How to Tour the Amalfi Coast Like Beyoncé
Ten years ago, Jay Z rapped on Beyoncé's “Upgrade U,” a single off her sophomore album, “B'Day”: “And we just yachting, off the island hopping, off the Amalfi Coast, mafioso.”
It's a boast the iconic couple made real, with yachts—which offer relative privacy for the hyper-famous family—featuring prominently in many of their vacations. A Mediterranean cruise, often off the Amalfi Coast, has become their annual tradition: Nearly every September (around Beyoncé's birthday) the Carter-Knowles hop on board a $74-million dollar yacht to explore the region.
Though very few people can afford the out-of-this-world luxury of the Galactica Star, the stops and sights Bey and family see are a lot more accessible.
The Carter-Knowles love Italy. In September of last year, they flew to Naples and embarked from there to Capri, an island refuge for the rich and famous since the Roman Republic, and just a short hop across the bay.
Related: How To Travel To the Amalfi Coast
Like Bey, Jay, and Blue Ivy, snag some gelato at Gelateria Buonocore, along Capri's glamorous main drag, Via Vittorio Emanuele II. Sample the local cuisine along the Amalfi Coast, where the Carter-Knowles family stopped in the fishing village of Nerano to din at Conca del Sogno, a restaurant famous for their raw seafood dishes. It's also tucked inside a lovely, grotto-filled bay.
You can take a break off of Palmarola, an idyllic island en route to Sardinia, to lounge on the beach or ride a jet ski. (Amalfi Marine provides both boat and jet ski rentals.)
There's no sign the Carter-Knowles tried Sardinia's famous maggot-infested cheese, casu marzu, so Beyoncé-inspired travelers can safely eschew that local specialty.
A photo posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Sep 19, 2015 at 6:51am PDT
Beyond the coast of Italy, they ventured to the Île Sainte-Marguerite off shore from Cannes and visited he fortress that held the Man in the Iron Mask (a historical figure still shrouded in mystery). Like Blue Ivy, you can pose for some choice shots along the fort's battlements. The Carter-Knowles then headed to Monaco, where you too can explore Monte-Carlo's historic casinos and the innovative temporary shopping district, the Pavilions Monte-Carlo, featuring brands like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Beyoncé and Jay Z's preferred mode of travel in the Mediterranean is the ultra-luxurious, and nearly 220-foot long, Galactica Star. Reportedly owned by Nigerian energy magnate Kola Aluka, the yacht features a helipad, an enormous outdoor Jacuzzi, and spacious sleeping, dining, living, and swimming areas. It's the largest yacht ever made by Dutch company Heesen Yachts.
A photo posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Sep 20, 2015 at 10:27am PDT
Although there have been reports the boat costs $900,000 a month to rent, because the Galactica Star is a privately owned vessel, the arrangement between Aluka and the Carter-Knowles remains mum.
You don't have to be Beyoncé—or even a close friend of a Nigerian energy magnate—to enjoy the benefits of the open sea. Yacht and boat chartering is common in the Mediterranean, with a broad range of prices and services ranging from $3,000 a week for a charming sailboat to yachts upwards of $900,000 a week.
And just because you're in Italy doesn't mean you can't still carry hot sauce in your bag. Swag.
