Travel

The Grape State

Sam Ballard drinks in all California has to offer, from award-winning vineyards to picture-perfect vistas

Whether it’s mooring up in Newport Beach or sailing out to Santa Catalina Island, there is a reason why the United States’ Gold Coast holds such an emotive place in the hearts of most yachting enthusiasts. California is the state of old-school Hollywood glamour. Where Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart used to sail, where you could find Dean Martin or Charlie Chaplin – legends of the silver screen. However, the state’s yachting scene has not been consigned to the history books. There are dozens of marinas dotted throughout this glorious coastline where you can tie up and kick back, drinking in that famous laid-back Californian lifestyle.

The gem of Californian yachting is Santa Catalina Island. Located just 22 miles off the Californian coast, Catalina, as it’s known among the locals, still holds the charm of the mainland. Straight out of an F Scott Fitzgerald novel, the island was almost entirely owned by William Wrigley Jr, the chewing gum magnate, who invested millions into buildings and infrastructure here. Ten years after purchasing the island, in 1929, Wrigley opened the Catalina Casino, a landmark that still stands today on the edge of the marina – although don’t expect to gamble: the building is in fact a beautiful Art Deco theatre (taking the original Italian meaning of casino as a meeting place). Wrigley also poured money into marketing Catalina by creating spectacles that would pull in the crowds, such as having his baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, train on the island during the spring.

And as if the island’s history couldn’t be more Hollywood, it even has its own bison. They original herd was brought over in the 1920s for a film shoot. Once you’ve moored at Catalina you can only get about on foot, bicycle or golf cart. The island’s main town, Avalon, has one of the most beautiful promenades in the entire country. And, more diminutively, the world’s smallest FedEx truck.

Elsewhere in California, the Napa Valley Yacht Club is a top spot for oenophiles and within easy reach of the region’s award-winning vineyards, including Silver Oak (15 miles away) and the magnificent Del Dotto Estate (17 miles away). What could better than walking among the vines on a warm evening? Napa Valley, and the less well-known Sonoma Valley, create some of the best New World wines around the globe. You can tour these palaces of winemaking – often on private tours if you get in touch early enough – and enjoy tasting the fruits grown by these master craftspeople. It would be rude not to stock up your own cellars while in town, too.

Another famous spot for the Californian yachting community is the Newport Beach Yacht Club. The club, which is one of the oldest in the United States, is just a short distance from exclusive communities such as Balboa Island, where you will find prestigious harbourside properties. Restaurants range from the high-end Italian Ciao Balboa and French restaurant Basilic to cheap eats at Crocker’s or the vintage Balboa Candy. Its white picket fences give off a real sense of classic Americana.

Marina Del Ray, a seaside community close to Venice Beach and Santa Monica, is perfect for those wanting to access Los Angeles. The area is fantastic for eating out – from the farm-to-table Cast & Plow to Café del Rey, an upscale New American restaurant serving contemporary fare. There is also plenty to offer in terms of activities, from sport fishing (halibut, white seabass, yellowtail) to parasailing or kayaking. This is a community where a lot of time is spent on the water. If too much activity isn’t for you, then taking a walk down Venice Beach for a spot of people-watching is a far less strenuous way to spend a few hours. Or, if it’s life on the open road that you seek, look up Vintech, restorers of classic Porsches.

San Francisco, with more coastline than most cities, has an impressive array of marinas – mostly around North Beach and towards the Golden Gate Bridge. If you’re in town on business this means that you can get down to Silicon Valley while having a convenient base in the city. Those who are visiting for pleasure have one of the west coast’s great cities at their feet – from world-famous sights such as Alcatraz, the island prison, to Fisherman’s Wharf. Jump on a streetcar and explore what the city has to offer.

Regardless of whether you are looking for paradise in California’s Channel Islands or seeking a quiet corner in one of the world’s great megacities, there is something for everyone in this diverse part of the United States, from beautiful boardwalks to untouched slices of old America – and plenty of Hollywood glamour. Just make sure you have stocked up on plenty of Californian Pinot Noir.

