The three marinas of Barcelona: which one to head for from the airport
People rarely arrive at a marina travelling light. Between the terminal and the pontoon there is a case of electronics, a long sail bag, a box of parts ordered a month ago and finally collected. And a departure time the skipper will not move.
The first question is which marina. Barcelona has three, and they are at different ends of the city.
Port Vell: the centre and the big vessels
The best known and the most central. The berths are five minutes on foot from the Gothic Quarter, with Barceloneta and its beach next door. The large yachts are here, because the marina takes vessels up to one hundred and ninety metres, and there are not many harbours like that in Europe.
The site is gated, with a checkpoint at the entrance. The driver takes you to the gate, and past it you go on your pass. If the berth is far from the entrance, ask the crew whether someone will meet you with a trolley, because the pontoons are long.
From the airport to Port Vell is 15 km, a drive of ~22 min, and that is without traffic on the Ronda Litoral, so allow more on a weekday morning.
Port Olimpic: mid-size boats and city life
Further up the shore, past Barceloneta. Built for the 1992 Olympics, hence the name. The boats here are smaller, up to thirty metres, and the marina is ringed by restaurants, bars and a promenade, so the evenings are loud.
The plus for a crew: the marina is open, and you can drive almost to the pontoon itself. The minus for sleeping: the seafront is noisy until three in the morning.
From the airport it is a little longer than to Port Vell, the same road, just further along the coast.
Port Ginesta: the south and the way out to sea
A different place altogether. This is Castelldefels, 20 kilometres south of the city at the foot of the Garraf massif. The marina is large, over a thousand berths, and it sits right at the exit to the open sea, so there is no working your way out of the city bay.
People come here to head south, towards Sitges and beyond, and because they want the boat for the sea rather than for a berth by the city. It is quiet around it, the beach is next door, and the facilities amount to a chandlery and a couple of restaurants.
From the airport it is closer than the city, because the terminals sit on the southern edge, and the road to Castelldefels runs down the C-32 past the traffic.
How to choose if the boat is not chosen yet
A week's charter along the coast means Port Vell or Port Olimpic, so you can walk into town in the evening. A passage to the Balearics or to the south means Port Ginesta, and you save an hour getting out of the bay. A crew change on a large yacht is almost certainly Port Vell, which is where the vessels that need crew are berthed.
Baggage, and how many cars you need
Yacht baggage does not fit in the boot of a saloon: a long sail bag only goes in a Van. It seats seven and the boot is separate. If the crew is bigger, book two cars for the same time, which in the app is two bookings with the same address.
Cases of electronics are better carried in the cabin than in the boot, especially in summer. Tell the driver when you get in.
When the day is complicated
Collect two people from the airport, stop at a supplier for a part, back to the port, then to the airport again for the skipper. Four legs and four bookings, or one car for several hours: the driver waits between stops, the baggage stays in the car, and the route changes as you go.
Frequently asked questions
Which Barcelona marina is best for arriving on a yacht for a week?
If you want to walk into the city in the evening, Port Vell or Port Olimpic. If quiet and a fast exit to sea matter more, Port Ginesta, but it is half an hour by car from the centre.
Is Port Ginesta still Barcelona?
No, it is Castelldefels, a separate town 20 kilometres to the south. But from Barcelona airport it is closer than Port Vell.
Can a car drive right up to the yacht?
At Port Olimpic, almost to the pontoon. At Port Vell and Port Ginesta, as far as the checkpoint, and after that on foot or with a marina trolley.
Will a sail fit in the car?
In a Van, yes, because the boot is separate and long. In a Comfort a long bag will not fit, only across the cabin, and only if it is under a metre and a half.
Five of us are arriving with baggage for two. Which car?
The Van. Five people and yacht bags will not fit in a Comfort.
The marina is far from the airport and our flight is delayed. What about the berth slot?
The driver watches the flight and brings the car for the actual landing time. The berth slot is a question for the skipper, but the first hour of waiting at the airport is included, so a delay at baggage reclaim will not eat into it.
Where can we stay if the yacht is not ready?
By Port Vell it is Barceloneta, with hotels a couple of steps from the water. By Port Olimpic it is Poblenou, calmer and cheaper. By Port Ginesta it is Castelldefels, a beach town with hotels along the seafront.