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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)

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