Paradise found

Thomas Anka uncovers a slice of heaven by every definition in the British Virgin Islands

Spread across an archipelago of 60 islands, there are few places in the world that can compete with the British Virgin Islands when it comes to sailing. A combination of good winds, calm currents and protected bays – and some amazing snorkelling spots – make this a paradise for yachting. Whether exploring The Baths or propped up at a pirate beach bar, this is a region that is steeped in history, both above and below water.

Tortola, the best-known destination in the BVI, has everything you could want from a Caribbean island: sun, sea and sand – and rum. Specifically, the Callwood Rum Distillery, one of the oldest in the region. The site, which dates back to the 1600s, creaks with age. The stone buildings, copper vats and wooden casks all add to the atmosphere. If you prefer to keep your head clear, then why not head off for a walk in Mount Sage National Park? Named after the highest peak on the island, it is the perfect place for trekking and hiking – for those who fancy the 1,716-ft climb.

It would be remiss not to mention some of the stunning beaches that line Tortola’s coastline. From Smuggler’s Cove, the island’s most popular beach, to Cane Garden Bay, Long Bay Beach and Brewer’s Bay. For dinner, you could do a lot worse than Quito’s Gazebo, although beware that it’s not a spot for a quiet, romantic meal.

The British Virgin Islands have a long and fascinating history, particularly when it comes to pirates. Many of the territory’s islands have intriguing names that point to this bloody history, such Dead Chest Island, where legend has it that Blackbeard would maroon insubordinate members of his crew (“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest”) with just a bottle of rum and a cutlass. Now these islands are the perfect place for snorkelling and scuba diving. If you’re looking for a particularly interesting spot then head out to Salt Island, where the Royal Mail packet

steamer RHS Rhone sank in a hurricane in 1876. It’s now one of the best scuba diving sites in the Caribbean.

For those who would rather snorkel, chart a course for The Baths in Virgin Gorda, east of Tortola. Here, you can swim among the huge granite boulders that were brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. Be warned though, it’s a popular spot. As is the island’s Bitter End Yacht Club, which is being totally rebuilt after hurricanes Irma and Maria destroyed it a few years ago.

In Anegada, you will find some of the best fishing in the BVI. There’s grouper, triggerfish, kingfish and snapper to be found here. Or, if you fancy a challenge, bonefish. There are plenty of watering holes to revive you after a day’s fishing, too – from Big Bamboo to Neptune’s Treasure or the Wonky Dog. Be sure to try the local Anegada punch. While in the neighbourhood, it’s well worth charting a course for Horseshoe Reef, one of the largest coral reefs in the Caribbean. There, you’ll find lobster, conch and all manner of other underwater life.

Prickly Pear Island – not the one near Antigua – is another great location for those with the freedom to roam. The uninhabited island has a beach bar and water sports facilities, and was declared a national park in 1988. You’ll find numerous geckos and lizards on the island, including the common puerto rican ameiva, which can grow up to 85cm in length. The island also has some incredible beaches, so once you’re finished trying to spot any wildlife you can sit back and enjoy some of that famous Caribbean sunshine.

The quirkiest island in the British Virgin Islands is undoubtedly tiny Jost Van Dyke, which is named after a Dutch pirate. The ‘barefoot island’ measures just three miles by four and is home to fewer than 300 inhabitants – with a main street essentially on the beach. The place is famous for its Halloween and New Year’s Eve yacht parties.

Wherever you decide to pull up in the British Virgin Islands – whether it’s on the main island of Tortola, walking barefoot on Jost Van Dyke or exploring one of the numerous paradise islets that dot the region – you are sure of a good time. There’s a reason why so many sailors like nothing better than spending time bobbing around this part of the Caribbean. Just remember to pack your sunscreen.

