Most yachts cruise Mallorca from May to October, with a quieter start in April, and rain is scarce from June to August. On settled summer days the wind follows a pattern: calm mornings, then the embat, a sea breeze from the south or south-west, building across the Bay of Palma after midday and dying away towards sunset. The north coast is more exposed. When the Tramontana blows from the north, the mountains that share its name take the swell head-on, and the crew moves round to the sheltered south or east of the island.

APRIL AND MAY

19–23°C

Best for mountain walks and spring festivals

Spring is the walkers’ season. The Tramuntana is green, wild flowers line the paths, and the old towns are pleasant to explore before the summer heat. Swimming is bracing: the water is near 16°C in April, warming to roughly 19°C by late May, so only the hardier guests go in. Holy Week brings processions across the island, among them the torchlit Davallament on the Calvari steps in Pollença, and in May, Sóller re-enacts the corsair raid of 11 May 1561 in the streets and at the port.

JUNE

25–28°C

Best for warm days and the eve of Sant Joan

June brings settled, sunny weather, with the sea reaching 22–23°C as the month closes and light in the sky until after half past nine. The summer crowds have not yet reached their peak, so there is still room in the calas. On the night of 23 June, the eve of Sant Joan, families gather on the beaches with picnics and bonfires, and Palma holds its Nit de Foc below the cathedral, with fire-runners, devils and fireworks over the Parc de la Mar.

JULY AND AUGUST

29–31°C

Best for the warmest sea and regatta season

High summer is hot and dry, with afternoon highs around 30°C, while the water reaches 25–26°C, at its warmest in August. On 16 July, fishing ports around the island honour the Mare de Déu del Carme, patron of seafarers, with processions of decorated boats, and from late July into early August the Copa del Rey regatta fills the Bay of Palma with racing yachts. August is also Spain’s main holiday month, so the favourite coves fill by late morning and the Cabrera buoys are taken early: reserve the yacht, berths and permits well in advance.

SEPTEMBER

26–29°C

Best for long swims once the crowds thin

Once the school holidays end, the coves and harbours empty noticeably, yet the sea holds at about 25°C, close to its August peak. In the vineyards around Binissalem the grapes are picked, and the town celebrates with the Festa des Vermar, a harvest festival of wine tastings, a grape fight and a shared supper. Short late-summer storms grow more likely as the month goes on, and the captain keeps an eye on the forecast for them.

OCTOBER

21–25°C

Best for mild days and quiet calas

October is often warm and bright, and the sea, at around 22–23°C, is still comfortable for swimming. It is also, on average, the wettest month in Palma, with heavy showers that tend to come in short bursts between clear days, and the evenings draw in sooner. Many charter yachts end their Mallorca season towards the close of the month, so reserve October weeks early and keep the plan a little flexible.