Balearics (Mallorca & Menorca)

Mallorca is Spain's charter sailing capital. Palma, on the island's south-western corner, has a waterfront dominated by the Gothic cathedral and backed by a modern city with international restaurants, provisioning that covers any need, and multiple marinas — the Real Club Nautico, Marina Port de Mallorca, and the larger Club de Mar among them. The charter fleet operating from Palma is the deepest in the western Mediterranean. The island's coast divides into distinct zones. The south-west, from Palma around to Andratx, has deep calas (coves) cut into limestone cliffs, with turquoise water over white sand — Cala Pi, Cala Llombards, Cala d'Or. The north-west coast is mountainous, dramatic, and largely inhospitable to yachts; the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, drops steeply to the sea with few anchorages. The east coast and north-east offer gentler cruising with protected bays and the resort town of Pollenca, whose long harbour is a popular mid-charter stop. The crossing from Mallorca's north-east coast to Menorca is roughly 25 nautical miles, a half-day passage across open water. Menorca is less developed than its larger neighbour and maintains a quieter character. The island's south coast is indented with calas — Cala Galdana, Cala Turqueta, Cala Macarella — that rank among the finest natural harbours in the Mediterranean for a lunchtime swim stop. Ciutadella, on the west coast, has a narrow harbour entrance that can surge in northerly weather; Mahon, on the east coast, claims one of the longest natural harbours in the world and provides a more relaxed overnight berth. Wind follows a summer pattern of thermal sea breezes: light in the morning, building from the south to south-west through the afternoon to 12-18 knots, and dropping at sunset. The tramontana, a cold northerly, arrives episodically and can persist for two to three days with force. It affects Menorca more than Mallorca and can make the north-coast anchorages uncomfortable. Provisioning in Palma is excellent. Menorca's Mahon has adequate supermarkets. Fuel and water are widely available. Marina fees in Palma can be steep in high season; Menorca's are more moderate.