Medes Islands by boat from Palamós: can you do it in a day?

Yes, you can take a boat from Palamós to the Medes Islands (Illes Medes) and be back the same day, but not in just any boat or in just any sea. It is about 14.5 miles each way, more than three times the distance to Llafranc, and when you arrive you find a marine reserve with its own rules: no anchoring, mooring only to paid buoys and no fishing. Here is what you need to know before deciding. All the boats we list leave from Port Marina Palamós.

How long it takes to get there

The official Costa Brava harbour guide gives 14.5 miles between Marina Palamós and the harbour of L’Estartit, opposite the islands. That is an estimate on the most direct course; following the coast works out about the same, around 14 miles by our rough calculation.

• By motorboat or RIB, at 15–20 knots: between 45 minutes and an hour each way, in calm seas.
• By llaüt or sailboat, at 5–6 knots: between two and a half and three hours each way.

The round trip is about 29 miles. On motorboats fuel is usually extra, and this route burns a good deal more than a loop around the nearby coves.

The route and the weather

You head north past Calella, Llafranc, Tamariu and Aiguablava. Rounding Cap de Begur, the Gulf of Pals opens up, with the mouth of the Ter, and the Montgrí massif and the islands appear in the distance. The harbour guide advises giving the river mouth a wide berth, as the seabed can rise unexpectedly.

That stretch is the most exposed: there are about 7.4 miles between the harbours of Aiguablava and L’Estartit, with few coves to shelter in. The guide warns that northerly winds raise a sea in the channel between the islands and the coast, and in summer the garbí (a south-westerly breeze) usually picks up from midday, so the return south will be bumpier than the way out. Pick a day with a calm sea and no tramontana (the strong northerly), set off first thing and start back early. More details in our guide to wind on the Costa Brava.

Which licence you need

From 1 October 2026 you need at least the Licencia de Navegación (the basic Spanish boating licence) to skipper a rental boat, and some boats require more. For the Medes, distance matters as much as the licence:

• Licencia de Navegación. Boats up to 6 metres, daytime only and no more than 2 miles from a harbour, marina or sheltered spot. With more than 7 miles between harbours, we do not recommend this trip on it.
• PNB. Motorboats up to 8 metres and up to 5 miles from a harbour, marina or sheltered spot. Following the coast, with the harbours of Llafranc, Aiguablava and L’Estartit, you would never be more than about 4 miles from one, by our rough calculation. Even so, run the plan past us before booking.
• PER or higher. Up to 12 miles from the coast: distance is no longer an issue.
• No licence. Go with a skipper, who also knows the area and the buoys.

If your licence is from another European Economic Area country or the United Kingdom, it is normally valid; check with us before booking. More information in the licence guide.

Which boats make sense

You need speed and a boat that stays comfortable in a bit of a swell. Prices from, per boat per day, VAT included and higher in July and August:

• With a skipper: the Gozzo Positano 32 Open (12 people, 2 x 250 hp, from 1,199 €) or the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 12.5 WA (12 people, 3 x 300 hp, from 1,704 €). The Absolute 45 and Sunseeker Camargue 50 yachts always go out with a skipper.
• With a PNB or a skipper: the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 CC (11 people, 2 x 200 hp, from 764 €), the 9.0 WA (10 people, from 784 €) or the Salpa Soleil 28 RIB (12 people, 2 x 200 hp, from 742 €).
• For another day: llaüts, electric llaüts and small boats such as the Remus 450. They are ideal for the nearby coves, not for 29 miles.

The marine reserve rules

The Medes, seven islets and several reefs off L’Estartit, are part of the Parc Natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter, created by Ley 15/2010 of the Generalitat (the Catalan government). The sea around them is a partial marine nature reserve, with a peripheral protection zone, and the islands themselves are a strict nature reserve. Under the park’s regulations:

• No anchoring. Dropping anchor is prohibited in the reserve; you may only moor to the designated buoys.
• Maximum 3 knots inside the reserve and within 200 metres of the coast in the peripheral zone.
• Daytime only. No activity between sunset and sunrise, and no overnight stays.
• Fishing. It is prohibited in the reserve, as is carrying fishing gear on board. In the peripheral zone, only one rod per licence and no spearfishing.
• No landing. The islands can only be accessed with the park’s authorisation.

The mooring buoys

They are run by the park and you pay to use them: red or orange for boats up to 9 metres and white for those from 9 to 16. You pay per half day, from sunrise to 14:00 or from 14:00 to sunset, at the buoy itself, to a patrol boat and by card only. According to local yacht clubs, in 2026 the rate is 8.35 € per half day on buoys for boats up to 9 metres and 12.55 € on the white ones, with patrols and charging from April to October. Paying does not guarantee a spot: in high summer there may be no free buoy, and anchoring is not an alternative.

Swimming and diving

You can swim from the buoy, but without fins, wetsuit, weight belt or diving equipment. Diving in the reserve requires a park licence, subject to a fee; the usual way is to go with an authorised dive centre in L’Estartit. These rules come from the 2008 management plan, amended in 2017, and may change: check the park’s website before you go.

Alternatives closer to Palamós

• Illes Formigues: about 2.5 miles away, good for snorkelling when the sea is calm.
• Calella and Llafranc: about 4.5 miles away, beneath the Sant Sebastià lighthouse.
• The coves of Begur: Aiguablava is about 7.3 miles away, halfway there.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go to the Medes Islands in a llaüt?

We do not recommend it: it takes between two and a half and three hours each way, and the last stretch is the most exposed. A llaüt is better enjoyed around the Formigues or the nearby coves.

Can you anchor at the Medes?

No. In the marine reserve you can only moor to the park’s buoys, which are paid for by the half day.

Can you go ashore on the islands?

Not without the park’s authorisation. The usual plan is to moor, swim and see them from the water.

Can I go without a licence?

Yes, with a skipper. Several large motorboats can be hired with or without a skipper, and some boats always go out with one.

If you would like to go to the Medes, tell us via the contact page the date, how many of you there are and which licence you hold, and we will suggest a boat based on the forecast.