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Western Mediterranean
Yacht charter in Balearic Islands
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera: busy summer anchorages, clear water and Palma as one of the Mediterranean's big yachting hubs.
When to go
- Season
- June to September, with June and September often the most pleasant.
- Peak
- July and August are peak, with high demand, so book early.
- Quieter months
- June and September. On Menorca, June and July are often preferred because the Tramontana wind can blow strongly in August.
- Winds
- The Tramontana, a northerly, can blow strongly around Menorca in August.
Where charters start
Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca.
Licence and paperwork
Spain is likely to ask visiting skippers for an ICC or an equivalent national licence; confirm with the charter company. Charter yachts must be Spanish-flagged with a charter licence, and foreign-flagged boats may not start or end charters in Spain.
Rules change and each charter company can ask for more. Confirm what your company accepts before you pay a deposit.
Types of charter here
Bareboat
You skipper the yacht yourself. Usually needs a recognised licence and proof of experience.
Skippered
You hire the yacht with a professional skipper, so no licence is needed.
Crewed
A full crew sails, cooks and looks after the yacht. You just pick the route.
Catamaran
Two hulls: more space and less heel, popular with families and groups.
Sources: boatbookings.com, en.wikipedia.org. Last checked 3 November 2026.
Guides
All guides- The best time to charter a yacht in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, the Balearics and the BVI
Season, peak weeks and the winds that matter for five popular charter destinations, so you can pick dates that suit your crew.
- Do you need a licence to charter a yacht? Country by country
What skippers need to bareboat in Croatia, Greece, Spain and the British Virgin Islands, what the ICC is, and why a sailing CV matters as much as a certificate.
Other destinations
See all- AdriaticCroatia
A long, island-studded coast with short hops between harbours, making it one of Europe's easiest places for a first bareboat week.
- Aegean and IonianGreece
Thousands of islands across two very different seas: the windy, exposed Cyclades and the calmer, greener Ionian.
- Aegean and MediterraneanTurkey (Turquoise Coast)
Home of the gulet, a traditional wooden boat turned crewed cruising yacht, and of the blue cruise along the historic ports of Turkey's south-west coast.