The Balearic Islands: discover Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza from the deck of a boat

Mallorca is the largest island of the Balearic Islands and of Spain, and the main place to start your adventure. For centuries, it has enjoyed the favour of Spanish rulers, nobility and townspeople, whose magnificent palaces and townhouses remain. Somewhat atypical of the Mediterranean tradition, these historical centres tend to be located further inland, on the hillsides, so you have to drive from the harbour to reach them. However, even these harbours are often picturesque.

Mallorca is dotted with magnificent churches and monasteries infamous from the promotional photos. Their style, and this is true of the whole of Mallorca and the Balearics, is a little different to what we know from the Mediterranean mainland. Although it does copy the architectural trends of the time from Europe, the Algerian culture also shows its influence (and we don't just mean that you can enjoy relaxing in an Algerian spa).

Menorca is the second largest island in terms of land area and, interestingly, it is roughly equidistant from the Italian, African and Spanish coasts. Compared to Mallorca, it does not offer as many magnificent architectural sights and resorts. This is because it has long been neglected and undeveloped as a tourist destination. However, it compensates for this with a number of small bays with immaculate beaches and plenty of cosy harbours. Menorca is also much greener and will be enjoyed by hikers and wildlife lovers, being home to endemic species you won't find anywhere else in the world.

The island of Ibiza, and especially its eponymous capital, has a reputation as Europe's top party destination and it's not hard to find a great club or bar. In high season, this is the busiest area of the archipelago and one of the liveliest locations in the Mediterranean. What few people know is that Ibiza has the longest history of settlement of any of the islands, dating back to ancient times.

Sightseers shouldn't miss out on a tour of Ibiza's old town, with its preserved Renaissance architecture and remnants of military fortifications. Then there's the archaeological site of the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta and the Carthaginian necropolis of Puig des Molins. All of these sites are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On the Natural Heritage List, there are the waters between Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera, where there are extensive underwater grasslands of Posidonia oceanica.

Formentera is well-known for its flat terrain, which is perfect if you don't feel like trekking uphill — on foot or by bike. As a result, it offers magical views of a near-endless horizon, whether lush green or including the expanse of the ocean. The island isn't heavily populated, well-developed or popular with tourists, which makes it all the more enjoyable if you're looking for peace and solitude on your sailing holiday.

Cabrera is a green island just off Menorca. Virtually uninhabited, it mainly attracts visitors for its untouched nature and clean sea. Cabrera and the other ten smaller islands are part of the Cabrera Archipelago National Park.

If you head to the Balearics, you'll be greeted by typical Mediterranean weather with sunny days and humid nights. Temperatures in the summer season don't drop below 20 °C and hit their peak in August when you can enjoy temperatures in excess of 30 °C on land and around 25 °C in the water. The hot summer days are then followed by the rainy season, which is most intense in October and drenches the islands with regular downpours.

Along the coast, count on encountering breezes, which occur in many places and are difficult to predict in advance. The Balearics are quite typical for this with winds often blowing from different directions and at different speeds. This is nothing terrible, but you'll need to be alert at all times. This provides ideal conditions for practising sail handling — you'll be doing more than in other destinations.

From reading about the weather, you probably already know that even beginner sailors can handle and enjoy sailing in this area. Each of the three main islands is so interesting and sizeable that you can simply pick any one of them and sail around it.

Mallorca is remarkable enough to spend a whole week there. This itinerary is recommended for an inexperienced crew and those who want to intersperse sailing with holiday fun. You'll find the range of boats in Palma extensive, and you'll also be able to try out a catamaran.

