Yacht charter in Mallorca

Palma has the widest choice: sailing boats and catamarans by the week at La Lonja and the Paseo Marítimo, motorboats at Club de Mar and superyacht managers with fleets from 20 metres up. To the west, Puerto Portals and Port d'Andratx offer day boats and yachts, with Dragonera and the Calvià coast close by.

Around the rest of the island, Port de Sóller is the base for seeing the Tramuntana from the sea, with Sa Calobra and the Torrent de Pareis; Alcúdia and Pollença give access to Formentor; and Cala d'Or and Porto Petro, in the southeast, to Mondragó and the coves of Santanyí.

Ask what the price includes: skipper or crew, fuel, final cleaning, berths away from base and insurance. On larger yachts, on top of the charter fee you pay an APA, an advance for fuel, food and harbour fees that is settled at the end.

To charter bareboat you need a licence valid for the boat's length and the area, and the company will ask for it along with your experience. For July and August, book months ahead; May, June and September have more availability and lower prices.

On a bareboat charter you are the skipper and need the right qualification. On a skippered charter a professional sails the boat while you relax. On a fully crewed charter, typical of large yachts, a chef, deckhands and a stewardess are added.

Saturday-to-Saturday weeks are the norm in high season, but many companies in Mallorca offer single days, half days and weekends.

Look at the boat's year and condition, the number of cabins and heads, the equipment and what the price includes: final cleaning, bed linen, fuel, marina fees and APA (the expense fund on crewed yachts).

Dealing directly with the charter company avoids broker commissions and lets you sort out routes, timings and extras.