Sailing in Spain: the best sailing areas and where to start
Spain has five main sailing areas: the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Valencia region with the Costa Blanca, the Canary Islands and Galicia. Charter yachts are usually rented by the week, Saturday to Saturday, from marina bases, either bareboat with your own skipper or with a hired skipper or crew. The Mediterranean areas are summer destinations, while the Canaries are sailed all year, with winter as their high point. One rule changes for everyone: from 1 October 2026, anyone driving a rented boat in Spain needs a licence.
Spain's sailing areas at a glance
The table compares the nine areas we cover with a full sailing guide. Plan every leg with charts and a pilot book.
| Area | Base(s) | Character | Season | Suits | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South-west Mallorca and Cabrera | Palma, Can Pastilla | Tramuntana coast, Sóller, a national park night on a booked buoy | Late spring to early autumn | Crews who want variety and one long day | Mallorca from Palma and Cabrera |
| North Mallorca and Menorca | Port de Pollença | Two islands, a crossing of approx. 24 nm, white-sand calas | Roughly May to October | Crews happy with two open-water days | North Mallorca and Menorca |
| Ibiza and Formentera | Ibiza town, Sant Antoni, Santa Eulària | Short legs, sandy bays, approx. 85 nm in a week | Roughly May to October | A relaxed week with lots of swimming | Ibiza and Formentera |
| Costa Brava | Palamós, Roses | Rocky headlands, Medes Islands, Cap de Creus, France within reach | Roughly May to October | Crews who plan around the tramuntana | Costa Brava |
| Barcelona and the Garraf | Barcelona, Sitges | Harbour-hopping, a marina every night | Summer, and beyond when the forecast allows | City plus sailing, easy crew changes | Barcelona and the Garraf coast |
| Costa Blanca | Dénia, Valencia | Legs of 6 to 24 nm under cliffs, a marina every night | Late spring to early autumn | A first bareboat week in settled weather | Dénia and the Costa Blanca |
| Tenerife and La Gomera | South Tenerife, Radazul, Santa Cruz | Atlantic swell, trade wind, legs of 15 to 27 nm | All year | Open-sea experience, or a skipper | Tenerife and La Gomera |
| Canary Islands in winter | South Tenerife, Las Palmas, Arrecife | One island pair per week, acceleration zones | October to April | Winter-sun sailors | Canary Islands in winter |
| Rías Baixas | Vigo, Baiona | Sheltered Atlantic inlets, tides of about 4 m, national park permits | Summer | Tidal experience, or a skipper | Rías Baixas and the Cíes |
The Balearics
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera are Spain's classic charter islands. Anchoring on posidonia seagrass is banned throughout the islands, and in summer Ports IB runs bookable eco buoy fields.
Mallorca from Palma and Cabrera
A week from Palma combines the steep Tramuntana coast, Sa Dragonera and the harbour of Sóller with the beaches of Es Trenc and the Cabrera archipelago. Cabrera is a maritime-terrestrial national park where anchoring is prohibited: you need a free navigation permit and a booked buoy to stay the night. Most legs are 10 to 25 nm, with one long day of about 35 nm between the west and south coasts. Read the day-by-day route in our Mallorca sailing week from Palma and Cabrera, and find every base on the island on our Mallorca page.
North Mallorca and Menorca from Port de Pollença
From the sheltered bay of Pollença you round Cap de Formentor, cross the bay of Alcúdia and sail from Cala Ratjada approx. 24 nm over the Canal de Menorca to Ciutadella. Menorca's south coast gives you Cala en Turqueta and Cala Macarella, both with buoyed swimming zones you must stay outside. Expect about 120 nm in the week, and cross only on a settled forecast: the channel is exposed to the tramontana. The route is in our guide to sailing North Mallorca and Menorca; yachts start in Port de Pollença.
Ibiza and Formentera
Ibiza and Formentera are compact: a full circle of both islands is only about 85 nm. You cross the shallow Es Freus strait to s'Espalmador, sail past the rock of Es Vedrà to Sant Antoni and along the quiet north coast to Portinatx. Ports IB buoy fields at s'Espalmador and Ses Salines let you lie over the protected meadows of the Ses Salines natural park. See our Ibiza and Formentera sailing week and all charter yachts on Ibiza.
Catalonia
The Costa Brava from Palamós or Roses
The Costa Brava packs rocky headlands, fishing villages and two protected marine areas, the Medes Islands and Cap de Creus, into roughly 90 to 110 nm. Anchoring is prohibited in the strictly protected zone of the Medes, and Cadaqués has no marina, only licensed buoy fields. The week is planned around the tramuntana: round Cap de Creus only on a calm forecast, and with settled weather Port-Vendres in France is approx. 12 nm beyond Port de la Selva. Read our guide to sailing the Costa Brava and compare yachts in Palamós.
Barcelona and the Garraf coast
Sailing from Barcelona is harbour-hopping rather than anchoring: approx. 14 nm to Port Ginesta below the Garraf cliffs, then short hops to Garraf, Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú. Leisure boats may only use the northern part of Barcelona's port. On good summer days a south-westerly sea breeze fills in, while from mid-September the llevant can bring easterly storms. Our guide to Barcelona and the Garraf coast by boat has the full week; see charter yachts in Barcelona.
