Puerto Portals yacht charter
A Puerto Portals yacht charter begins at what many call Mallorca's most glamorous marina, on the western shore of the Bay of Palma. You step aboard from a quay of boutiques and waterfront restaurants, and after a short cruise your captain can have you swimming off a quiet islet, at anchor among the pines of Portals Vells or gliding past Illetes with the cathedral on the horizon.
Puerto Portals lies in Portals Nous, in the municipality of Calvià, around 10 km west of Palma's centre and roughly 16 km from the airport. Since it opened in 1986 it has become one of the bay's most social harbours: its quays are lined with fashion boutiques, jewellers, restaurants and cocktail bars, and it is known as a meeting point for well-known faces and high society, as well as members of the Spanish royal family during their summer stays at nearby Marivent. Berths take yachts from 8 to 60 metres, so a sleek sport yacht and a fully crewed superyacht can share the same pontoons.
The coast around the marina is gentle and close at hand. To the east, the residential slopes of Bendinat lead to Illetes, named for the small islets offshore. Tradition says Bendinat owes its name to King James I, who is said to have declared "Bé hem dinat" ("we have dined well") there during the conquest of 1229, although historians trace the word to Arabic. To the south-west, Portals Vells hides narrow coves and a medieval sandstone quarry. Its cave chapel once held the image of the Mare de Déu de Portals, moved in 1866 to a new oratory above the village, which is why one place is the old Portals and the other the new.
On a charter, Puerto Portals is a natural base for short, rich outings. You can swim off Illa d'en Sales, anchor on sand at Illetes or settle into the sheltered coves of Portals Vells, then be back on the quay in time for dinner. A full day reaches Port d'Andratx and Sa Dragonera to the west, depending on the yacht and the forecast. In summer the embat sea breeze usually fills the bay in the afternoon, so captains plan swims for the calmer morning and early evening. Anchoring on Posidonia seagrass is generally prohibited in the Balearics, and every charter runs with a professional captain.
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Puerto Portals, the bay's social harbour
Boutiques, jewellers, restaurants and cocktail bars line the quays, and the waterfront stays lively well into the evening: the natural place to end a day at sea.
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Old Portals and new
The cave chapel at Portals Vells and the 19th-century oratory of Portals Nous share one story, linked by an image of the Virgin moved from the caves to the village in 1866.
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Sailing out of season
The marina keeps a sailing life of its own beyond summer, with a municipal sailing school and the Dragon Winter Series, a keelboat regatta held in the cooler months.
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Illa d'en Sales
A small, steep islet in the cove of Portals Nous, close to the marina, with a little beach of sand and pebbles on its northern side, the only place to land. Punic pottery has been found on the islet, and remains have been recorded underwater. Your captain anchors on clear sand nearby where the seabed and the rules allow.
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Illetes and Cala Comtesa
East along the shore, the coves of Ses Illetes, es Fortí and Cala Comtesa sit behind a scatter of small islets, with clear, shallow water over sand and patches of seagrass. They are open to winds from the north-east round to the south-east and busiest from late morning in July and August, so an early or late visit is calmer.
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Illa de sa Porrassa
An uninhabited islet rising about 36 metres above the bay off Magaluf, a short way west of Portals. It makes a scenic waypoint and, in settled weather, a swim stop on sand clear of the seagrass, at your captain's discretion.
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Portals Vells
At the south-western tip of the bay, narrow inlets cut into pine woods and end in small beaches such as Sa Caleta and El Mago. Marès sandstone for Palma Cathedral was quarried from these cliffs, and a coastal path leads to the cave chapel. Boat lanes run in and out of the coves, so the crew keeps swimmers clear of them.
Ashore
- Walk the quays of Puerto Portals, where international brands, jewellers and nautical names sit beside waterfront restaurants and cocktail bars, and stay on for dinner once the yacht is back in its berth.
- Climb to the Oratori de Portals Nous, the chapel opened in 1866 on land given by the Marquess of La Romana, which keeps the image of the Mare de Déu de Portals that gives the village its name.
- Play a round at Real Golf de Bendinat, an 18-hole course designed by Martin Hawtree, with views over the Bay of Palma towards Cabrera and the neo-Gothic Bendinat Castle.
- Drive into Palma for La Seu, Bellver Castle or the Fundació Miró Mallorca at Cala Major. For days ashore, SERMAN RENT, our sister company in the SERMAN group, offers premium car rental.
Charter experiences
Day charter
A full day at sea in Mallorca: quiet coves, long swims and lunch on deck, with a captain at the helm.
Sunset cruise
A private evening on the Bay of Palma: golden light on deck, a last swim at anchor and the city lit up on the way home.
Celebrations
Birthdays, anniversaries and proposals on a private yacht, with the sea as the venue.
Corporate charters
Client hosting, team rewards and incentive days on a private crewed yacht, planned around your agenda.
Week charter
A week across the Balearics on a crewed yacht, waking each morning in a different bay.
Questions Puerto Portals
/ 01Can our yacht charter start in Puerto Portals?
Yes, when the yacht you choose is based there or can be positioned there for your charter. Otherwise boarding is usually in Palma or at Port Adriano, both a short drive away. Your quote names the marina and the boarding point, and SERMAN RENT, part of the same group, offers premium car rental for the drive to the quay.
/ 02What can we see on a half-day charter from Puerto Portals?
A half day usually allows two or three stops, such as a swim off Illa d'en Sales, Illetes or Cala Comtesa and the coves of Portals Vells, depending on the yacht and the sea state. A full day adds the view of La Seu from Palma Bay or the run west towards Port d'Andratx and Sa Dragonera. Prices are on request.
/ 03Can we finish the charter with dinner in Puerto Portals?
Yes. The marina's waterfront restaurants make it a natural place to end the day, and your captain can time the last swim and the sunset so you step ashore in the early evening. In July and August, book your table well ahead.
Nearby
Palma Bay
La Seu from the sea, the islets of Illetes and sheltered swim stops within easy reach of Palma's marinas.
Port Adriano
A Philippe Starck superyacht marina beside a protected marine reserve.
Port d'Andratx
A fjord-like harbour where the Tramuntana meets the sea.
Sa Dragonera
A protected island off Sant Elm, shaped like a sleeping dragon.
Let's plan your day at sea
Tell us your dates, your group and the kind of day you have in mind. We reply with yacht options and a route idea.