Sail in Spain All Year Round

The boats are out of the water in Croatia and Greece from November, as miserable weather and storms become more prevalent in the Med - so where is the nearest place to sail at that time of year? It must involve a long-haul flight and lots of money to get to, right? The Caribbean, maybe?

Wrong! You can sail in Spain ALL YEAR LONG, in either the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands. So if you wanted to get back on a boat, and back in the sunshine, then why not take an hour or two flight and get out there?

 Balearic Islands  - Charter from our bases in Palma or Portocolom on Mallorca, Ibiza, or Barcelona

Even whilst conditions get wet and wild on the Eastern side of the Med, there’s still fun and sun to be found in the more protected Western end – which is where you’ll find the delightful Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, Menorca and, of course, Ibiza.

You can sail here all year long, and you’ll find pleasing conditions regardless of whether you sail here for Christmas and New Year or for a summer break. If anything, the sailing is better in the cooler months, when there’s less boats out on the water and you don’t have to rush to get a good spot anywhere!

Mallorca is most famous (amongst sailors) for the gorgeous ‘Calas’ or small bays which glitter along it’s coastline, offering so many beautiful and secluded places to throw the anchor down and enjoy the sunshine, beaches and crystal clear water.

Ibiza, meanwhile, is probably best known for its dance culture and nightlife, but it’s a wild and beautiful island if you get away from the party hotspots – including the stupendous beach at nearby Formentera, which will be super-stunning during winter and spring, without all the tourists.

 Canary Islands  - Charter from our bases in Lanzarote or Tenerife

The Canary Islands are a different proposition entirely – but just as much fun. They’re further south and out in the Atlantic, so it’s a bit warmer, a bit windier and even better for winter sun. The winter sun means that the islands are popular with Tour de France teams and land-lubbing tourists (who hit the beach resorts here) – and also means that there are regular (and reasonably priced) flights out here from mainland Europe and the UK.

These islands were the final hopping-off point for Columbus et al in the 1500’s when they were sailing in search of America - and you’ll find the marinas surprisingly full in winter with ambitious sailors who plan to traverse the Atlantic. It’s certainly one way to get to the Caribbean, but…

There’s history, little towns to visit, a handful of islands, plus beaches, bays and cliffs. You might encounter some stronger winds than in the Med, and there are tides to contend with (though most marina’s now have floating jetties, which means you aren’t waking up every few hours to tweak the ropes any more), but it is a compelling place to sail, and if you come here once, you’ll be back every year for more!

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Be sure to check out our destination guides to find out a LOT more about sailing in Spain, or search in the pink box for yacht charter and catamaran charter in Spain with live pricing and availability, or contact our award-winning Customer team through LiveChat, UK Freephone or email!

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This is part of our 'Destination Highlights' week of blogs focussing on sailing in Spain - including how you can sail in Spain all year long, the Top 5 things to sail to in the Balearics, the MUST-SEE places in the Canary islands, and Why choose to sail in Spain? You might also be interested in checking out our similar Destination Highlights: Croatia, Destination Highlights: Italy, Destination Highlights: Malta, Destination Highlights: Scotland and Destination Highlights: Bahamas blog series from previous months!