Catalonia Cruise Ports
Back then, the Principality of Catalonia was one of the leading powerhouses which led to its culture spreading across borders and seas.
The Catalan culture is still strong and is perhaps best seen in sport with the Barcelona football team leading Catalan culture on the Spanish side and the Catalan Dragons Rugby League club leading Catalan culture on the French side.
Depending on which parts of Catalonia you visit, the Catalan language will be the dominant one and whilst plenty of the region is inland and even mountainous, the great news for fans of cruising is that lots of Catalonia can be reached onboard a cruise ship and that is just what I look at in this guide which is based on my experience of visiting many parts of region both on land and sea holidays.
Cruises To Catalonia
Cruise Holidays in Catalonia
If you want take a cruise holiday exploring the best of what the Catalan region has to offer, the great news is that not only can you, bit the region is one of the most popular in Europe with the majority of cruise lines operating in the region offering the chance to visit Catalonia.
Catalan Cruise Guide
In this guide, we take you through all of the major and minor cruise ports that you can visit in the region.
Turnaround Ports
As a popular holiday location with a number of great cities and beach resorts that attract people from across the world, it is no surprise that many want to start or end their cruise holidays in the region.
That allows you to spend more time exploring Catalonia before or after the cruise part of your holiday and best of all, these locations of turnaround ports in Catalonia have international airports with plenty of links to the UK, Europe and even long-haul flights.
Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia region and is not only one of the regions biggest cities, but it is one of Europe’s biggest cities.
From a cruising point of view, the port of Barcelona is one of the most popular in the world for both cruise lines and cruisers as not only does it offer one of the widest ranges of ships and lines, but it makes for a great city to spend time in before or after your cruise.
Valencia is a city that mixes the new with the old and with a very walkable old town, it makes for fun day ashore but whilst it is a city with a strong Catalan past, it isn’t as strong in the present day.
As one of the largest cities in Catalonia, Valencia has plenty to offer and can make for a change from the norm in the region and that makes it a great choice for those travelling as a family.
The island of Mallorca maybe best known as a family beach holiday, and certain parts of it as a party island, but there is much more to it than that including the historic city of Palma de Mallorca where its cruise port is found.
The city is dominated by its iconic Cathedral, which you can see from your ship but if you simply want a day at the beach, buses to the nearby resort of Palma Nova go from just outside the port gate.
Popular Ports
The region is also home to many incredible ports of call that offer plenty to see and do whilst on shore and perhaps best of all, there is a decent range of cruise lines and itineraries that visit there ports.
Tarragona is another port perhaps best known as a holiday resort and one of the most popular locations on Catalonia’s Costa Daurada.
The Golden Coast certainly lives up to its name, with sandy beaches and lots of sun, but Tarragona itself is a bustling historic town with some interesting sights to see and lots of traditional bars and restaurants to enjoy the best of Catalan cuisine in.
The small, historic town of Castellon is the capital of the Castellon region, on the Costa del Azahar is known for its interesting architecture and for sitting on the Prime Meridian.
Located in the Valencian community, the city blends its long history and differing cultures for a unique experience in the modern day.
Palamos is a small coastal town on the Costa Brava that is mostly visited by smaller, more luxurious cruse ships given their passengers access to the nearby city of Girona.
Roses is a small, boutique style cruise port that attracts smaller cruise ships looking to give their guests the chance to explore the Pyrenees, as the port sits only 30kms from the French border.
If the island of Ibiza only conjures up images of huge night clubs, hedonism, and worse, a stop in its capital city of Ibiza Town will doon change that.
Its large harbour is a hub of activity on the water and offer plenty to explore around it including a hilltop fortress, historic streets, a bustling shopping precinct and a yacht filled marina.
Mahon is the capital of Menorca, which is one of the Balearic Islands leading holiday resorts but just like its Balearic neighbour Ibiza Town, the capital of Menorca offers a much different experience than most of the rest of the island it sits on.
Away from the beaches and large hotel complexes, Mahan is a compact and historic city that offers a much more authentic experience for those calling in there on a cruise ship.
Catalonia Cruise Destinations
There are three main areas of Catalonia when it comes to cruise holidays, the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the southwest of France and the Balearic Islands.
The Balearic Islands are found just off the coast of Barcelona, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and whilst they are rightly known for offering year around warm weather to enjoy its beaches and holiday resorts, each of the islands offer more than that.
The city of Palma, on the island of Mallorca, is one of busiest cruise ports in Spain whilst Ibiza Town and Mahon, on Menorca, are popular cruise ports of call for itineraries taking in the bet of the Western Med.
My Visit
I was fortunate enough to visit the region onboard a cruise in 2023, when onboard the Norwegian Prima, I sailed between Southampton and Barcelona.
After visiting France, the north coast of Spain and Portugal, we entered the Mediterranean and after a couple of stop in Andalucía, we started our visit to Catalan ports in Ibiza Town, before sailing to the island of Mallorca and a visit to Palma.
We then crossed the Med to the Spanish mainland and stopped off in Valencia before ending in the Catalan capital of Barcelona.
I enjoyed each port and gained a whole new understanding of Ibiza, which is somewhere I had always overlooked and all but written off as a party island.
My visit was in the cooler climate of October but it was still hot and dry most days and pleasant for walking around.
Popular Cruise Lines
The majority of cruise lines that operate in Europe offer the opportunity to visit Catalonia with the likes of MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Marella Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Costa Cruises and Explora Cruises offering the widest range of itineraries.
Catalonia
Location: Northeast Spain, Balearic Islands, Andorra and Southwest France.
Capital City: Barcelona
Provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Pyrenees-Orientales
Currency: Euro
Language: Catalan
Demonym(s): Catalan or Catalonian
Top Ports: Barcelona, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca
The Catalan region is one full of history, going back to the days when it had a dynastic union with the Kingdom of Aragon that allowed it to flourish and to expand its borders to include the strategically important Balearic Islands.
That didn’t last too long and during the days of the unified Spanish states and especially during the Franco years, their were strict laws to try and eradicate the Catalan culture and language but as is always the case, that just made it stronger and now it is a distinct culture that is enshrined in law.
Best Time To Visit Catalonia
The region can be reached all year around onboard a cruise ship but during religious festivals and the summer holidays it can get incredibly crowded and not much fun for exploring.
With that in mind, I would recommend visiting Catalonia Between April to early July (aside from School holidays and easter) or in September to early October.
Catalonia Cruises From The UK
If you want to visit the region directly from the UK, not only can you, but these shores have one of the widest ranges of cruises visiting there over.
That includes a wide range of itineraries, lines, ships and even cruise ports you can depart from.
Catalan Cruises From Southampton
The port of Southampton offers the widest ranges of options for those wanting to cruise to Catalonia from the UK.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.
