Itinerary - 3 or 4 day trip
Starting from Alcudia: 3 to 4 day sailing trips in the Balearics
Warning: I have not got access to my charts as I write, so the distances are estimates and should not be relied upon.
Sailing trip 1
| Destination | Distance | Comment | |
| Day 1 | Colonia | 12 nm | A three hour sail from Alcudia. Anchoring in Calo Es Caló, only three miles from Colonia, offers a beautiful lunch or swimming stop. |
| Day 2 | Ratjada | 35 nm | Options for a lunchtime/swimming stop are Cala Es Caló, only 30 minutes outside Colonia, or Cala Gat, which is barely 10 minutes from Ratjada. It is also possible to anchor in Cala Gat overnight, exposed from South to East. |
| Day 3 | Colonia | 35 nm | Anchor in Calo Es Caló for the last swim of the trip. The more adventurous could sail up to Calo Pinar instead, although that makes the day's sailing 50 nm. |
| Day 4 | Alcudia | 12 nm | A gentle three hour sail home |
This itinerary has a gentle start then a long sail to Ratjada, one of my favourite ports, and back again. It is particularly suitable with a new crew or if the weather is, or has been, bad.
Alcudia Bay is sheltered, but Capdepera, Mallorca's easternmost point, can be very choppy for a day or two after a blow. Colonia, a newly-opened marina with helpful marineros and a small handful of seafront restaurants, is only three hours from Alcudia, so you can spend time sailing in the bay to get used to the boat, or head over to Cala Es Caló for a swim or lunch while at anchor.
Ratjada is lovely, but it is worth checking out the Spanish forecast for Capdepera before setting off and pay attention to the sea state. A "gruesa" sea can be very lumpy, even for an experienced crew.On the return, either head straight back to Alcudia if you are short of time, or spend the final night in Colonia. Cala Es Caló makes a great stop for lunch, breakfast, a sundowner or just swimming and snorkelling on any or all of the legs.
Sailing trip 2
| Destination | Approx. distance | Comment | |
| Day 1 | Pollensa | 20 nm | Sail the length of Alcudia Bay, round the point at Cabo del Pinar and then back along the length of Pollensa Bay. Mainly sheltered except when rounding the point. Bonaire is an alternative destination. Beautiful lunch stop at Cala Pinar |
| Day 2 | Ratjada | 50 nm | Options for a lunchtime/swimming stop are Cala Pinar at the end of Pollensa Bay, Cala Es Caló just inside Alcudia Bay or Cala Gat, which is barely 10 minutes from Ratjada. It is also possible to anchor in Cala Gat overnight, exposed from South to East. |
| Day 3 | Colonia | 35 nm | Anchor in Calo Es Calo for the last swim of the trip. |
| Day 4 | Alcudia | 12 nm | A gentle three hour sail home |
This itinerary offers more sailing time, with the first day taken up with heading out from Alcudia along the north side of the bay, rounding the point, and then heading back in across Pollensa Bay to get to Pollensa. Pollensa has its attractions, but has been quite overtaken by English tourists. If you avoid the Irish-themed pubs and fish and chip shops, the central square is lovely and there are many nice restaurants.
There is then a long day's sail to Ratjada (again, worth checking the expected conditions at Capdepera), and a shorter return to Colonia for the final night. It is always possible to leave Colonia out and go straight to Alcudia, which probably only adds an hour to the sailing time.
There are several options for lunchtime anchorages on this itinerary which can fit with your sailing plans.
Sailing trip 3 - experienced crew and good conditions
| Destination | Approx. distance | Comment | |
| Day 1 | Ciudadella | 40 nm | Sail the length of Alcudia Bay, and cross the Minorca Channel to Ciudadella, a delightful city that was the capital of Minorca until 1722. |
| Day 2 | Anchor | Variable | There are many beautiful anchorages on Menorca, and the island is so small, it is possible to find simply simply by sailing to the north of the island or to the south. Some suggestions include Cala Turqueta and Cala Marqueta. |
| Day 3 | Colonia | 40 nm | Anchor in Calo Es Calo for the last swim of the trip. |
| Day 4 | Alcudia | 12 nm | A gentle three hour sail home |
With a long trip to Ciudadella, there is plenty of sailing time, and the Menorca Channel is one of the best places in the islands to have a chance of seeing dolphins. It is a long trip though, and there are no ports of refuge.
This itinerary also offers the opportunity to anchor in a sheltered bay, which are much less crowded than those on Mallorca.
There is something very special about travelling to another island: it makes you feel like you have voyaged when the only way of getting to your destination is by boat. For this reason, this trip is one of my favourites, and I love the opportunity to swim ashore on a deserted beach, possibly have a barbecue, and then sleep while the boat gently bobs under the stars of Menorca.
