Balearics

Typical afternoon wind

3–5 Beaufort · Embat / Tramontana

Passage lengths

3–6 hours between islands

Suits

Some seasons

Season

May–October

Four very different islands in one week: Mallorca's cliffs, Menorca's calas, Ibiza's noise and Formentera's sandbanks.

The Balearics reward a crew willing to do longer passages. The Embat is a reliable afternoon sea breeze; the Tramontana, when it comes down from the north, is a different matter and can shut down the Menorca crossing. Marinas are excellent and priced accordingly, and August in Ibiza is in a league of its own for cost.

A typical week

1. Day 1 Palma to Andratx or Sa Dragonera
2. Day 2 Sóller
3. Day 3 Pollença
4. Day 4 Menorca, Ciutadella
5. Day 5 Cala Macarella and the south coast
6. Day 6 Back to Mallorca, Cala Ratjada
7. Day 7 Palma

Roughly 150 to 190 nautical miles over the week

Worth the detour

• Cala Macarella and Menorca's south coast
• Formentera's Ses Illetes anchorage
• Sa Calobra under the Tramuntana range
• Ibiza's west-coast sunset bays

Watch out for

• Anchoring over seagrass off Formentera is regulated, use the buoys
• August berthing prices in Ibiza are extraordinary
• The Tramontana can make the Menorca crossing a no-go for a day or two

Compare with