The 10 Most Expensive Marinas in Europe

Ask anyone to name Europe’s most expensive marina and it is unlikely their mind would turn to the small Spanish island of Formentera. But this was the verdict of a recent survey by TravelMag.com after canvassing marinas across the continent. Based on a single night’s stay for a 10-metre yacht in the peak period of July to August, the survey found that Marina de Formentera came out on top.

Formentera (Photo: Sonja Pieper via Flickr)

The results of the survey into Europe’s most expensive marinas sees Spain and Italy dominate the rankings. Based on a one-night stay for a 10-metre yacht in July or August, the survey found that 6 of the 10 costliest marinas are located in one of these two countries.

While this may be of little surprise, the identity of the priciest marina is certainly something of an eye-raiser. But it also teaches us a salient lesson: when it comes to marinas, size counts for more than you may expect.

The smallest inhabited island of the Balearics, Formentera has only in recent years become a popular tourism destination. Today it attracts a young and chic crowd, keen for a more secluded and low-key West Mediterranean experience than that offered by its boisterous sister island of Ibiza.

Formentera’s modest size is accompanied by a relatively limited infrastructure and the island is home to just two small marinas (by comparison, Ibiza has five). As we discovered during our research, it is this key factor that helped propel Marina de Formentera to the top of our rankings as Europe’s most expensive marina.

While the marina can accommodate yachts of up to 40-metres, the highly limited number of overall berths ensures a long waiting list in the lead up to, and throughout, the summer season. With spaces at a premium, the cost of bringing a yacht to such a popular location spirals. Or to put it in economic terms, Marina de Formentera’s status as Europe’s most expensive marina is driven, at least in part, by a simple matter of supply and demand.

Another example of this economic principle in action is found in the marina ranked second in our survey. Nestled on the southern shore of the picturesque Italian island of Capri, Marina Grande has attracted the rich and famous in their droves for decades. But while its fabled beauty is undoubtedly a significant reason for charging €110 euros for a nightly berth, the marina’s small size combined with high demand is also a major influence.

The remainder of the rankings offers a further sprinkling of surprise entries, including ACI Marina Split in Croatia (€68 euros) and Satur Marina Kalamiş in Istanbul, Turkey (€67 euros). Meanwhile, a glance at the marina in fifth place should leave us with little doubt that reputation only counts for so much. Located in perhaps the world’s most iconic and famously expensive yachting hubs, Port Hercule in Monaco is almost half the price of Marina de Formentera at the top of the leaderboard.

Below is a complete breakdown of the survey results, showing the 10 most expensive marinas in Europe, along with their nightly prices for a 10-metre yacht in July or August, in descending order.