Cabrera

Cabrera is an island 15 km south of Mallorca, the largest of the Cabrera Archipelago, and the only one you can land on. The archipelago and a broad swath of the surrounding Mediterranean are a national park and have no permanent inhabitants, though several dozen rangers, coastguards and support staff are stationed on Cabrera. It's nominally administered from Palma city but that's just because the park offices are in the capital.

Understand

Cabrera extends 5.5 km east-west and the same north-south, but it's deeply indented by coves so few points are more than 500 m from the sea. A spine of limestone hills rises to around 150 m (the highest to 172 m) ending abruptly in sea-cliffs. It has a semi-arid Mediterranean climate, with maquis vegetation and pine trees; "Cabrera" means goats but these were removed in the early 20th century.

The poor soil and lack of water made it a precarious place to live, but Cabrera was inhabited from prehistory, and several civilisations have had outposts here, watching out for their maritime opponents. The bastion above the main inlet and anchorage of Es Port was built around the 1390s, to be intermittently smashed then rebuilt. The last phase of military use was by Spain from 1916 to 1986, then the archipelago and its seas were established as a national park.

Get in

Only registered vessels may enter the park, with prior uploads of the passports of all aboard - this is a busy smuggling and human-trafficking route from North Africa.

Mar Cabrera boat trips sail from Colònia de Sant Jordi near the south tip of Mallorca. In summer they have 3 sailings a day, taking an hour to reach the island. Dive trips bring their own boats from Colònia.

1 Es Port is the only permitted landing point in the archipelago, in the sheltered inlet north side of the island. Vessels must offload then move away to avoid obstructing the jetty. Clustered here are the ranger station and visitor information point, toilets and a cantina. This is the only area in which you may smoke - cigarettes start wildfires and the butts are toxic to wildlife.

Fees and permits

The park website sets out the local rules. Visiting vessels must be registered: no fee for this, but you have to navigate several hectares of official forms.

No hunting or fishing are allowed within the archipelago, though small-scale fishing by traditional methods is practised by permit in some of the park waters beyond.

No pets, and no camping.

There are no trash bins on the island, and you must take all trash away with you.

Get around

Walk. Firm trails for ranger vehicles fan out from Es Port, and to prevent erosion you must stay on these.

You need a boat to reach Blue Cave and the dive sites, there's no shore access along the precipitous coast.

See and do

• Castell de Cabrera stands 200 m north of Es Port, reached by a steep path or a 1-km broader trail. It was first documented in 1410 and was probably built in the 1390s as a lookout against Berber pirates. It's been smashed up and rebuilt over a dozen times and the present hexagonal bastion is from around 1700. No charge to enter.
• 2 Sa Platgeta is a sandy beach 500 m south of Es Port. Several ugly modern buildings stand here, along with the foundation stones of a 6th-7th century Byzantine monastery. Pope Gregory castigated the monks as a licentious lot, but he obviously hadn't heard of Magaluf.
• 3 Museu de Cabrera is a small free exhibition of island wildlife and history. Hours erratic, but it's supposedly open daily 11:30-14:00 whenever boat trips are expected.

Castell de Cabrera

• 4 Cap de Llebeig at the northwest tip and Cala Galiota the bay 500 m south are the principal areas for scuba diving. Cliffs tumble to the sea and continue underwater as a wall, where groupers, barracuda and tuna chase shoals of small fry.
• 5 Na Picamosques at 172 m is the highest point on Cabrera.
• 6 Far de n'Ensiola is a lighthouse, first lit in 1870 and automated in 1971, emitting three white flashes every ten seconds.
• 7 Cueva Azul or Blue Cave is a low sea cavern, flooded at sunset by blue light filtering through the water. Only a dingy or small rib can squeeze in. In calm conditions larger boats may drop off visitors to swim in, but waves create a risk of bashing heads against the low roof.
• 8 Ses Bledes is a 100-m-long islet and dive site just off the east coast of Cabrera.
• 9 Conills or Conejera is the second largest island of the archipelago, 1.5 km north-south by 1 km east-west. The name means "rabbits". There's a scuba-diving site at its south tip and another mid-channel between it and Cabrera.
• Na Redona is the circular islet further east in that channel, about 500 m in diameter.
• 10 Far de na Foradada is a lighthouse on the northernmost crag of the archipelago.
• A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20:31 and lasting 90 seconds. The chances of a clear sky are 75%, but you need an unobstructed view to the northwest horizon, as the sun will be setting over the sea. A few minutes later, sunset ends the show.

Buy

The information point has a few postcards and souvenirs.

No ATM on the island.

Eat and drink

The cantina at Es Port has snacks and drinks, including beer. It only has a small stock so large parties should bring their own, including drinking water. It's open daily 09:00-21:30.

Sleep

Blue Cave has a low roof

No camping or other lodging on the island. Registered vessels may anchor overnight at Es Port.

Stay safe

Tumbles on the rocks and safety at sea are the main considerations.

Connect

As of Sep 2024, Cabrera has a patchy 4G signal from all Spanish carriers, but 5G has not reached the island.

Go next

Unless you brought your own boat, you have to return to Colònia on Mallorca. The aquarium there displays the park's marine life.