Winter in the Med

[srah1953]

Anytime I read stories by people who have taken their boat to the Med, generally there is a sense that they stop sailing for the winter. I expect to retire in a year or so's time and I was thinking/dreaming of spending winter in the Med and coming back home for summer. Are there recommendations for places to winter in the Med where I could do a bit of sailing and/or live aboard? Apart from the weather (which is the primary issue), there is also potentially a question of boats' being taxed, eg, Spain, Italy, Greece.
Many thanks for your thoughts

 

[PlanB]

Mediterranean Spain generally has good winters, although there can be periods of wind and/or rain. Not the best cruising grounds, but you can sail through the winter. If you yourself are not in Spain for more than 183 days, no tax due (unless G5 in some areas).

 

[jordanbasset]

If you are only planning to sail in the winter, while obviously you can do that in the med, I would consider other places, such as the caribean or possibly the Canaries.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Sailing does happen in the South of France during the winter. Very few yachts about then, though, except when local clubs have organised day racing. Weather is a lottery. Lots of clear mild days, but sometimes screaming easterlies. Many (all?) summer moorings are lifted. Generally (I think) Western Med winters are less cold than Eastern Med ones. In most coastal towns and villages some, but not all, facilities will be open. Nice and Marseilles airports have pretty good winter connections, Nice especially.

 

[colind3782]

Empuriabrava pretty much closes between the end of October and Easter. Some restaurants stay open but they're few and far between. Also, the winter weather is often similar to the UK, not quite as cold. If it's winter sun you're after, I would suggest further south.

 

[vyv_cox]

At least two, perhaps more, regular forum contributors live aboard in Greece all year round, anchored. Sailing there is perfectly possible until late November, start agian March, but few move other than day sails inbetween. There can be quite a lively cruising boat community at some marinas and ports but pretty much all shore based. It is often extremely wet in Greece in winter, all their annual rainfall comes in a couple of months.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Lots of clear mild days, but sometimes screaming easterlies.

Like this you mean?

 

[derekgillard]

Where was the picture taken

 

[scoty]

Best weather, Barcelona area, (not in Barcelona) stay within 12 miles, north or south, check prices and make your choice, want to know more just ask.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Where was the picture taken

It's Port de Borme, the buildings across the bay you can see are Lavandou. Port de Borme faces East, this was taken during one of TK's 'screaming easterlies'.

 

[snowleopard]

If you are only planning to sail in the winter, while obviously you can do that in the med, I would consider other places, such as the caribean or possibly the Canaries.

I once crewed for a guy who spent his summers in the Med and winters in the Caribbean. When I sailed with him it was his 8 or 9th return trip. The log read over 80k miles.

 

[BrianH]

I keep my boat in Italy but go home to Switzerland for the winter - too cold in the northern Adriatic (down to -16°C air temperature) and stormy - and then again for August - too hot (up to 40°C cabin temperature) and everywhere overcrowded.

I echo the Caribbean and Canaries for best climate and winds.

 

[GrahamM376]

The Algarve has reasonable winters with plenty of good sailing days.

 

[srah1953]

The Algarve has reasonable winters with plenty of good sailing days.

Many thanks for all the replies.
How does southern Portugal compare to southern Spain?

 

[GrahamM376]

Many thanks for all the replies.
How does southern Portugal compare to southern Spain?

Not having wintered in Med Spain, I can't comment on winter sailing there. Unlike Spain, Portugal doesn't have a problem with tax if you're resident for 6 months but does require safety equipment to comply with their regs if in country (in or out of the water) for more than 6 months. Most of the listed equipment will be normal for most people anyway.