Sail Catalonia.

Catalonia gives you two coastlines in one charter: the rocky, pine-backed Costa Brava north of the Golf de Roses, and the city coast running down past Barcelona. The water off the Cap de Creus turns a deep bottle-green over rock and clears to turquoise on the sand bottoms further south. You anchor under limestone cliffs one day and tie up a short walk from a Gaudí facade the next. It suits sailors who want variety without long open-water passages, and who like a marina town with a proper meal at the end of the day. Less right if you want empty water in August, when the coves off Cadaqués and the Illes Medes fill up fast.

The northern grounds run from Marina d'Empuriabrava out around the Cap de Creus to Cadaqués, Port de la Selva and the Illes Medes marine reserve off L'Estartit. This is the good stuff: short hops of 8 to 15 miles between anchorages, coves cut into red rock, and clear water for snorkelling over the Medes. South of the Golf de Roses the coast opens out toward Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Blanes before the city stretch.

Port Olímpic de Barcelona puts you on the doorstep of the city and gives you a base for the coast south and toward the Balearics on a longer trip. Empuriabrava, with its canal network and quick access to the Cap de Creus, is the natural start for a Costa Brava week. Both are working marinas with fuel, water and provisioning nearby.

The charter season runs roughly May to October, with July and August the busiest and hottest. Late May, June and September are the sweet spot: warm water, lighter crowds, and steadier sailing.

The wind to know is the tramontana, a strong, dry northerly that funnels down off the Pyrenees onto the Golf de Roses and the Cap de Creus. It can blow hard for days and kicks up a short, steep sea, so watch the forecast before rounding the cape. In settled summer weather you more often get a sea breeze filling in from the south or southeast in the afternoon, 10 to 18 knots, dying off in the evening. Mornings are frequently light, so plan longer passages early and expect to motor in calms. Autumn can bring the occasional levante swell from the east.

Our Catalonia fleet is bareboat, based out of Marina d'Empuriabrava and Port Olímpic de Barcelona. That means you take the boat yourself, with an ICC or equivalent skipper's licence and some coastal experience. Monohulls and catamarans are available; monohulls handle the tramontana chop more comfortably, while cats give families more deck space at anchor.

If you don't hold a licence or want to learn the ground, a skipper can be arranged on request, and a hostess or cook for larger groups. Crew details and availability are best confirmed over WhatsApp before you book, since it varies by boat and week.

A bareboat week on the Costa Brava typically runs from around EUR 2,500 for a smaller monohull in the shoulder season up to EUR 8,000-plus for a larger catamaran in peak August. Exact rates depend on the boat, the year and the week, so treat these as broad ranges only. Price on request for specific boats and dates.

Budget on top of the base fee for: fuel (you refill on return), the end-of-charter clean, a security deposit held against damage, and any extras like a skipper, SUP or outboard. Marina fees on the Costa Brava are on the higher side in season, so factor in a few nights at anchor. Provisioning for a week for a family is manageable through the supermarkets near both bases.

Day 1 — Board at Empuriabrava, provision, and shake down with a short sail out of the Golf de Roses to anchor off Roses or the coves near Cala Montjoi.

Day 2 — Round the Cap de Creus in the morning before the breeze builds, and drop into Cadaqués. Go ashore for the whitewashed old town and the Dalí house at Portlligat next door.

Day 3 — Short hop to Port de la Selva or anchor in the coves along the cape's north side. Swim, snorkel, and watch the tramontana forecast.

Day 4 — Sail south to the Illes Medes off L'Estartit. The marine reserve is some of the best snorkelling on the coast; pick up a mooring where required.

Day 5 — Down to Palamós or Sant Feliu de Guíxols for a night alongside and a proper seafood dinner on the quay.

Day 6 — Work back north with stops in the coves between L'Escala and L'Estartit, timing your return sail for the afternoon breeze.

Day 7 — Final anchorage in the Golf de Roses, back into Empuriabrava for the evening or early next morning.

Run it in reverse from Barcelona if you want the city at the start, and cut a leg if the tramontana closes the cape.

Barcelona (BCN) is the main airport, well connected across Europe and a short transfer to Port Olímpic in the city. For Empuriabrava, Girona (GRO) is closer, roughly an hour by road, and Barcelona is about two hours by car or the AVE train to Figueres plus a taxi. The coast road up from Girona is straightforward.

Bring your licence, ICC or national equivalent, plus a sailing CV if asked, and passports for the crew list. Provisioning, chandlery and fuel are all near both bases. Message us on WhatsApp to confirm boats, dates and any skipper arrangements before you travel.