Viaggio is based out of Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. This Marina is situated on the South side of Tortola, between the capital Road Town and the West End.

Viaggio can also meet your group at Sopers Hole Marina on Tortola's West End if you are catching a ferry from St Thomas, or in Trellis Bay, Beef Island if you are flying into the BVI.

Your itinerary aboard Viaggio is completely flexible throughout the British Virgin Islands including Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays to visit!

There is a curious charm to the British Virgin Islands. They look a bit like Scotland, except with sunshine and palm trees.

And because the BVIs are relatively small and compact, you can meander at a very leisurely pace without worrying that you are going to miss something - the cruising grounds of the BVIs are barely more than 35 miles long by 10 miles across. But if you're worried that you might have seen it all in a couple of days, don't; there is more than enough to see and do to keep you amused for several weeks.

The BVIs can be roughly split into two island chains, separated by the Sir Francis Drake Channel, a three-mile wide expanse of water along (or across) which numerous pleasure craft ply. On the north side of the channel is Tortola (the main island of the BVIs), Beef Island, Guana Island, The Camanoes and The Dogs. On the south side are Norman and Peter Islands, Dead Chest, Salt, Cooper and Ginger Islands and Virgin Gorda. To the northeast of the main group of islands are Jost van Dyke and the Tobago Islands, while 14 miles north of Virgin Gorda is Anegada.

The gentle trade winds make it great for sailing, but not too rough for motor boating, and breezes ensure it's rarely stiflingly hot.

With the exception of Anegada, which is a flat coral island, the BVIs are the mountainous peaks of extinct volcanoes, their slopes clad in lush vegetation and golden sands flanking their shorelines. They are strikingly beautiful and for some inexplicable reasons have been spared the sort of tourist development that has spoiled other parts of the Caribbean. Indeed, the thing that strikes you most about the BVIs is the relative lack of tourists. Yes, there are a large number of charter boats cruising around the islands, and there are one or two exclusive beach hotels, but there is a lack of development, which is rare. The only tourists you see in any numbers are the ones off the vast US cruise ships who descend on Road Town from time to time.

Out on the water, lounging on the sun deck of Viaggio, we make our way slowly out of Nanny Cay on the south coast of Tortola, where Virgin Traders are based, and head south across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Norman Island. Here you will find the Willy T (the William Thornton), a 93ft schooner that has been turned into one of the more notorious bar/restaurants in the islands. Norman Island is alleged to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's book "Treasure Island", and treasure has indeed been found here.

Heading west you pass Peter Island and then Dead Chest, of "Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum" fame. According to local lore, Blackbeard marooned 15 men on this waterless cay with just a bottle of rum between them. Some tried to swim across to Peter Island but didn't make it, and now the bay on Peter Island opposite Dead Chest is called Dead Man's Bay, for obvious ghoulish reasons.

Next up is Salt Island, where keen divers can explore the wreck of the RMS Rhone, a Royal Mail steamer that sank in shallow water in 1867. Some of the wreck is barely 20ft below the surface, so it's visible even to snorkelers.

Passing Cooper and Salt Islands, you come to Virgin Gorda, so called because Christopher Columbus thought it looked like a big fat virgin when he arrived there in the 15th century. The Baths, a curious rock formation on the beach of the south-western tip of the island, are the main attraction here, and are well worth a visit, although getting ashore can be tricky in a swell.

Gorda Sound, on the northern side of the island, is a well-protected anchorage and there are also pontoon moorings at Leverick Bay and The Bitter End if you feel the need to tie-up to something solid. There are reefs a-plenty around Gorda Sound, but with an experienced skipper at the helm, this need not concern you one iota. Indeed, with Gerry at the helm, Crystal producing culinary miracles in the galley, and Susanna ensuring a cold drink is never more than an arm's length away, life on board Viaggio is pretty sweet. The only thing you have to worry about is in which of the dozens of deserted bays of clear blue water you will take your first swim of the day. Decisions, decisions!

Running back down the north side of the island chain takes you past Great Camanoe and Guana, and it's worth stopping in at marina Cay and Trellis Bay, particularly the latter where you'll find The Last Resort on Bellamy Cay, a venerable and hugely entertaining BVIs institution. The north side of Tortola is very beautiful, but secure anchorages (other than Cane Garden Bay) are scarce so most boats push on to Great Harbour on Jost van Dyke, and an evening at Foxes, another legendary BVI beach bar/restaurant. Or, if you prefer something a little less rowdy, Sydney's in Little Harbour does excellent local cuisine and you can tie-up right outside.

The BVIs are one of the most popular charter destinations in the world, and with very good reason. The gentle trade winds make it great for sailing, but not too rough for motor boating, and breezes ensure it's rarely stiflingly hot. The infrastructure is also perfect for boating, with excellent facilities even for very big boats. While US$30,000 a week for six of you isn't exactly small-change, it is nonetheless a remarkably good price for what you get - a good sized boat for six people, the undivided attention of an excellent crew, and some of the most beautiful boating scenery in the world. What more could you ask for?

Your itinerary is completely flexible depending on how active or relaxed you would like to be during your charter. Prior to your vacation the crew will be in touch to introduce themselves and discuss an itinerary outline with you. Ultimately this is your private yacht, so you can change your plans and stay longer in an area, or head off to new shores whenever you'd like - it is entirely up to you.