• Day 1: Palma de Mallorca
  Palma is a popular resort where great beaches, bars and restaurants are elegantly interspersed with magnificent churches and museums. Make the most of every moment you spend here and soak up its charm.
• Day 2: Palma de Mallorca — Cala Figuera
  Cala Figuera is a picturesque harbour in a quiet and well-protected bay where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of Palma. It is also a stone's throw from the Mondragó National Park.
• Day 3: Cala Figuera — Porto Cristo/Manacor
  Porto Cristo is a popular resort with nice sandy beaches. In its immediate surroundings, you might be interested in the historic town of Manacor and the Cuevas del Drach — a system of four caves with underground lakes. Incidentally, to the north you'll find the similarly splendid Caves of Artà — just drop anchor at Cala Ratjada, which is the easternmost tip of the island.
• Day 4: Porto Cristo — Alcúdia/Pollença
  Alcúdia and Pollença are charming historic towns on the northern coast. Their medieval architecture, stunning views of the surrounding hillsides and winding streets are truly inviting.
• Day 5: Alcúdia/Pollença — Valldemossa/Deià/Sóller
  The towns of Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller are crammed closely together in an area that has retained much of its historic architecture. It is no exaggeration to say that these are the most picturesque towns on the island. Valldemossa, perched on a hillside, looks like the imaginings of a romantic painter.
• Day 6: Valldemossa/Deià/Sóller — Andratx
  Andratx is a modern resort town with a bustling marina, beaches and everything you need to get acclimatised to Palma again after Valldemossa. But it also has its own old town tucked away inland.
• Day 7: Andratx — Palma de Mallorca
  Return your boat and make your way around everything in Palma that you missed on the first day.

The route takes you to four islands — Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Cabrera. It's ideal for more experienced crews who don't mind longer crossings and would like to enjoy more time at sea than on land. Yet you won't be missing out on the renowned attractions of the local harbours and resorts. The itinerary is planned for six days as we recommend taking an extra day to explore Palma. However, it is quite possible you might need to recover from a sleepless night in Ibiza.

• Day 1: Palma de Mallorca — Port d`'Andratx
• Day 2: Sant Antoni de Portmany
• Day 3: Sant Antoni de Portmany — Ibiza
• Day 4: Ibiza — La Savina
• Day 5: La Savina — Cabrera
• Day 6: Cabrera — Palma Mallorca

¨The route allows you to circumnavigate the two largest islands, plus the islet of Cabrera and it will take you to one of Mallorca's most beautiful beaches — Es Carbó. You can relax in tranquil harbours like Fornells and Porto Colom as well as experience the bustling Palma de Mallorca. Again, this route is suitable for more advanced crews who like to take longer crossings between islands.

• Day 1: Palma de Mallorca — Es Carbó
• Day 2: Es Carbó — Porto Colom
• Day 3: Porto Colom — Ciutadella
• Day 4: Ciutadella — Fornells
• Day 5: Fornells — Mahón
• Day 6: Mahón — Cabrera
• Day 7: Cabrera — Palma Mallorca

The Balearic Islands have an excellent yachting infrastructure and it's easy to find a marina and harbour. These offer moorings and tend to be well protected from the ocean winds thanks to the slightly indented coastline and numerous bays. This is not entirely true of Menorca's northern harbours during the winter months when the Mistral arrives. Expect also a higher occupancy level in the high season. There are, however, plenty of safe anchorages along the coasts of the islands. What we consider a plus is that at most of these anchorages, you'll probably find a stunning sandy beach with a gradual entry into the azure blue water.   

The islands are a world-famous holiday destination, so it's perhaps not surprising that they host three international airports — Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. They fall within the Schengen area and their currency is the Euro. Fares from the European mainland tend to be reasonable and often discounted. There are regular ferries from the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Valencia and Dénia, but this journey takes around 7 hours. 

In the case of the Balearics, a tempting option is to sail to them from the mainland on your own yacht. But this is only for more experienced crews who are not put off by such long crossings — around 100 NM from Barcelona and 200 NM from Sicily. As for crossings between the islands, expect about half a day's sailing.

As you probably already know, we are big on connecting experiences and there are a number of activities that go great with sailing. We've compiled a list of the most popular ones in our article — Top 12 fun activities to do on a sailing holiday, which includes combining sailing with golf. There are 23 golf courses in Mallorca alone, often with the most fabulous sea views, so be sure to include a round or two in your itinerary.