Island of choices
It is not easy choosing the best ports & marinas on the island, there are so many contenders. From Mallorca’s answer to Puerto Banus in Marbella to the one of the most modern marinas in the Mediterranean to the home of The Spanish National Sailing School, here's a few that we believe need a special mention.
Located within a horseshoe shaped bay with great sea views and a mountain backdrop, this family-friendly tourist resort of Port de Pollensa was once a fishing village & still features a large marina. Entrancing views over to the jagged formations of the Formentor peninsula, the display of traditional llaüts (Mallorcan fishing boats), prohibitive building regulations and long swathes of sandy beach make the port very attractive and faithful visitors return to the resort time and time again.
Port d’Andratx is a charming, picturesque port in the southwest of the island with a stylish, affluent and International atmosphere built from the mid-20th century around the existing fishing port and separate from the much older Andratx town. Considered by many to be the loveliest harbour in Spain, the port with its long natural bay attracts the yachting fraternity from far afield and the rich and famous own villas that you can see taking up prominent positions on the hillsides.
Mallorca’s answer to Puerto Banus in Marbella, Puerto Portals is easily the most glamorous marina on the island despite efforts to top it with the design and development of Port Adriano. This chic marina resort is home to A-list global celebrities and the rich and has the capacity to host more than 600 yachts up to 50m in length. Despite the number of moorings, space needs to be reserved during the summer months as demand for mooring here is very high.
Port de Sóller is a very pretty coastal village located in a large and protected horseshoe bay separated from the rest of Mallorca by the Tramuntana mountain range. Before the Sóller tunnel opened in the 1990s, Port de Sóller was a difficult place to get to with cars having to travel via the Coll de Sóller with tight hairpins every 200m or so. This road is now a popular cycling route with little traffic, especially since the tunnel has not been subject to a toll charge since 2018. The village came through the over development of seaside destinations in Mallorca during the 70s and 80s relatively unscathed and it retains its traditional fishing port charm.
Philippe Starck, the famous French architect and designer is the inspiration and designer behind Port Adriano, one of the most modern marinas in the Mediterranean and quickly becoming the preferred marina for superyachts. Visitors to Port Adriano will say that it is a great design providing everything that you could want including moorings, water sports, luxury dining and shopping. This contradicts the train of thought of many who have lived on the island for a long time, they might say that it is a ‘bit of an eyesore’, referring to the huge amounts of concrete used to construct it, particularly the sea wall.
Port Calanova began life in 1976 as the Calanova National Sailing School and was opened by the King and Queen of Spain. Today, it is still the National Sailing School and also a marina providing magnificent all-year-round facilities. The Port provides moorings for boats up to 25m in length and a team of specialists who can help with boat storage out of the water, service, cleaning, maintenance, repair and provisioning. These services are available 24 hours day, 7 days a week. Part marina, part sailing school & part shipyard, the Port is professionally equipped to carry out repairs and maintenance.
Port de Cala d’Or is located in Cala Llonga due to space, access and winds. Cala Llonga provides sufficient room for nearly 600 moorings and with the exception of strong easterly winds, it is sheltered and well protected from the weather. The beautiful marina is very well equipped and includes the Cala d’Or Yacht Club, most of which is open to non-members. On the quayside, you will find a good assortment of supermarkets, exclusive shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants. Port de Cala d’Or has a 30,000 m2 offshore berthing esplanade and provides all of the services you would expect to find in a modern marina including mechanical assistance, technical service, cleaning & hull treatment.
Not many people know that you can actually learn to sail in just a couple of days, OK, you won’t be competing with salty sea dogs after just a short time but you will know your Port from your Starboard, you’ll also learn some basic rope work, how to enter and exit a marina, maritime rules and many other things necessary to make you feel safe out on the water. There’s no doubt about it, the island of Mallorca is beautiful. It can take a couple of weeks to really see the best the island has to offer, from picturesque coastal villages to majestic mountain views, Mallorca provides many opportunities to take picture-perfect photographs; however to really see just how beautiful the island is, it should be viewed from the water!
Sailing is not for everyone, many people prefer the simplicity of a motorboat compared to handling ropes and sails. Of course, until you have experienced motor boating, you’ll never really know if it is for you and that’s why taking part on a learn to motorboat course is a great idea. There’s a couple of sea schools on the island who run these types of courses / experience days, they only last 1 day and are designed to be fun and interesting and are a great introduction to motor cruising for complete beginners. You will learn the basics of handling a boat as part of a crew, learn safety on board and assist at the helm. During the day, there will be plenty of time to relax and just enjoy the experience of motor cruising on the Med.

Want to spend some time on the water?
Learn to sail, learn to pilot a powerboat or just chill out
& let someone else do the hard work!
