Why sail from Dénia
Dénia sits at the northern tip of the Costa Blanca, beneath the limestone bulk of the Montgó, and it is the closest point on mainland Spain to the Balearic Islands. Ibiza lies about sixty nautical miles east — an overnight passage under sail with the island rising out of the dawn, or a two-hour run on a motor yacht. That single fact makes Dénia the natural start for a charter that begins on the mainland and ends in the islands, and a shrewd alternative to Ibiza itself in the busiest weeks.
Our Dénia charters depart from Marina de Dénia, a short walk from the old town and the castle. Alicante and Valencia airports are each about an hour away by road. And Dénia is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy — the red prawn (gamba roja) is the local religion — so the night before you sail is worth arriving early for.
Anchorages we come back to
Dénia to the islands
The classic plan is a night in Dénia, a day on the Montgó coast — Les Rotes, the Cova Tallada, lunch at Cala Portitxol — and then the crossing. Under sail, leave in the late afternoon and make Ibiza’s west coast by morning; on a motor yacht, breakfast in Dénia and a swim off Ibiza by lunch. From there the week unfolds as an Ibiza and Formentera charter, and if the yacht is going one way, hand it back in Ibiza Town and fly home from there.
Prefer to stay on the mainland? A week out of Dénia along the Costa Blanca — Xàbia, Moraira, Calp and the Peñón d’Ifac, Altea — is quiet, warm and largely undiscovered by charter crews. Our skippers know both plans well.
Practical notes
- Season: April to October, with the mildest, most reliable crossing weather in June and September. July and August are peak, and monohulls and catamarans run Saturday to Saturday.
- The crossing: About 60 nm to Ibiza — 8–10 hours under sail, 2–3 hours by motor yacht. Watch the forecast for the north-east; our skippers pick the weather window and the charter pack includes the passage plan.
- One-way charters: Dénia to Ibiza Town (or the reverse) is one of our most-requested one-way routes — ask for availability for your dates.
- Bareboat: An ICC, PER or equivalent licence and appropriate experience — the crossing is open water, so we ask about passage experience. No licence? Choose a Local Skipper or a fully crewed Hidden Secrets charter.
- Getting here: Alicante or Valencia airport, each about an hour by road; ferries also link Dénia and Ibiza for crews joining or leaving mid-charter.
