Sailing a Yacht at Sunset in Barcelona

The first time I sailed a yacht, I had not planned to. Barcelona was a short trip, and because I would rather do a few things slowly than tick off a list, I had been reading for weeks: blogs, Twitter, articles, anything that might suggest how to spend an evening. Somewhere in that reading I found the Twitter account of a company offering sailing experiences, and the sunset option lodged in my head.

There were other choices: sunrise sailing, half days, full days, and now a harbour sailing experience too. But an evening on the water, after a day of walking, seemed the best way to see the coastline and rest at the same time.

An experience rather than a tour

What I understood once on board is why the company calls these experiences and never tours. They do not wait for a group to reach a certain size before confirming a booking. The point is to make the outing special for whoever turns up, and they are keen to adapt it to what you want. People have booked surprises and dinners for their partners, or an outing with friends; I simply turned up and, without any planning at all, sailed a yacht for the first time in my life, having not driven a car in years.

No safety rules were broken. Vicky, the professional skipper, was excellent company and generous with stories from her sailing life. She showed me how the boat is sailed and kept under control, and when I tried one of the steering wheels she kept her hands on the second.

Leaving from Port Vell

Many sailing tours leave from Port Olímpic. Bombon 3, the yacht I was on, sails from Port Vell, close to the Museum of Catalan History, which gives you a different view of the city. There is a bedroom below and a comfortable seating area indoors, useful if you are resting during a half or full day on the water.

Music, drinks and the shoreline

I was surprised to be asked what music we wanted and what we would like to drink. We chose Spanish music, and Fabio and Vicky pointed out the buildings, monuments and hills as we passed, naming what we were looking at.

The fog that spoiled the moon

Fabio and Vicky had another idea to make the evening memorable: because it was a full moon night, they suggested starting a little later so we could have the sunset and then the moon. An unusual fog settled in and the plan dissolved. Still, the thought counted. It was also colder than I expected, and a jacket was essential even in May.

After more than two and a half hours we were back at Port Vell, saying goodbye to Bombon and the team.

If you want to do it

• Book the sunset sailing if you only have one evening; the light is the point.
• Take a jacket, even in May.
• The yacht leaves from Port Vell, near the Museum of Catalan History.
• Ask for the music and drinks you want; they will arrange it.

I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone visiting Barcelona who wants to see the city from a different angle. Details are at sailingexperiencebcn.com; you can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. All opinions are my own.

For somewhere to sleep, see this guide to where to stay in Barcelona.