Sailing WeeklyMallorca (Balearics) bareboat & catamaran charter guide
Spain's biggest charter island: most boats leave from Palma, 15 minutes from the airport, and a week can take in the Cabrera national park, the calas of the south-east and the cliffs of the Tramuntana coast. Summer sea breezes are reliable, but July and August are crowded and berths are expensive.
Looking for discounts? See the operator offers we checked by hand in This Week's Charter Deals #2.
What a week costs
Weekly charter fee for the whole boat, before extras. Charter prices change constantly. These are published ranges, not quotes.
| Boat | Lowest week | Highest week | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sailboats, ECC Yacht fleet (Palma) | from €2,400 | up to €7,500 | [ECC Yacht] |
| Catamaran, ECC Yacht fleet | €7,200 | €11,500 | [ECC Yacht] |
| Sun Odyssey 410 (Marina Balear) | €2,750 | €4,850 | [Marina Balear] |
| Dufour 44 (Marina Balear) | €2,850 | €5,750 | [Marina Balear] |
| Oceanis 46.1 (Marina Balear) | €3,050 | €6,650 | [Marina Balear] |
| Oceanis 51.1 (Marina Balear) | €3,950 | €7,700 | [Marina Balear] |
- Live market snapshot (26 Oct 2026, departures in the next 8 weeks, so off-season): the median advertised week was €2,990. Monohulls of 12–14 m had a median of €2,310 (58 boats) and catamarans of 12–14 m €3,600 (37 boats). [Velamari Market Pulse]
- Extras at ECC Yacht: final cleaning €190–240, a security deposit of €2,500–3,000 and gas €25. Their cheapest boat with a skipper was €3,900 a week. [ECC Yacht]
- Running costs on a 40 ft boat for a one-week loop: about €480 in marina and mooring fees and about €450 in fuel, around €1,480 in total with other extras, on top of the charter fee. [Sulu]
- Mooring fees: Ports IB public buoys cost about €36 a night for 12 m and €53 for 15 m; Alcudiamar is about €66 a night for 12 m. [SeekSail]
Get This Week's Charter Deals
The best bareboat & catamaran offers, every Monday. Free.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email. Form not showing? Use the signup at the bottom of the page.
When to go
- The charter season runs May to October, with Saturday-to-Saturday weeks. [ECC Yacht]
- May, June and September are the best months; July and August are hot and crowded. [SeekSail]
See every month for Mallorca at a glance in our free best time to sail calendar.
Winds and weather
- In summer the embat sea breeze fills in around 10 am, builds to about 16 knots and fades after 5 pm (April to October). [SeekSail]
- The Tramuntana blows from the north and turns the north coast into a lee shore. Gusts can reach 25 knots or more, so plan the Sóller side with a forecast. [Sulu]
What you need: licence or skipper
- For bareboat you need a recognised licence, such as the ICC or an RYA Day Skipper Practical or equivalent, and one crew member needs a VHF certificate. [Sail Connections]
- Spain accepts a licence from your country of nationality or residence in the EEA, or a title on its accepted list, such as the ICC or RYA Coastal Skipper. Most operators also ask for a VHF certificate. [SeekSail]
- ECC Yacht accepts the Spanish PER, Yacht Skipper or Yacht Captain, or an equivalent like the RYA Day Skipper or ICC. Boats over 15 m need Yacht Skipper or Yacht Captain level. [ECC Yacht]
Requirements vary by charter company. Always check with yours before you book.
Main charter bases
- Palma has the largest fleet in the Balearics: La Lonja, Marina Naviera Balear, Club de Mar and Can Pastilla, about 15 minutes from the airport. Smaller bases are at Port d'Andratx, Portocolom and Port de Pollença. [SeekSail]
A one-week Mallorca sailing itinerary
A one-week loop from Palma around the south-west and Cabrera, with short legs. Distances are approximate.
- Day 1: Palma to Port d'Andratx, 17 NM. [SeekSail]
- Day 2: Port d'Andratx to Sant Elm (Dragonera), 10 NM. [SeekSail]
- Day 3: Sant Elm to Portals Vells, 12 NM. [SeekSail]
- Day 4: Portals Vells to Cabrera national park, 27 NM (you need a permit, see the tips below). [SeekSail]
- Day 5: Cabrera to Colònia de Sant Jordi and Es Trenc, 11 NM. [SeekSail]
- Day 6: Colònia de Sant Jordi to Cala Pi, 8 NM. [SeekSail]
- Day 7: Cala Pi back to Palma, 16 NM. [SeekSail]
- Want more miles? A 178 NM clockwise loop takes in Cabrera, Porto Colom, Pollença, Sóller and Andratx. [Sulu]
Distances are approximate. Plan each leg with current charts, a pilot book and the forecast.
Local rules and tips
- Cabrera needs a free navigation permit and a buoy booked online, at most 20 days ahead, with a maximum of 2 nights in July and August. Buoys cost €18.60 for boats up to 12 m and €40 for 12–15 m (May to September). [SeekSail]
- Anchoring on Posidonia seagrass is banned, and fines start at €300. Drop the anchor on sand. [SeekSail]
- Ports IB public berths take boats up to 15 m long and 4.46 m wide, which rules out most catamarans. Book marinas ahead if you're on a cat. [SeekSail]
Compare other charter destinations
- British Virgin Islands charter guide
- Caribbean (St. Martin & the Grenadines) charter guide
- Croatia charter guide
- Greece charter guide
- Bahamas (Exumas) charter guide
- US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas) charter guide
- Italy (Sardinia) charter guide
- Thailand (Phuket) charter guide
- Amalfi Coast & Bay of Naples charter guide
- Turks & Caicos charter guide
Before you book, read how to read a charter deal.
Sources
- ECC Yacht, Bareboat charter in Mallorca (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Marina Balear, Sailing yachts weekly charter without crew (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Velamari Market Pulse, Mallorca charter market (snapshot 26 Oct 2026)
- Sulu, Mallorca sailing itinerary (published 8 Apr 2026, checked 26 Oct 2026)
- SeekSail, Sailing Mallorca: destination guide (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Sail Connections, Do I need a licence to charter a yacht in the Balearics? (checked 26 Oct 2026)