Top 10 Cruise Ports for History Buffs

It has been in coastal locations that throughout much of the history that we have built our dwellings, religious sites, and key trading ports and in the modern era, that has made it simple to explore many of these great sites on a cruise holiday.
With so many to choose from all around the world and everybody’s idea of what makes for a must visit historical site, this list should be seen as a great starting point to give you a selection of the sort of places that can be visited.
To create this list, we have taken into account the importance of the historical sites you can visit, the amount of things to see/experience at the site as well as cruise related things such as the amount of cruise ships visiting the nearest port, the itineraries on offer and the ease of visiting.
Our Top 10 Cruise Ports for History Buffs
Istanbul, Turkey
The ancient city of Istanbul was at the epicentre of many of the world’s greatest empires including the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, where it was the capital of the latter 2.
Today it is the capital of Turkey and whilst the city has now developed into a huge metropolis, its ormer glory can be seen throughout where must visit sites of interest include the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.
Formally known as Constantinople, modern day Istanbul is simply a must visit for those with an interest in history but the port is a great stopping point for cruises in the region thanks to its entrance along the narrow Bosporus, the great modern day attractions as well as the great range of ships and lines that call in there.
Rome, Italy
If you have even a passing interest in history, you will not need us to tell you about what can be found in the capital of Italy or why it is such a must visit destination but what makes the city rank so high on this list is that visitors can not only visit highlights such as the Coliseum but there is lots of modern day attractions on offer as well.
Another must visit historical attraction in the ‘Eternal City’ is Vatican City, home of the Pope and headquarters of the Catholic Church.
Safaga, Egypt
The port of Safaga in all honesty has little to offer visitors others than been somewhere to disembark or embark their ships for a day on shore in Egypt but what makes it rank so highly on this list is that the port acts as the gateway to Luxor.
Known to ancient Greeks as Thebes or to ancient Egyptians as Weset, the port has long acted as the main seaport for a number of important sites but in the modern era it is all about tourists heading across the desert to Luxor to take in a number of iconic historic monuments.
Visitors can take in ancient temples, the ‘Valley of the Kings’, the Theban Necropolis, the ‘Valley of the Queens’, sphinx’s, temples and incredible views of the famous River Nile.
For history fans, Luxor will be towards the top of every bucket list but from a cruising point of view, we have had to drop the ranking of the port due to the poor choice of ships calling in there and the limited itineraries available that offer a stop at Safaga.
Athens, Greece
Ancient Greece can lay claim to having the biggest influence of modern day life and the great news for history fans is that the city is easy to reach from the port of Piraeus and that many of the most iconic historical sites can not only be visited but can be easily seen from most parts of the modern day city.
That is because a number of must see attractions sit atop the iconic Acropolis where visitors can get up close to the Parthenon (a temple to the gods).
The bustling city has lots to offer aside from its history and from a cruising point of view, it is not just ne of the most popular ports of call in the eastern Med but it also a popular choice for cruise lines to start or finish itineraries allowing you to spend a few days ashre enjoying all that is on offer.
Cartagena, Spain
The Spanish port of Cartagena on the Mediterranean coast is a popular stopping off port of call for many cruise ships and cruise lines on trips around the Med but for the purposes of this list, the best aspect of the port is the ease of exploring the cities Roman past.
Many of the key historical sites found in the city can be visited by foot on your own with the ancient walls of the then known as Carthago Nova, its Roman Amphitheatre and the ruins of its fromer ancient Cathedral are all located centrally.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
The Croatian port of Dubrovnik one of the most popular ports of call on Adriatic cruises and over the last decade or so, it has become a popular place to start or end your cruise and add on a land based holiday.
Whilst for many the draw of Dubrovnik is its beautiful beaches and all-action resorts, for those interested in history it is the opportunity to walk around the Medieval streets of the cities walled old town that is the big draw.
The UNESCO World Heritage site gives visitors the chance to step back in town and see what it would have been like to live in the region during the 13th century.
La Goulette, Tunis, Tunisia
Many may associate a cruise of the Med with the chance to sunbath and spend the day relaxing on a beach but as can be seen elsewhere on this list, there are some of the most historic destinations in Europe just waiting to be explore.
What often gets overlooked is what is on offer on the African coastline of the Med and for us, one of the standouts on offer is the capital of Tunisia.
Know known as Tunis but perhaps better known to history buffs as Carthage which has been a major city and trading port during key era such as the Roman period and during the height of the Byzantine empire.
In the modern era, there is lots for visitors to explore and see including the opportunity to walk around the ruins of a town long lost to history including a Baths and Amphitheatre and there is also the opportunity to visit Kasbah, a 16th century fortress which was originally built by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and finished by Charles 1 of Spain.
The World Heritage Site of Carthage is just a short coach ride from the port of La Goulette from where visitors can also head into the modern day city of Tunis.
Aqaba, Jordan
The port city of Aqaba may not have much to offer visitors calling into Jordan on a cruise of the Middle East but what makes it such a popular port of call is its proximity to the iconic ancient town of Petra.
Built into the Jabal Al-Madbah mountain, the city found fame after featuring in an Indiana Jones movie but history lovers will no doubt have watched the many documentaries that have studied the city and found so much about a culture that was lost to history for 100’s of years.
Kusadasi, Turkey
The Black Sea port of Kusadasi offers a city centre cruise terminal where holidaymakers can simply exit there ship and stroll along the long promenade, take in the beautiful views and enjoy a local delicacy in the many sea front cafes but it is away from the town that the ports major draw is found.
Just a short drive from port is UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus where visitors can stroll around th remains of the fromer Ancient Greece city that nowadays offers the chance to see paved streets, squares, baths, and monuments from its past as an important part of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
Beijing, China
The port district of Tianjin is the gateway to Beijing which as you will likely expect is crammed full of history and much of it is easy to explore on a day ashore.
A number of itineraries offer an overnight stay which allow you to take in even more of the Chinese city’s history with everything from Temples to Palaces and from massive monuments to the must see Great Wall on offer.