or helicopter departure point.
For travelers arriving through Rome, a private door-to-door transfer to Sorrento can also be arranged. Alternatively, guests arriving at Naples Centrale by high-speed train can be met there and transferred onwards.
The advantage is having the different parts of the day coordinated rather than arranging each journey separately.
Book your America's Cup private transfer
Where should you stay for the America's Cup?
Naples is the closest base to the race course and Race Village. Staying in the city means being close to the waterfront and the atmosphere surrounding the event.
Sorrento provides another option, particularly for travelers who want to combine America's Cup racing with Capri and the Amalfi Coast. The town is across the Gulf from Naples, and private boats can depart directly from Marina Piccola.
From Sorrento, you can spend a race day on the water and return in the evening without having to deal with Naples traffic after the event.
Capri is another possibility for travelers looking for an island base. A private yacht can connect the island with the race area, while non-race time can be spent exploring the island and its coastline.
Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are further from the racing and summer road traffic can make the journey to Naples slow. For guests already planning an Amalfi Coast holiday, however, private boat or helicopter connections can make it possible to include several America's Cup race days without changing hotels.
A sample America's Cup day from Sorrento
A typical race day can start with a private transfer from your hotel to Marina Piccola in Sorrento.
Your captain welcomes you on board with prosecco, fresh fruit and snacks before explaining the day's plan. Since racing usually takes place in the afternoon when the sea breeze develops, the morning can be used for cruising and swimming.
The boat might head towards Nerano, the Faraglioni of Capri or another suitable location before continuing towards Naples.
As the AC75 teams leave their bases in Bagnoli, your yacht heads towards the spectator area. Once positioned, you can watch the pre-start and racing with the course in front of you, while Naples and Vesuvius create the backdrop.
Between races, lunch can be served on board. A customized menu can include fresh seafood, homemade pasta and wines from Campania.
After the racing, the yacht heads back towards Sorrento or Capri. An aperitivo on deck and a sunset cruise provide a relaxed end to the day.
If a private transfer has been arranged, your chauffeur can meet you at the marina.
A full America's Cup week with Sorrento Voyage
The boat is only one part of the experience.
Sorrento Voyage's concierge service can coordinate the different elements of your trip, including accommodation, airport transfers, race-day transportation, helicopter flights, restaurant reservations and excursions on days without racing.
A five-night stay in Sorrento, for example, could combine private boat access to race days with a visit to Pompeii, a helicopter flight over Capri and Vesuvius, and time on the Amalfi Coast.
Another option is to base yourself in Capri and combine a helicopter flight, private yacht and evening in Capri town.
Both itineraries can be adapted for couples, families, groups of friends or corporate hospitality. Private boats are available for groups of up to 12, while larger yachts can be arranged for bigger groups.
Why watch from the water?
The Race Village will be free to enter, and the Naples waterfront will provide a lively way to experience the event.
A private yacht offers something different.
Instead of arriving at the waterfront and finding a position among the crowds, you leave from your own marina, spend the morning on the Gulf and approach the race area by sea.
From the boat, you can follow the movement of the fleet across the course and then leave directly after racing. There is no need to find a parking space or navigate through the waterfront crowds.
The yacht also gives you flexibility. A race day does not have to mean sitting in one position for hours. You can swim before the start, have lunch on board, follow the racing and then cruise along the coast at sunset.
For travelers already staying in Sorrento or Capri, the boat also becomes part of the journey rather than simply transportation to the race.
When should you book?
The America's Cup Match takes place from July 10–18, 2027, and this is the period when demand for private yachts, helicopters and accommodation is expected to be highest.
For this reason, travelers planning to attend the Match should organize their hotel and private yacht well in advance. Helicopter flights and private transfers should also be arranged early once your travel dates are confirmed.
The Louis Vuitton Cup in May and June offers another opportunity to see the competition, with fleet racing beginning on May 22. These dates may suit visitors who prefer to travel before the peak summer period.
The September 2026 Preliminary Regatta is also an opportunity to visit Naples and experience the America's Cup course before the main event in 2027.
Plan your America's Cup 2027 experience
The Naples edition of the America's Cup combines high-speed foiling racing with one of the most distinctive coastal settings in the Mediterranean.
You can watch from the Race Village, explore the Gulf by private yacht, see the coastline from a helicopter or combine all three with chauffeur transfers and concierge support.
Sorrento Voyage can coordinate your America's Cup experience from the moment you arrive in Italy. Private yachts depart from Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Positano and Amalfi, while private transfers and helicopter tours can be added around your race schedule.
Tell us your travel dates, preferred departure point and group size, and we can build an itinerary around the official America's Cup schedule.
Request your America's Cup 2027 quote
The Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup is scheduled for July 10–18, 2027, with July 19 as a reserve day. Race dates and course regulations remain subject to official announcements and weather conditions, so the schedule should be checked again closer to the event.