Climb aboard your vessel in Pozzuoli, in mainland Italy, and head straight for your air-conditioned ensuite cabin to unpack. Don’t get too comfortable – six nautical miles later and you’ll disembark at Corricella Bay, Procida, and gaze up at the pastel-painted houses that clamber over one another to get the best sea view. Get to know your fellow passengers over an aperitif in a local bar, or perhaps on a walk along the snaking passageways and up the narrow steps leading to the colourful buildings of Terra Murata and Casale Vascello. Then it’s back to the boat for dinner and your first night on the waves.

Today the adventure really begins. There’s time for a quick swim and a typical Procidanian breakfast of lingue al limone – a puff pastry stuffed with cream made from the local sweet lemons – before you set sail for Ischia, the largest island in the Gulf of Naples. Keep your eyes peeled for soaring birds as you near your first stop: Sant’Angelo. Here, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to shops, cafes and restaurants; resist if you can and meander up a narrow path to the village of Le Fumarole, renowned for its fashion boutiques. At 4pm it’s on to your next port of call: Ischia Ponte, best known for its medieval castle with views over the bay below. Head off for another stroll before settling down to dinner under the looming citadel.

Follow your nose to the top deck for breakfast and fuel up for the day ahead. Throw down a towel and take in coastal views as you make the 19-nautical-mile journey from Ischia to Capri. Look out for the Faraglioni rocks, visit the Blue Grotto and watch the water change colour as the sunlight hits the caves. Continue past the lighthouse and stop to enjoy the ambience at Marina Piccola. This is a great opportunity to shop in Capri village and maybe spot a celebrity or two. Pulling up a chair and drinking pinot in La Piazzetta – the central square and beating heart of the island – is a must.

Wave goodbye to Capri and head towards the Amalfi Coast on a leisurely cruise. It won’t be long before you’re once again diving overboard into the blue embrace of the Mediterranean: swimming, snorkelling and sea kayaking off the shores of Li Galli – a trio of small, craggy islands said to have been inhabited by sirens who lured sailors onto the rocks with their seductive singing. Greek myth or not, these crooning creatures are now long gone – so you can snorkel in peace before completing the voyage to Positano where more trendy boutiques await. Take your pick of linen dresses, leather sandals, colourful ceramics and locally made limoncello.

Awake to another fresh breakfast and admire the cliff-hugging towns of Praiano and Conca dei Marini en route to Amalfi. There’ll be a short stop at Furore Fjord, a tiny village with a beach flanked by huge cliffs, to which traditional monazzeni (fishermens’ houses) cling. There is also an old paper factory, complete with paper press and a mill, which houses the Eco Museum and botanical garden. Overhead is the 30m (100ft) high road bridge, where a high diving championship takes place in July. Later in Amalfi, head on a sightseeing tour that includes the Cathedral of St Andrew in Piazza Duomo, and the Museo Arsenale Amalfi – a medieval shipyard turned museum.

Spend this morning however you wish, but if you’ve come all this way then it would be a shame to miss Ravello, a town perched 365m (1,200ft) high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Gulf of Salerno, about 7km (4mi) from Amalfi. Jump on the bus and within half an hour you’ll be breathing in sharply as the Amalfi Coast unfurls before you. Make time to visit the magnificent Villa Rufolo and the Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium, before descending back to shore and boarding the catamaran for a trip to Sorrento. You’ll get to take a dip in Nerano Bay – renowned for its beaches including Marina del Cantone. Anchor here for the night and wander into the village to take in the ambience after dark.

After another fresh breakfast and one last swim, it’s back to base in Pozzuoli, passing several cliffside villages along the way. Cruise through the Gulf of Naples and lay eyes on the seafront Castel dell’Ovo and Nisida island. After lunch, there’s more free time for swimming and snorkelling, before anchoring in Pozzuoli Marina.

It’s time to bid arrivederci to your new-found friends. Disembark at 9am and either fly home or explore more of Italy – there’s plenty to discover.