Nautical tourism

Therefore it is hardly surprising that nautical enthusiasts mark the date of their next visit to Mallorca as a priority on their calendars. Because Mallorca is without doubt one of the places with the most extensive offer and international prestige in the nautical world.

Nautical tourism is a key sector in Mallorca. In the past years it has experienced a spectacular growth, resulting in a constant improvement of the nautical infrastructure and facilities. This makes the island’s harbours, berths and marinas top quality facilities. They rank in a well-deserved, prime position in the international scene.

At present Mallorca has 42 marinas along its coast. This allows you to sail around the island at ease. The comfort and safety of always having a nearby port within reach is reassuring. In addition this brings the comfort of the availability of all the services at each port.

Each harbour or marina has its own characteristics (number of berths, crane, surveillance, harbourmaster’s office, fuel service, etc). However, all ports share a common commitment to sustainability; hence most of the ports and marinas on the island meet the existing environmental legislation and are more and more committed to sustainable development. This makes those who promote the effort to protect the environment and the seabed proud. Because the number of blue flags flying on our coast is increasing.

Moreover, Mallorca has several marine reserves such as the Palma Bay marine reserve including the areas of Cala Blava, Santa Marta, Maioris and Son Verí; the Migjorn marine reserve including the areas of Cala Figuera, Colònia de Sant Jordi, Marquès de Palmer and s’Estanyol; the Illa del Toro marine reserve; the Illes Malgrats marine reserve; the Llevant marine reserve and the Cala Rajada marine reserve of national coverage.

One of the harbours with highest capacity and traffic is the Port of Palma. It has 1,217 berths. The combination of commercial shipping, sailing (Palma Bay is the scene of some of the most important regattas in the Mediterranean), the arrival and departure of passengers and fishing is an example of perfect harmony between tradition and modernity. Puerto Portals and the Real Club Náutico de Palma are also important. The latter has 996 berths and top-class services. In 1998 it was named the best marina in Spain. Port de Sóller, Port d’Andratx, port of Cala Rajada, Port de Pollença, Portocolom… all these harbours offer, without exception, a whole range of services for the comfort of their users. They all reflect the charm of the traditional fishing port.

To these factors we should add the excellent geographical location of our island, which gives Mallorca a mild, stable weather. The top international sailing teams choose Mallorca for their winter training because of these weather conditions. Furthermore, in Mallorca you will find areas for winter storage and great professionals working in the maintenance and the repair of boats.

Mallorca and nautical sports are two words that go hand in hand. On the island you can experience the sea at your own pace. You can both watch and take part in the activities. In the summer months, the island’s ports and marinas are decked to host the most prestigious regattas, be it top-class competitions such as the S.A.R Princesa Sofía Trophy, the King’s Cup, the Breitling regatta, the Superyacht or Palma Vela, among others, or traditional boat regattas such as the spectacular Almirante Conde de Barcelona Regatta. Classic boats from all over the world come to Mallorca to participate in the event. All these events constitute a spectacle that is worth watching for its excitement and beauty value. The regattas take place in Palma Bay, one of the largest bays in the world. The Spanish royal family has its summer residence in Mallorca. They watch and even take part in regattas in the sea around Mallorca. Furthermore, the waters that wash the island have produced great sailing champions as important as Jordi Calafat, Marc Patiño and Pepote Ballester, among others. The RCN Palma and RCN Portopetro canoeists have also won several Spanish team championships on a row.

Nautical activities will allow you to enjoy the wonderful landscapes of Mallorca from a completely different perspective and discover magical places that can only be reached by boat. For those who are not satisfied with simply being spectators and would rather be at the helm, the island offers many possibilities to enjoy the sea: boat charters (both dinghy sailing and cruiser boats), canoeing, sailing schools, scuba diving, waterskiing, windsurfing, etc. All this is available to you in the easiest and most comfortable manner. These active holidays in contact with the sea are more and more in demand by our visitors and therefore the offer is constantly becoming more and more comprehensive and sophisticated. Because there is nothing like combining the good weather of Mallorca, its calm seas and the enjoyment of nature and nautical sports with an excellent tourist and leisure offer to round off an unforgettable holiday.