01 09:30 Port Olímpic: briefing, fuel and provisions
Start at the berth with the skipper. Go through the day's route, how guests move around the boat in a seaway, and where lunch and swimming fit. Restaurants and provisioning are inside the port, so drinks and fresh items can be collected before departure. The fuel dock is on the outer mole. Ask whether your charter terms include fuel or run on an APA, because the Sitges run is short and fuel-efficient compared with longer passages. Port Vell has very limited berths and suits tender drop-off better than a full-size charter pick-up. If guests are staying nearby, agree the meeting point in advance.
02 10:00 Clearing the harbour approaches
Barcelona is one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean, and the approaches carry commercial and ferry traffic. This is not a casual sail-out. The skipper handles harbour exit and entry, and guests should stay settled and clear of the helm until the boat is outside the breakwaters. Morning is usually the flattest part of the day in summer, so the first miles south are normally the easiest ride of the charter.
03 11:30 Sitges bay: anchor and swim
Sitges lies roughly 35 km south of Port Olímpic. The skipper picks an anchoring spot off the town according to the wind, swell and other traffic on the day. The bay is sheltered in northerlies, which makes it much calmer than Barcelona's open roadstead, where ferry swell can make a long anchorage uncomfortable. Use the time for swimming and relaxing on deck before lunch. If the forecast turns, the skipper may suggest Vilanova marina as a more secure alternative.
04 13:30 Lunch ashore in Sitges
Take the tender in for lunch at a seafront restaurant on the Sitges promenade. Book a table before the day if the charter falls on a weekend or in peak season. Alternatively, the crew can arrange lunch on board, but only if you have agreed the provisioning beforehand. A Sitges day of this kind normally runs five to seven hours, so lunch should end in time to leave the bay by mid-afternoon without rushing.
05 15:30 Return leg up the coast
From June to September the N–NE afternoon breeze usually fills in. Sailing yachts and catamarans make good use of it, while motor yachts will feel a little more chop on the passage north than they did in the calm morning. Settle guests on the aft deck or in the saloon according to sea state. In October the breeze is lighter and the conditions suit a slower return with a swim stop. If you want a quieter variation on another day, the small marinas and anchorages along the Costa Maresme north of the city make a different short run.
06 18:00 Barcelona bay at dusk, berth by 21:00
For an evening charter, or a longer booking with the day and the sunset split, leave Port Olímpic at 18:00. Circle the bay as the city skyline and waterfront lights come on, then return by 21:00. Compact motor boats and catamarans are well suited to this format. Keep the loop moving rather than stopping at anchor, as the bay is an open roadstead with ferry swell. Re-entry into the port again belongs to the skipper. Dinner can be taken in the restaurants inside Port Olímpic just after you berth.