A sailing catamaran anchored in a turquoise Balearic cala between pine cliffs

The Balearics

Seven days from Palma to Ibiza the slow way, through a national park and the clearest shallows in Spain.

7Days
≈150Nautical miles
PalmaEmbark
IbizaDisembark
May to OctSeason
Day1
Cala Portals Vells

Palma and the southwest

Board in Palma after breakfast, provisions and cava already stowed. A short first leg to Portals Vells for the first swim, then an evening anchorage under sandstone cliffs carved by centuries of stone-cutters.

Day2
Puerto de Cabrera

Cabrera national park

Only a handful of permits are issued for Cabrera's harbour each night; ours is arranged months out. The archipelago is a marine reserve: seagrass meadows, ospreys overhead, and water so clear the anchor chain seems to float.

Day3
Off Es Trenc

Es Trenc and the salt flats

Mallorca's longest wild beach, backed by salt pans that flush the shallows a pale milky blue. A day of swimming, long lunch aboard, and flamingos over the salt flats at dusk.

Day4
Cala Saona, Formentera

The crossing to Formentera

The one open-water passage of the week, four hours with lunch underway. Formentera announces itself with water the colour of old glass. Sundowners at Cala Saona face due west; the sunset obliges.

The luminous aqua shallows and sandbars off Formentera
Day5
Espalmador

Sandbars and seagrass

The lagoon between Formentera and Espalmador is the Mediterranean pretending to be the Bahamas. Anchor over sand in two metres, wade to the island, and do absolutely nothing at the highest level.

Day6
Cala d'Hort

Ibiza's quiet south

Round to Cala d'Hort beneath the limestone pyramid of Es Vedrà, an anchorage that turns operatic at sunset. Dinner ashore at a chiringuito that has grilled fish the same way for forty years.

Day7
Marina Ibiza

Into Ibiza town

A short morning leg into Ibiza town, the old citadel walls to starboard. Disembark by noon: airport in fifteen minutes, or stay on for the town's other education.

Make it yours

This route runs beautifully in either direction, and Lira's shallow draught unlocks anchorages the summer fleet cannot touch. Add Menorca with a tenth day if you want wilder coast and quieter nights.

Shallow water, deep rest

Cabrera permits and July berths both run out early. If this is your summer, start now.