The Costa Blanca
Dénia, Valencia and the Costa Blanca
From Dénia you round the Cabo de San Antonio, a marine reserve with no anchoring and a 6-knot limit, and follow the cliffs to Xàbia, Moraira, the Peñón de Ifach at Calp, Altea and the island off Benidorm. The legs are 6 to 24 nm with a marina every night, which is why the guide rates the coast as good for a first bareboat week in settled summer weather. Valencia, the second base, is approx. 45 nm further north. Read our guide to sailing the Costa Blanca from Dénia and compare yacht charter in Dénia.
The Canary Islands
The Canaries are Atlantic sailing: longer legs, the north-east trade wind and ocean swell. Charter yachts are based on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.
Tenerife and La Gomera
A typical week runs from the marinas in the south of Tenerife to the Los Gigantes cliffs, across to San Sebastián de La Gomera and Valle Gran Rey, and back. The legs between the islands are 15 to 27 nm, and AEMET describes coastal wind jets that are strongest around midday, so leave early and reef before the headlands. Pilot whales are often seen off the south-west coast, but without a whale-watching authorisation you must stay 500 m away. The route is in our Tenerife and La Gomera sailing guide; compare boats in Tenerife.
The Canary Islands in winter
From October to April the Canaries offer mild sailing, with average daily highs of about 21 to 23 °C from December to February. A week works best around one island pair: Tenerife and La Gomera, Gran Canaria, or Lanzarote with La Graciosa. December to February brings the most Atlantic lows and swell, and Puertos Canarios harbours ask for berth requests at least three days ahead. Our guide to sailing the Canary Islands in winter goes month by month; yachts also sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Galicia
The Rías Baixas and the Cíes Islands
The Rías Baixas are deep, sheltered inlets in southern Galicia, with the islands of the Illas Atlánticas national park across their mouths. A week from Vigo or Baiona covers roughly 90 nm: the white beaches of the Cíes, Ons, Combarro and the mussel rafts of the Ría de Arousa. Tides reach about 4 m, so plan with tide tables, and anchoring at the islands needs park permits. Read our guide to sailing the Rías Baixas and the Cíes and see charter yachts in Vigo.
Before you book a charter week in Spain
- Licence: from 1 October 2026, anyone driving a rented boat in Spain needs a licence, and the old licence-free rental of small boats comes to an end. A bareboat yacht needs a licence that covers its size and sailing area and that Spain recognises; the ICC is the safe choice. With a skipper or crew you need none. See our guides to the boat licence in Spain and the ICC certificate.
- Posidonia in the Balearics: under Decree 25/2018, anchoring on posidonia is prohibited, and neither anchor nor chain may touch the meadow. Anchor on sand, take a Ports IB buoy (normally 1 June to 30 September) or go into a harbour. Our guide to anchoring and posidonia in the Balearics explains the maps, apps and fines.
- Seagrass on the mainland: Spain's Real Decreto 191/2026 generally prohibits anchoring on posidonia and cymodocea meadows, and on nearby sand if the chain or swinging circle reaches the meadow; over meadows only authorised buoys may be used.
- Cabrera: the free navigation permit is valid for 12 months, and an overnight stay needs a separate buoy booking. Both are booked online through the Balearic government; anchoring is prohibited in the park.
- Cíes and Ons: the Illas Atlánticas national park requires a navigation authorisation for the yacht, issued to the owner and valid for three years, plus an anchoring permit for each day, booked online. Ask your charter company whether the yacht holds it. Without a holding tank you may not stay overnight.
- Beach zones: never enter a buoyed bathing zone. Where there are no buoys, treat the 200 m off beaches (50 m off the rest of the coast) as bathing zone, with a maximum of 3 knots.
- Packing: the Atlantic around Galicia is cool even in summer. Use our list of what to bring on a yacht charter.
- Preferences: tell the charter company about your crew, provisioning and extras early with a yacht charter preference sheet.
You can compare charter yachts from bases across the country on our Spain page and book them on Ship O'Hoi, bareboat or with a skipper.
FAQ
Where should I sail on my first charter week in Spain?
Pick short legs and sheltered nights. The Costa Blanca from Dénia, Ibiza and Formentera, and Barcelona with the Garraf coast all fit. Tenerife, the Canaries and the Rías Baixas, with swell, acceleration zones or 4 m tides, suit crews with open-sea experience, or a hired skipper.
What are the best months for sailing in Spain?
In the Balearics and on the mainland the season runs roughly from May to October, and the Balearic buoy fields operate from June to September, when booking ahead matters most. The tramontana is rare in summer and more common in spring and autumn. The Canaries can be sailed all year; October to April is the mild winter season, with the most Atlantic swell from December to February.
Can I sail from Mallorca to Ibiza in a week?
It is possible, but the crossing is approx. 52 nm from Port d'Andratx to Santa Eulària and approx. 65 to 70 nm from Palma, a 10 to 13-hour day each way. Check that your charter company allows it; many crews sail one island group per week instead.
Which permits do I need for a charter week in Spain?
For Cabrera, a navigation permit and a buoy booking. For the Cíes and Ons, the park's navigation authorisation and a daily anchoring permit. Ports IB buoys and many harbour berths are booked online. Motor-powered visiting boats must notify the Cap de Creus park of their visit.
Can I sail from the mainland to the Balearics?
Yes, but it is a real passage: approx. 50 to 55 nm from Dénia to Sant Antoni on Ibiza, and approx. 100 to 110 nm from Barcelona to Mallorca, usually overnight. Check your contract first.
