The Balearics are one of the easiest places in the Mediterranean to plan a crewed yacht week. Ibiza and Formentera sit only a few miles apart, so you spend your days swimming and exploring rather than crossing open water. You still get a remarkable mix: a fortified UNESCO old town, a protected natural park, an uninhabited island with white-sand beaches, and some of the clearest water in the Med. This sample itinerary is a starting point, and your captain will adjust each day to the wind, the sea state and what your group enjoys most.

Before You Go: Why the Balearics Suit a Crewed Week

Formentera lies about 6 km south of Ibiza, and the stretch between them is part of the Ses Salines de Ibiza y Formentera Natural Park, designated a nature reserve in 1995 and a natural park in 2001. The sea here is special too. UNESCO’s “Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture” World Heritage property covers 9,020 hectares, mostly sea, and protects what UNESCO describes as “the best-conserved marine meadows of Posidonia oceanica (Neptune Grass) in the Mediterranean”.

That seagrass is the reason for one rule every charter guest should know. Since a Balearic decree came into force in 2018, anchoring on Posidonia meadows is forbidden, with mapped zones where no vessel, however small, may drop anchor. A good crew knows where to anchor on sand and where to pick up a mooring, so it doesn’t limit your week, but it is one more reason to charter with an experienced local captain. Rules can change, so your crew will always work to the current regulations.

Day 1: Ibiza Town and Dalt Vila

Board in Ibiza Town, settle into your cabin and meet the crew over a welcome drink. In the early evening, walk up to Dalt Vila, the fortified Upper Town. Its walls, built between 1554 and 1585, are in UNESCO’s words “an outstanding example of Renaissance military architecture”. Just outside the old town is the Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins, which UNESCO notes has more than 5,000 graves. Dinner can be in town or on deck, looking back at the floodlit walls.

Day 2: South into Ses Salines Natural Park

A short morning hop takes you south along Ibiza’s coast into the natural park. The traditional salt flats here have been worked for centuries, and the coastline is lined with beaches such as Platja des Cavallet and watchtowers including the 16th-century Sal Rossa Tower. Anchor off a quiet stretch for lunch and an afternoon of swimming and paddleboarding from the yacht.

Day 3: S’Espalmador

Cross the narrow gap towards Formentera and stop at s’Espalmador, a small uninhabited island just north of it. It is reachable only by sea and is a popular stop for yachts sailing between Ibiza and Formentera. Expect powder-white sand and shallow, turquoise water. Arrive early or late in the day for the calmest moments, and leave the middle of the day for snorkelling and lunch on board.

Day 4: Formentera’s Northern Beaches

Formentera is only 19 km long, has no airport, and is reached by sea, which helps keep its pace slow. Spend the day off the long northern spit around Ses Illetes, one of the island’s best-known beaches, then go ashore at La Savina, the main harbour, for a wander or a sundowner. Your crew can arrange a taxi or hire bikes if you’d like to see the island’s lagoons and lighthouses inland.

Day 5: Formentera’s Quieter Side

Head round to the south and west coast, where bays such as Cala Saona are a calmer alternative to the busy north. This is a good day to slow down: a long breakfast on deck, a swim before lunch, and perhaps a dinner ashore at a beach restaurant your crew recommends. Some anchorages here are exposed in certain winds, so let the captain choose where to spend the night.

Day 6: Cala d’Hort and Es Vedrà

Return north to Ibiza’s southwest coast and anchor off Cala d’Hort, facing the island of Es Vedrà. This dramatic, uninhabited rock rises sheer out of the sea about 2.5 km offshore and is part of the Cala d’Hort nature reserve, home to a colony of Eleonora’s falcons. Stay for sunset, when the island turns gold and then dark against the sky. It is one of the most photographed views in the Balearics, and from the deck of a yacht you have it almost to yourself.

Day 7: Back Towards Ibiza Town

Cruise back along the south coast with a final swimming stop. History lovers can ask about Sa Caleta, part of the UNESCO property, which UNESCO says preserves evidence of the first Phoenician settlement on the island in the 8th century BC. Spend your last evening in Ibiza Town, then disembark after breakfast the next morning.

Extending to Mallorca and Cabrera

With 10 or 14 nights, or a one-way charter, you can add Mallorca. Its northwest coast is backed by the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO cultural landscape of terraces, water works and dry-stone farms on a mountain range parallel to the coast. Off the island lies the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, created in 1991 and the largest national park in Spain, most of it sea. Boats may not anchor in Cabrera’s natural harbour and must use laid moorings booked in advance, so this is a stop to plan with your broker before you sail.

When to Go and How to Book

The Balearic season runs from May to October, with June and September often the sweet spots for warm water and quieter anchorages. July and August are the busiest weeks, and the best crewed yachts for those dates are often booked months ahead. If you are thinking about summer 2027, now is a good time to start. Our guide to booking a Mediterranean charter early explains why, and our guide to charter costs, APA and VAT sets out what the price includes. For yachts, bases and seasons, see our Balearics charter page.