More than one million passengers a year take cruises from Barcelona. The city has great food, shopping, nightlife, architecture and art galleries to enjoy either before or after your cruise. The monastery at Montserrat has a spectacular mountain setting; take a train there from Barcelona. Plan to spend time in the city before or after your Barcelona cruise.
The Port of Barcelona has seven cruise ship terminals and several quays. It is very well-connected with the city's airport (by bus, train or taxi), train stations and subway system. In addition to such practical offerings, the port is also walking distance from the historic city center and the scenic Ramblas.
The Barcelona Port Authority is co-founder and member of the association Medcruise, which promotes Mediterranean ports as tourist destinations. The port's great facilities make it an appealing and hassle-free destination, both as a port of call and point of departure.
There's much to delight and amuse in Barcelona and cruise lines offer excursions to satisfy many tastes. All cruise lines operate a half-day, city highlights tour, which is perhaps the best option for first-time visitors.
During the cruise season - from March to October - the Barcelona port is a hub of activity. All of the bigger cruise lines make Barcelona their port of call and an ever increasing number choose the Catalan capital as their point of departure, including prestigious international companies like Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Windstar Cruises, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, MSC Italian Cruises, Holland America Line, Crystal Cruises and Island Cruises.
A cruise is a wonderful way to discover the Mediterranean and some of its most celebrated destinations. The most popular Mediterranean cruises, usually five to fourteen days in length, call on famous ports like Rome, Venice or Marseille, visit islands like Capri, Rhodes, Santorini or Lesbos, or go as far east as Dubrovnik, Tunis or Istanbul. Upscale shopping in Saint Tropez or Cannes, a game of chance in Monte Carlo, historical landmarks in Palma de Mallorca, Valletta, Naples/Pompeii or Athens, tours of the Adriatic or Ionian Seas - a cruise is the most comfortable way to get lost in the charms of this wonderful region.
by Danny M Smith
