What is the #1 cruise port in the Mediterranean?
Planning a Mediterranean cruise? Learn about the #1 cruise port in the Mediterranean and the best Mediterranean cruises to visit iconic locations & hidden wonders.
Planning a Mediterranean cruise? Learn about the #1 cruise port in the Mediterranean and the best Mediterranean cruises to visit iconic locations & hidden wonders.
Explore Your Dream Mediterranean Cruise
The Mediterranean region is a dream destination for cruising enthusiasts all around the world. The beautiful and diverse landscape, as well as the fun and unique activities, all make this region one of the most sought-after regions. The cruising ports are highlights of the whole trip as they become the traveler’s main point of contact to experience the culture. Finding the best Mediterranean ports and the best Mediterranean cruises can be a bit of a hassle when planning your next cruising adventure. To remove this step from your planning, we’ve come up with some of the best ports in the Mediterranean region. This also includes the names of some of the best Mediterranean cruises you can travel from.
At the top of this list, Barcelona is rated as the #1 cruise port in the Mediterranean region. Also known as the ‘cruising capital,’ Barcelona holds the rightful spot for being the most popular cruising port in the place. This cruising port is situated only 3 kilometers away from the main town area, where you can travel by train, taxi, bus, or even through a brisk walk.
Barcelona has a rich and diverse heritage, and one of the best ways to experience it is to blend into local life or visit renowned spots around the place. Some notable spots to optimize your experience are Sagrada Familia, the Park Güell, and lively Las Ramblas Street. Brazilian cuisine is amazing, and immersing yourself in the local culture by going to street vendors is a great way to enhance your experience!
After Barcelona, there are a couple of other cruising ports in the Mediterranean region that can be considered just as popular and sought after. We've curated a list for you to help you find out more about some of these Mediterranean cruising ports and enhance your cruising experience:
Number two on this list of some of the best cruising ports in the Mediterranean region, Civitavecchia gets the most yearly footfall (2,712,000) after Barcelona. Situated around 80 kilometers away and northwest of the capital city of Rome, Civitavecchia port is another popular and great cruising port. It receives quite a lot of footfall and also features some of the best Mediterranean cruises. Here, you can go and explore ancient ruins and historic tombs that are situated all around the city. The most notable mentions that must be visited are the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and St. Peter’s Basilica. To reach the city, you can take a train ride that lasts mainly around 60 minutes to 90 minutes only!
Piraeus is the perfect port for passengers traveling to Athens. Even reaching the city area is quite easy and cheap on the pocket, as it is only 10 kilometers away from the main city area and can be reached through a 20-minute metro train ride. Explore rich Greek history by exploring the Acropolis and Parthenon in this port city. Wish to experience authentic Greek cuisine? Fear not because here you’ll find all the famous and well-known Greek dishes such as moussaka, souvlaki, and baklava, and so much more! Piraeus sees a general footfall of 1056 people, which makes it the better option if you wish to have the ‘road less traveled’ experience.
The town area is situated only 5 minutes away from the port area, meaning you can save up on spending extra on transportation. This is another unique addition to this list, and while not as popular, Kotor has a lot to offer to all passengers. One of the most sought-after places to visit here is the Old Town. It has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO and is a great way to experience the ancient history of the place. Some other notable mentions that you can find are Kotor Cathedral and the San Giovanni Fortress, both of which are bound to take your breath away. Both sites are well known to offer a scenic and aesthetic view of the whole town and port, making it a unique yet fun addition to your list of places to visit. As for the cuisine, local Montenegrin food is the delicacy, with fish and seafood being the main focus in almost all restaurants.
The last but not the only addition to this list is Dubrovnik. This port is quite close to the Old Town, with only a short 3-kilometer distance travel. You won’t even have to worry about transportation much as various local buses travel to and fro from the port to the city. If you plan to visit this cruise port, do not forget to visit the main attractions in this city, the Rector’s Palace, as well as the Dubrovnik Cathedral, which showcase the place's culture as well as show how well preserved some of the old buildings here are. The food choices are diverse, though if you wish to experience authentic Croatian food, you can opt to have some of the traditional dishes such as Peak and rožata.
Now that it's clear which ports in the Mediterranean region take the top spot, the next step to planning the perfect vacation is choosing the perfect cruise line. Picking a cruise line that best suits your needs depends on many factors, though to reduce some of your research time, we’ve curated a list of some of the best Mediterranean cruises you can find.
Of course, the list does not end here, but to mention a few, these cruise lines offer the most top-rated services and some of the best Mediterranean cruises in the industry.
Related: What Is the Cost of a Mediterranean Cruise?
Cruising the Mediterranean region and visiting all of the top-rated ports on your next cruise trip is an achievable dream for all cruising enthusiasts. Barcelona is proven to be the number #1 port in the Mediterranean region that receives all of the best Mediterranean cruises as well. You can pick the perfect cruise for you and your loved ones by researching their itineraries and ensuring that the ship lands at one of these well-known cruising ports. Looking to book your next Mediterranean cruise? Fear not, and choose CruiseBooking.com to get your hands on the best possible offers and options!
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