Sailing the Mediterranean: The Best Marinas from Spain to Greece
Sailing the Mediterranean: The Best Marinas from Spain to Greece
The Mediterranean is one of the world's great sailing destinations — warm summers, reliable winds, stunning landscapes, and thousands of marinas within a day's sail of each other. BerthFinder lists marinas across all 20+ Mediterranean countries. Here's our pick of the standout ports.
Spain: The Balearics and the Coast
Palma de Mallorca — A world-class sailing city. The Real Club Náutico and Club de Mar both offer full facilities. Palma hosts some of Europe's biggest superyacht shows and races. Busy year-round; book ahead in summer.
Ibiza Town (Eivissa) — The old walled town (Dalt Vila) looms over the harbour. Marina Ibiza and Marina Botafoch handle most yachts. Lively but expensive in high season.
Mahón, Menorca — One of the deepest natural harbours in the world. Quieter than Mallorca and Ibiza, excellent facilities, and the town is a delight. The anchorage at Cala Galdana is superb.
Alicante — A large, modern marina with excellent facilities. Good access point for the Costa Blanca and a pleasant city to explore.
France: The Côte d'Azur
Antibes / Port Vauban — Europe's superyacht capital. 2,000+ berths, max 170m LOA. The Vieux Port is more accessible for regular cruisers. VHF 9.
Cannes — The famous festival city has a surprisingly good marina (Vieux Port and Port Canto). Busy in May; plan around the film festival.
Port Camargue — France's largest marina at 4,800 berths. Excellent facilities, lower prices than the Riviera, and a relaxed atmosphere.
[More detail in our France marina guide →](/blog/best-marinas-in-france-complete-guide)
Italy: The Most Coastline in the Mediterranean
Portofino — Small, exquisite, expensive. Only around 20 visitor berths; arrive early or anchor off and take the dinghy in. The village is worth every euro.
Genoa — A major working city with multiple marinas. Marina Molo Vecchio is central; Porto Antico has a great waterfront. Good facilities, cheaper than the Riviera.
Rome (Civitavecchia) — Not in Rome itself, but the nearest port. Useful stop on a southern cruise; high-speed trains to Rome take 45 minutes.
Naples and the Amalfi Coast — The Bay of Naples is spectacular but Vesuvius gets attention for a reason. Marinas at Pozzuoli and Mergellina. Amalfi coast anchorages are stunning but exposed; Salerno is more practical.
Sicily — Palermo, Syracuse, and Marsala are all excellent bases. The north coast gives access to the Aeolian Islands (Lipari, Vulcano, Stromboli). Winds can be strong and unpredictable.
Croatia: The Adriatic Jewel
Croatia's Dalmatian coast is a sailing paradise — 1,200 islands, consistent Bora and Maestral winds, and superb marinas.
Split — The best base in central Dalmatia. ACI Marina Split has 350 berths; Marina Kaštela to the north is larger. Historic Diocletian's Palace is unmissable.
Dubrovnik — The Adriatic's most famous city. Berth at Gruž harbour (2km from the old town) or ACI Marina. Very busy in July/August — arrive early or anchor off Cavtat.
Šibenik — A beautiful medieval city at the mouth of the River Krka. ACI Marina has 400 berths. Day trips to Krka waterfalls are superb.
Kornati Islands — 89 mostly uninhabited islands, a national park, and some of the best sailing in Europe. ACI has a marina on Piskera island inside the park.
Greece: The Ionian and Aegean
Corfu (Kérkyra) — Gateway to the Ionian islands from the north. The New Marina has 1,200 berths. Easy access from the UK or Italy; the old town is UNESCO-listed.
Lefkada — Connected to the mainland by a swing bridge; the marina at Lefkada Town is well-equipped and a good base for exploring the Ionian.
Athens (Alimos Marina) — Greece's largest marina, 1,200 berths, 15 minutes by tram from the city centre. Good base for the Saronic Gulf and a convenient arrival/departure point.
Kalamata — Southern Peloponnese, often overlooked. Excellent marina, friendly town, and superb sailing in the Messenian Gulf.
Rhodes — Eastern Aegean. Mandraki Harbour is the famous entry point but shallow; the commercial port handles larger vessels. Good jumping-off point for Turkey.
Mediterranean Practical Tips
- Meltemi (July–August): the Aegean's strong north wind can reach Force 6–7 regularly. Plan accordingly in the Cyclades.
- Maestral (Adriatic): reliable afternoon sea breeze on the Croatian coast, strongest June–September.
- Check-in: most Mediterranean countries require port clearance on arrival; customs formalities vary.
- ACI Croatia: Croatia's ACI marina network is excellent — booking ahead in summer is strongly recommended.
- High season: July and August are the most crowded and expensive everywhere. Late May/early June and September offer the best balance.
Find Your Mediterranean Berth on BerthFinder
BerthFinder lists marinas across all Mediterranean countries — [Spain](/explore?country=Spain), [France](/explore?country=France), [Italy](/explore?country=Italy), [Croatia](/explore?country=Croatia), [Greece](/explore?country=Greece) and more.
[Explore Mediterranean marinas →](/explore)