Top 10 Cruise Destinations For Small Town Charm
By spending a few days there, you get to really see the best of what the city has to offer but even then, it is often only a small snapshot.
That is if you spend a few days there, so to spend only a few hours in a city whilst there on a cruise ship visit can really mean you miss out on so much of what is on offer.
On the other side of that, there are many small ports you can visit on a cruise ship but then you lose out on an authentic visit as your fellow cruisers outnumber locals.
That leads to the sweet spot for many been towns or small cities, where there is lots to do but you can also experience most of what is on offer but for me, it is often those types of ports that offer that but retain a small town or village feel to them that really make for the perfect day ashore.
That is just what I look at in this list, which is based on ports I have visited, destinations I have research and also on feedback I have received form CruiseHollers and from friends and family.
So, just which are the top 10 cruise ports for small town charm? Let’s take a look.
Our Top 10 Cruise Destinations For Small Town Charm
Kotor (Montenegro)
If you have never heard of Kotor, it is a gem of a port and one that is well worth you visiting.
The entry into Kotor is simply stunning and resembles a Norwegian fjord in ever regard aside from you are in the eastern Med and will be able to top up your tan whilst cruising along it.
Once you arrive, you dock in the heart of the city, right next to its ancient defensive walls and the majority of its attractions, shops, bars, cafes, squares and more are within easy reach of the cruise pier.
Even the few attractions that are further afield can often be visited by jumping on a boat from next to where you dock, so despite been one of the biggest urban settlements in the county, it remains a small town charm and an authentic experience for visitors.
Alesund (Norway)
I love Alesund, so its always easy for me to place it high in any list that relates to the Norwegian town but it’s a perfect fit for this list and deservedly takes the number 1 spot.
Is it a small town- yup, is it full of charm- yup, but there is so much more to Alesund than that.For those who have sailed around Norway, you will know that every port offers incredibly scenery and a similar feel and whilst Alesund has the former in spades and for the latter, well that is where the town stands out.
After a fire devastated the town in 1904, it was decided to not redevelop it as it once was, as so often happens, but it was decided to use the design style in fashion at the time, Art Nouveau.
The small-town centre is built across a couple of islands, around a harbour and under the overlooking Mount Asla and is just an incredible place to walk around and take in the scenic views, architecture and even nature that surrounds you.
What adds to the charm of the town, aside from the fairytale like architecture, comes from the fact that is it very much a vibrant town in its own right away from the tourist industry and you get to see what life is like on the northern edge of the fjordlands region.
Skagway (Alaska, United States)
The charm of Skagway comes from the stunning scenery that surrounds it and from the sense of history you feel all around it.
Once the gateway for stampeders arriving to find their fortunes during the Klondike Gold Rush, the Skagway has kept much of that late 19th century character but unlike other heritage destinations, it manages to still feel authentic and not staged.
You also get a real sense of community form those that live there, as you would expect from somewhere such as Alaska as when the tourists leave, the long nights roll in and the locals are left to fend for themselves.
Ketchikan (Alaska, United States)
For many, including myself when I first went to Alaska, Ketchikan is the first port of call on your itinerary and what a great place it is to start your adventure.
Easily explore on foot from the town centre dock, Ketchikan does a great job of mixing its deep cultural roots with been one of the busiest cruise ports during the North American summer.
Known as the ‘Salmon Capital of the World’ I got to walk along the boardwalks of Creek Street, a great spot in its own right, whilst watching a seal trying to catch salmon.
So, whilst a bit more touristy than others on this list, it is still an authentic place- almost charming you could say!
St Johns (Canada)
St Johns just oozes charm from its narrow entry past a cliff top fort to the quaint shopping streets and multi-coloured houses and all of that with the friendly locals you would expect form a Canadian port.
It should be said that no matter what happen whilst I was onshore, the town won me and my wife over as we were welcome off of the ship by from Newfoundland dogs but thankfully, we remained fully impressed and charmed throughout the day.
We set off for a hike along the bay and up to the top of Signal Hill where we got to get away from the tourists and were greeted by a friendly hello from every jogger, walker and hiker we met along the way.
We then spent time in the downtime area where you walk past those colourful houses, get to visit lots of local shops, cafes and bars and all in all, it just has a great buzz to it and reminds me of a Cornish village.
Tallinn (Estonia)
Tallinn may seem to be a bit of an outlier on this list as not only is it one of the largest places on this list, but it is also the capital city of Estonia.
But it is also a city of divided as much of it is a modern, sprawling city where function over anything else wins out but not too far of a walk from the cruise port is the cities Old Town.
Not only is it a UNESCO World Heritage site but it is also one of the best preserved medieval walled cities in the world making it a living, breathing and charming real-world museum.
As you walk around its cobblestone streets, past its gothic spires and down its narrow alleys, you are never quite sure what you are going to see next, which just adds to the sense of exploration and adventure.
Stanley (Falkland Islands)
This maybe a bit of British bias on my part as part of the charm for me from visiting Stanley was that it reminded me on a small coastal town in the UK.
From its red phone boxes, to the Victorian terraced houses and from the emergency vehicles to the friendly locals supping a cuppa in one of its numerous tea rooms- Stanley is just a great place to walk around.
Another part of its charm for me maybe did comes from the time I spent with penguins on a nearby farm but there really cannot be anything more small-time charm than having a cup of tea and scone finished with a diddle dee jam.
Torshavn (Faroe Islands)
Torshavn, in the Faroe Islands, is one of the remotest, smallest and friendliest capital cities in the world and all of that helps to make up its charm.
It’s the sort of place where everybody knows everybody and with over tourism not an issue, the locals are still glad to welcome their visitors for the day.
Built around a fishing and farming community, cruisers can expect an authentic feel to island life when visiting the Faroes, with its mix of Scandinavian and Viking spirit creating a unique experience for those lucky enough to visit.
Cobh (Ireland)
Cobh is the sort of port where you can see the majority of it from the top deck of your cruise ship and that is part of its charm.
This is a small hillside town with limited tourist attractions, ensuring that all experiences and interactions are genuinely authentic.
Famed nowadays for its beautiful church and colourful houses, the town is actually located on an island in Cork Harbour, which you can easily visit the bustling city of Cork if you prefer and that slight remoteness helps to give it a distinct look and feel.
History buffs may also know it by the town’s old name of Queenstown, the last calling point of the ill-fated first, and final, voyage of the Titanic.
Ushuaia (Argentina)
Ushuaia bills itself as ‘Fin del Mundo’ or ‘End of the World’ and that is for good reasons as for any visiting there on a cruise, it is the last stop before heading to Antarctica and leaving the inhabited world behind.
You arrive in the city along the Beagle Channel, where I had penguins and seals swimming around the ship as we arrive at the long cruse pier that gives you access to the downtown area.
That itself is full of charms, from the colourful buildings to the fact that the whole of Ushuaia is backed by a large mountain range, where the peaks are covered in snow all year around.
Its remoteness, history and still difficult to live in conditions allows Ushuaia to keep an authentic frontier town feel to as it remains the remotest outpost of Argentina and as they say, the End of the World as we know it!
