The best time to sleep aboard a sailing boat in Garraf

When someone asks when is the best time to come and sleep on the boat, the honest answer is “it depends which of the two experiences you want”. Spending a quiet night moored in Port Garraf is not the same as anchoring under the stars off the cliffs. And the time of year makes a big difference to which one suits you.

At anchor under the stars: best in the warm months

The full experience sets sail at sunset towards Sitges or Vilanova, and if the night is exceptionally calm, you sleep at anchor off the Garraf cliffs. The key word is “exceptionally”: it cannot be promised in advance, as it depends on the state of the sea that particular night. Between June and September the Mediterranean tends to be more settled and the nights milder, so that is when it is most likely to happen and when sleeping in the open is pleasant without getting cold. If the sea does not cooperate that night, you sleep moored in Port de Sitges or Vilanova instead of at anchor, without missing the sunset sail.

Moored in Port Garraf: works almost all year round

Sleeping moored in Port Garraf itself depends much less on the weather, because the marina shelters you from the swell and the wind. It is the option I recommend outside the summer months: the calm of the harbour and the sound of the sea are just as enjoyable in spring or autumn, and in winter the marina gives pretty good shelter. The nights are colder, though, so bring more warm clothing than you would in July.

What to bring by season

• Summer (June-September): light clothes, something warm for the night at sea —it always gets cooler than you expect— and rubber-soled shoes that do not mark the deck; no heels.
• Spring and autumn: a proper jacket or windbreaker, not just a light layer. The nights drop several degrees below the daytime temperature.
• Winter: a normal winter coat. The boat has sheets, blankets and pillows, but the cold of a January night is just as noticeable as in any other accommodation without central heating.

In short

If what you want is the night at anchor under the stars, aim for the summer months. If what you are after is the experience of sleeping aboard itself, with the calm of the harbour and the gentle rocking of the boat, any time of year works, and all that changes is how many warm clothes you need.