Bay watch

The Bay of Kotor provides one of Europe’s great sailing opportunities, but there’s even more to Montenegro writes Kaltrina Maraš

Europe’s ‘southernmost fjord’ is no fjord at all – but it’s easy to see why the spectacular, narrow Bay of Kotor is compared to the beauty of Norway’s west coast. Also known as the Boka, this Unesco World Heritage site in the Adriatic Sea provides one of the continent’s most satisfying, sun-kissed sailing experiences, particularly later in the season, when the waters clear and cruise ships leave. With Croatia to the north, Italy across the water, and Albania and Corfu to the south, Montenegro is often overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbours. It shouldn’t be: its coastline may be short, but it is magnificent, made up of 120 beautiful beaches, well-persevered medieval towns, dramatic scenery and fascinating islands.

Noted by Forbes as the ultimate superyacht sanctuary along the Adriatic Coast, the hugely impressive Porto Montenegro marina, in the western end of the Bay of Kotor, makes the bay a must-visit destination for yacht owners. With 450 berths, shops, restaurants, bars, spas and salon, the marina itself is one of the region’s top party destinations, while it also provides access to Tivat, a small city, and the wider municipality of the same name, with its spectacular mountainous backdrop. Although

not as architecturally impressive as the likes of Kotor, the city houses the Summer House Buća, which dates back to the 17th century and is built in late Gothic style. The quaint village of Gornja Lastva, some 300m up mount Vrmac, which separates the Kotor and Tivat bays, is a ten-minute drive or hour-long hike, and provides an insight into small-town life – as well as incredible views.

There are three islands of interest nearby: the Island of Flowers (Miholjska Prevlaka), which is just 300m long and 200m wide, and is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The island is home to a monastery dedicated to Archangel Michael, built in the early 13th century by Saint Sava, and about 100 people, who mainly live in bungalows. Our Lady of Mercy island (Gospa od Milosti), which at 160m long and 60m wide, is even smaller, and is home to an impressive 15th-century church that is visible from the mainland. But it is another island that conjures the most intrigue: Sveti Marko, which boasts a pristine, 1,000m-long beach and a curious history. In 1962, 500 tourist Tahiti-style houses were built there and managed by Club Med until the Yugoslav wars put an end to a popular tourism industry. Today, the island is abandoned, its houses obscured by overgrown weeds, giving it a mysterious quality and strange appeal. However, change is afoot with a vast new development planned, according to svetimarkoisland.com.

Another sailors’ favourite is Luštica Bay, found in the north western bay of Trašte, part of the Tivat Municipality, where there is a 176-slip marina. The region will soon host Montenegro’s first 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Gary Player, who promises that every hole will offer views in all directions, from the Adriatic in the south to the Bay of Kotor in the north.

Then there is Kotor itself, which is reliably included on Eastern Mediterranean cruises, and is therefore teeming with tourists during the summer months. Still, it’s worth exploring due to its fortifications – including its ramparts and castle – built by the Venetians, whose influence remains throughout the region. Its chalk stone houses with distinctive green shutters, many churches, restaurants and pedestrianised squares also recall Dubrovnik. If you’re feeling energetic, follow the 1,350 steps up St John mountain to the San Giovanni castle, which offers views of the walled town and bay, as well as the 16th-century Church of Our Lady of Remedy, perhaps the city’s most famous landmark. Behind the castle hill, the Lovcen national park stretches out.

Further south is Sveti Stefan, another storied and beautiful island resort, connected by a slither of land. Fortified in the 15th century, entire books could be written about its history: once beloved by celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe, it was also home to churches turned into casinos by the communists and hosted chess tournaments at which the likes of Bobby Fischer competed. However, the island had fallen into disrepair: when I last visited in 2006, it was closed to the public, its future uncertain according to locals. Fortunately, soon after, Aman Resorts was awarded the contract to revitalise the island, and it was reopened in 2010 – and later hosted Novak Djokovic and Jelena Ristić’s wedding. The resort has 58 guest rooms, cottages and suites, including eight suites that are part of the Villa Miločer, built between 1934 and 1936 as the summer residence of Queen Marija Karadordevic, where superyachts can dock.