From Italy to the Exumas
The Bellini family's 10-day private yacht adventure across Miami and the Bahamas.
A vacation shaped for four
For the Bellini family, the perfect vacation had to offer something for everyone: beautiful places, time together, a little adventure and enough freedom to let each day unfold naturally.
Marco and Sofia traveled from Milan with their two children, 12-year-old Lorenzo and nine-year-old Giulia. Marco, an architect, was naturally drawn to Miami's striking skyline and waterfront homes. Sofia, who works in fashion, loved discovering new restaurants and capturing the changing colors of the sea.
Lorenzo wanted adventure—snorkeling, water toys and anything involving sharks—while Giulia dreamed of beaches, turtles and, most importantly, the famous swimming pigs. Their journey began with seven days in Miami before continuing to the Bahamas for a 10-day private yacht charter through the Exumas.
Miami Before the Blue
Miami offered the family an energetic introduction to their vacation. They walked along the beach, explored the Art Deco buildings of South Beach and discovered Coconut Grove's quieter streets.
They visited Wynwood's murals, enjoyed Cuban food in Little Havana and watched the sunset from the Brickell waterfront. One afternoon, they cruised Biscayne Bay past Star Island and the Venetian Islands before stopping for a swim near Key Biscayne.
At the end of the week, a short flight carried them from Miami to Nassau. Beneath the plane, the ocean shifted from deep navy to brilliant turquoise. Their yacht was waiting—provisioned and ready for 10 days of exploration.
“Shoes were quickly forgotten. Swimsuits became the family uniform, and every passing island seemed more beautiful than the last.”
Life aboard, Bellini style
From Runway to Water
The following morning, the Bellinis departed Nassau and journeyed southeast toward the Exuma Cays. The skyline slowly disappeared behind them as the water became lighter and clearer.
There were no schedules beyond the tides and weather. Breakfast was served outside, and the family settled into the unhurried rhythm of life on board.
At Highbourne Cay, the children jumped straight into transparent water before trying the paddleboards. Dinner arrived beneath a sky crowded with stars. Away from the city lights, the silence felt extraordinary.
Where Sandbars Appear Like Magic
As the tide fell, the captain stopped beside a deserted sandbar. The family stepped into warm, shallow water and walked barefoot across pure white sand surrounded by every imaginable shade of blue. For nearly an hour, it belonged only to them.
Near Norman's Cay, Lorenzo snorkeled above the remains of a submerged airplane, now surrounded by schools of tropical fish. Giulia was hesitant at first, but within minutes she was pointing excitedly below and refusing to return to the yacht.
Into the Wild Heart of the Exumas
At Shroud Cay, the family explored winding mangrove creeks by tender. The narrow waterways opened unexpectedly onto a brilliant Atlantic beach—no hotels, roads or beach clubs, only sand, sea and sky.
Farther south at Warderick Wells Cay, they climbed Boo Boo Hill and watched their yacht become tiny against the endless blue. Later, a sea turtle passed slowly beneath Giulia as the family snorkeled over colorful coral heads. For Sofia, it became a favorite memory precisely because it happened so quietly.
The Day Giulia Swam with Sharks
From the dock at Compass Cay, nurse sharks moved through the clear water below. Lorenzo entered first with his father. Once Sofia joined them, Giulia reconsidered and carefully stepped into the shallows.
Her nervous expression quickly became a smile. By dinner, she was proudly telling everyone that she had been the bravest person in the family.
Inside Thunderball Grotto
After several days in secluded anchorages, Staniel Cay's colorful settlement felt almost busy. At slack tide, the family swam through Thunderball Grotto's entrance and emerged inside a natural chamber illuminated by shafts of sunlight.
Schools of yellow and silver fish moved through the beams around them. Even Lorenzo, who had rarely stopped talking throughout the trip, became silent. For Marco, the cave's natural shapes and filtered light were more impressive than anything designed by an architect.
Pigs Really Do Swim
Giulia's most anticipated moment finally arrived when the swimming pigs appeared on the beach and paddled toward the tender. She laughed as they approached, surprised by their size and determination.
Following the crew's guidance, the family observed them respectfully and offered appropriate treats from the water. Lorenzo photographed his sister surrounded by pigs while Sofia protected the beach bag from one particularly curious visitor.
That evening, dinner was served outside as the sky changed from pale gold to coral pink. It was the kind of day that seemed almost impossible to explain to anyone who had not experienced it.
No Shoes, No Schedule
During the final part of the charter, the Bellinis explored quieter anchorages around Sampson Cay and Farmer's Cay. They stopped beside beaches without footprints, snorkeled in water as clear as glass and spent afternoons using the yacht's water toys.
At the Mile-Long Sandbar, Marco flew a small kite with Giulia while Lorenzo searched the shallows for starfish. The greatest luxury was not simply the yacht—it was the freedom to stay when they loved a place and move on whenever curiosity returned.
One Last Sunset
The final days took the family slowly north toward Nassau. They revisited a favorite anchorage, enjoyed one last beach picnic and watched their final sunset from the flybridge.
Their conversations had changed since Miami. Instead of what to do next, they discussed what they would miss: breakfast outside, water against the hull, spontaneous swims and waking each morning beside a different island.
When the yacht returned to Nassau, Giulia carried a small collection of shells, Lorenzo had filled a camera with underwater photographs, and Marco and Sofia were already imagining another journey. For 10 days, the yacht had been their private home among the islands—a place to explore together, slow down and experience the Exumas in a way never possible from land.
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