Saturday, April 13, 2024

Top 10 Mediterranean Cruise Ports That Are Must-Visits

mediterranean cruise stops

Visitors to this popular Italian port can take a free shuttle to Civitavecchia town center to explore Michaelangelo Fortress. As one of the major ports in the Mediterranean, the Port of Barcelona is a popular stop for cruise passengers. If you’re looking for a hotel fairly close to the cruise terminal, we recommend Hotel Arts Barcelona. The famous Italian city with its romantic canals, dreamy gondola rides and beautiful architecture makes every traveller that visits it fall in love.

Cruises

Shore excursions from Palma de Mallorca include city sightseeing, trips around island’s the beautiful coastline, Soller and the mountains and stone villages of the Serra de Tramuntana, and the Caves of Drach. Palma is vibrant and entertaining destination with tapas and wine bars tucked away down atmospheric backstreets. There’s a promenade which runs right around the Bay of Palma and encompasses several beaches and marina. Don’t miss the gothic Le Seu cathedral and contemporary art at Es Baulard. Small ships can dock in Nice itself, but it’s also a common shore excursion from other ports of call along the French Riviera. La Spezia is not a well-known city in Italy but it’s one of the main docking ports for visiting the iconic villages of the Cinque Terre.

Best Mediterranean Cruises

Cruise ships sailing the Mediterranean often use Lisbon as an embarkation or disembarkation port. Other ships port in Lisbon when cruising from the Mediterranean to northern Europe. Monte Carlo, the capital city of the very small country of Monaco, is one of the richest cities in the world. Dubrovnik has gained a lot of lovers over the last few decades, mainly thanks to the spectacular seafront location and the evocative old town. Dubrovnik is ultra-artsy and home to galleries and artists as well as a filming location for numerous shows and movies, including Game of Thrones. The nearby San Giovanni Fortress pretty much begs you to climb to the top.

Mykonos, Greece

If you’re traveling to the Mediterranean from the United States, your airfare could likely be more expensive than the cruise per person. Still, budget-conscious vacationers will appreciate the overall affordability of booking a cruise with MSC. Choosing a round-trip itinerary from Civitavecchia (near Rome) means you can use the money you save on the cruise to spend a few days sightseeing in one of the most impressive capital cities in Europe.

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Itineraries for the Eastern Mediterranean include Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and also Italy again. The boot-shaped country’s central location in the region makes it convenient for trips to either side. Cruises visiting the Holy Land often combine Eastern Mediterranean ports with those in Israel and Egypt. There are also trips that focus specifically on the many islands in Greece.

These sun-kissed Mediterranean islands have long been a favorite of northern Europeans; however, cruise ship passengers also enjoy visiting them. Almost all cruise ships sailing the Mediterranean have an itinerary that includes Spain. Other cruise ship favorites in Spain include Malaga, the port nearest Granada, and Cadiz, the port nearest Seville and Jerez. Cruise ships that have “Rome” on the itinerary actually port at Civitavecchia, a deep-water port about 50 miles west of Rome. Visitors then have to travel into the city by bus or car, making this one of the shorter ports of call on a Mediterranean cruise.

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Getting to Mykonos Town (also known as Chora) from the port is a straightforward process. You can take a taxi, bus, or ferry for just a few dollars and be in the town center in just a few minutes. Montenegro’s Port of Kotor is one of the most dramatic destinations in the Mediterranean.

If you fancy visiting somewhere a bit different, the Albanian resort city Sarande (or Saranda) might do the trick. This friendly city is located directly opposite Corfu and is the most established tourist destination in the country. Long visited by daytrippers from Greece, it’s now increasingly offered as a tender port by cruise ships. Popular shore excursions from Dubrovnik include city and GoT tours, food and wine tours of the Peljesac Peninsula, coastal tours, sea kayaking, and day cruises to the unspoilt Elafiti islands.

Well, my top pick, Mediterranean cruise port of call was Barcelona, Spain. The colorful sites on Las Rambles, the breathtaking architecture and the cafes where I shared the most delicious tapas with my husband will always be a very nice memory. Kusadasi, in Turkey, is a top destination for exploring the famous ancient city of Ephesus. This site, which is a UNESCO World Heritage, contains some of the most impressive Roman remains in existence. Highlights here are the Library of Celsus, the Terrace Houses, and the Great Theatre. Straddling two continents, Istanbul provides a unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures.

mediterranean cruise stops

With cruise dates from April into October 2024, you’ll easily be able to select a shoulder season date and avoid the summer rush. From destination-intensive 7-night cruises to 12-night explorations across this historic region, Celebrity has the best Mediterranean cruise for you. With nine luxurious ships to choose from, including four of our ground-breaking Edge-Series ships, you’ll find the perfect setting as your luxurious home away from home in the heart of Europe. Cruise to Greece's idyllic islands and watch the sunrise over the Aegean. Explore the Old Town of Corfu or Crete, or travel even further back in time to see the ancient Acropolis of Athens or the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina.

mediterranean cruise stops

From La Goulette you can take a shore excursion to the ancient ruins at Carthage and the beautiful white and blue village of Sidi Bou Said (pictured above), both a short distance to the north of the port. But Genoa itself is an underrated destination with a wealth of treasures dating from its time as a naval superpower, including opulent palaces, art galleries, and the beautiful statues at the Staglieno cemetery. Genoa has one of Europe’s largest old town areas chock full of colourful buildings and narrow alleyways. The Spanish port city of Cartagena is often overlooked as a tourist destination despite a wealth of historical treasures – best of all its Roman theatre which overlooks the harbour. It’s in the Marche region, a pretty but lesser-visited part of Italy – perfect for getting off the beaten track. The most popular shore excursion from Almeria is to the beautiful inland city of Granada and its incredible Moorish palace complex, the Alhambra (pictured above) .

These lines offer a variety of itinerary choices, so you can find the Mediterranean ports you most want to visit. You'll also find lots of restaurant choices and evening entertainment options to keep you occupied at night when the ship is sailing. You can find a variety of weeklong Mediterranean cruises, but if you've got the time, nine- to 14-night sailings are not uncommon. Seven-night cruises are best if you're short on time or want to tack on a few days in Barcelona, Rome or Athens before or after your cruise.

You may know Viking from its European river cruises, but it has specific ships for ocean cruises that’ll knock your socks off. Its Empires of the Mediterranean itinerary takes you to nine destinations through five countries—Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece—for a full immersion in the best of the Adriatic and Aegean seas. Finally, some Eastern Mediterranean Holy Land cruises spend time in Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. Beyond that, crowds will be heavy in the ports of call during the high season. Plus, you may have a tough time getting into restaurants or major attractions if you didn’t book ahead.

Shorter cruises often stay in one region, like Barcelona and the Spanish islands, rather than trying to also visit Rome or Naples. Here are some of the best Mediterranean cruise stops with some of my favorite things to do in each. A cruise of the Mediterranean gives travelers access to some of the most popular cities in Europe, combined with the ease and comfort of cruising. Western Mediterranean trips typically call at ports in Spain, France and Italy.

The Port of Civitavecchia is the gateway to Rome, and a popular cruise destination. Located just an hour’s drive from Rome, this bustling port is also a good starting point for excursions to Tuscany and the Frascati wine region. Spend three perfect days sailing from Haifa, Israel to Limassol, Cyprus, and back again. The quick cruise is the perfect way to get on the water if you just want to spend a weekend at sea on an otherwise land-bound trip. Check out a few shore excursions, or go it alone, knowing you have the perfect place to call home, even for a few days, each night.

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