Port Calanova

Port Calanova Overview

Port Calanova is a small harbor in the Bay of Palma. It is located southwest of Palma de Mallorca and separated from the capital by Cala Major (anchorage of Ensenada de Cala Mayor). Originally built for the island’s national sailing school, today it has a dual duty with the school activities and the locals and tourists parking their boats and engaging in windsurfing and sailing practice.

Attractive for its water sports offerings, gastronomy, and luxury accommodation, you’ll prefer Port Calanova if you’re looking for a less crowded marina than the frantic Palma.

Calanova is a private but lively harbor that is usually occupied by locals. We recommend booking a berth beforehand and via our yacht charter services company.

Navigation and Anchoring

The harbor of Calanova is easy to enter and provides good cover once inside. If you are sailing from the east, through Puerto de Palma, you can easily spot the harbor on the northwest, before the anchorages of Las Illetas and Portals Nous. Enter Ensenada de Cala Mayor in the northwest corner. While piloting from the west, you should see the port past Las Illetas.

The entrance to Port Calanova is about 55 meters wide. Extreme caution is recommended while entering as beginner sailors (from the sailing school) can often be found here. The 2kn speed limit is therefore a boon.

There are about 172 berths on this port. They can accommodate boats of sizes ranging from 6-25 meters. We recommend booking one beforehand as the berths are usually occupied by locals all year around. In case there is no berth available, you can park to the inside of the south breakwater.

You can find buses and cabs from the port to other parts of the island. The proximity of the airport and major sights such as the Bellver Castle, the old town of Palma, Marvient, and Illetas makes it a recommended choice for tourists.

Pro Tip – Here’s an illustration (JPEG) of the marina showing all the berths.

Old town of Palma is at a short distance from this port - palma.co.uk

An islet opposite Portals Nous - Wikimedia

The Bellver castle is one of the most recognizable monuments near Port Calanova - Poniol60 via Wikipedia

History of Port Calanova

In the early 1970s, the area was characterized by remnants of a breakwater used to protect old Mallorcan boats called llauts. As the Mallorcan island began developing and building its tourism industry, the area was put on rapid development as a side port to the main Palma.

The port was opened in August 1976 by the Spanish kingdom to facilitate the requirements of the national sailing school called the Calanova National Sailing School (Escuela Nacional de Vela). Following its sudden popularity among the visiting crowd, the marina became commercial and was soon thrown open to tourist yachts.

Playa de Soratori beach near the port - ABC Mallorca

At Port Calanova, you can enrol in a course with the Calanova national sailing - TripAdvisor

Places of Interest In and Around Port Calanova

Both locals and tourists prefer Calanova for the convenient access to water sports and other leisure activities. It also provides easy access to some of the top sights on the island. Some of them are listed below:

Paseo Marítimo
Mallorca Museum
Soller
Puerto Portals
Palma Casino
Bellver Castle
Illetes
El Toro nature reserve
Portals Vells

Out of these, we highly recommend visiting the Bellver Castle, one of the very few circular castles in the world. Built in the 14^th century, it has a long and rich history that can be explored through the museum that it houses.

Reasons to Visit

The port is most suitable for charters in which you can enjoy the sea as part of your laid-back vacation. For adventurous travelers, the following water sports are also available:

Paddle surfing
Jet skiing
Flyboarding
Kayaking
Windsurfing
Dinghy sailing

You may also enroll yourself in a beginner course at the national sailing school. The school provides short stints for kids who may enjoy the experience of being an “in-charge” at sea. That is if they don’t get enough of the Vicente del Bosque summer camp, another great activity for children. Both kids and adults can enjoy day camps, football, and golf.

The national school offers a variety of courses and camps for those interested. We highly recommend getting involved as it’s known to attract both the young and old either to brush up on techniques or to start anew.

Apart from these, you can always enjoy some gastronomical adventures if your stomach agrees. There are tens of stylish restaurants and pubs – both upscale and economical – that you can explore to get a taste of the local cuisines.

Services

Port Calanova has excellent provisions and facilities such as water, electricity, and supplies (available on the quays and pontoons). You can explore the shops and markets in Cala Nova and San Augustin for provisions and food. The harbor office is pretty alert and you can easily request for chandlery, engineers, or boat repairmen.

A short list of facilities: