Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in Spain, is considered one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Europe. It is a city of contrasts combining the old with the new. It is known for its architecture, an interesting blend of Gothic and modern, character neighborhoods, vibrant pedestrian streets, markets, trendy shops and restaurants, and of course football. The city is divided into two main areas: the Old Town, which is the heart of the city where you can find everything from museums and churches to shops and cafes, and the Port Vell harbor area, known as a vibrant entertainment district with plenty of bars, pubs, cafes, shops, and also housing the Barcelona Aquarium (considered the largest in Europe) and an IMAX cinema. The port area is not usually where cruise ships dock, but it is located not far from it.
Barcelona is a city that is easy and convenient to tour on foot. In addition, it has excellent public transportation including a subway and buses.
Barcelona is also the starting point for trips to northern Spain, the Pyrenees region, Andorra, and of course the successful golden beaches of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada.

Recommended accommodation in Barcelona

Hotels:

The hotel closest to the port of Barcelona is Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel, located on one of the piers. This is a five-star hotel with spacious rooms and excellent service. Address: Moll de Barcelona s/n, 08039 Barcelona.
Also, the many hotels in the area of the vibrant tourist boulevard "La Rambla" are about a five-minute drive from the cruise pier. Recommended hotels on the Rambla are:

Le Meridien Barcelona - a modern five-star hotel in a very central location. Address: Ramblas 111, 08002 Barcelona.

Catalonia Ramblas – a modern four-star spa hotel located near the Rambla. Address: Carrer de Pelai, 28, 8001 Barcelona.

Vacation apartments in Barcelona

For a family, it is most convenient and cost-effective to stay in a fully equipped and furnished vacation apartment. There are plenty of options in Barcelona, but most require a minimum stay of at least 3 nights.
The apartment hotel chain ERIC VOKEL has three apartment hotels in convenient locations. The apartments come in various sizes, equipped with everything you can possibly think of (including an equipped kitchen, washing machine, dryer, internet, air conditioning, etc.), spacious and pleasant. The service is wonderful, booking is easy and convenient. The larger apartments are designed to accommodate six vacationers.
The accommodation prices in the chain's apartments are attractive and the big advantage: you can stay for even a single night!

Anyone arriving in Barcelona by cruise ship can take the following guided tours designed for cruise passengers, where passengers are picked up from the port and returned to the port.

Tours can be booked here from the Viator website:

Guided tours on wheels in Barcelona from Viator:

The big advantage of a cruise departing from Barcelona is the convenience and ease of getting to the port from both the airport and the city center. Travel distances and times are short, and public transportation is relatively available and cheap.
Visitors to the city for the first time are recommended to join a Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour which has stops near the city's main tourist attractions including the Gothic Quarter, the Sagrada Familia church created by Gaudi, the Olympic Village, and more. While riding, you receive explanations about the sights and landmarks you pass by. The ticket is valid for 24-48 hours.

There are also many walking tours in the city, such as: a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter (Barcelona's historical quarter), a Picasso-themed tour, a food tour, a Tapas Evening Tour, and much more.

Barcelona is also a wonderful city to tour by bicycle. A successful company that organizes guided bike tours and also rents bikes for independent riding is BornBike.

Successful Segway tours of Barcelona are run by the company Barcelona Segway Glides .

Football fans can join a tour of the stadium of the local football club, considered one of the best in the world, Barcelona FC, known by its nickname "Barça". Since this is a very popular tour, it is recommended to book places in advance!
Of course, the city offers countless Flamenco shows (with or without dinner).

Recommended food tours in Barcelona:

Port of Barcelona

The port of Barcelona is located just a few minutes' drive from the city center and its abundance of tourist attractions.
There are nine piers in the port, seven of which are used by cruise ships. The piers are divided into three main areas:
Adossat Quay Terminals - where terminals A, B, C, and D are located. Pier D is also called Palacruceros. These terminals are the furthest from the city center.
World Trade Centre Terminals - there are three piers in the World Trade Center, abbreviated as WTC: the North, South, and Eastern terminals.
MaremAGnum Port Vell – the smallest terminal, used very little by cruise ships, mainly by smaller ships.
The pier where a cruise ship docks depends on several factors: the size of the ship, weather conditions, and the number of ships in the port on a given day. You can call the Barcelona Port Authority, phone:
34-93-298-6000 and find out which pier the ship is docking at.
There is no left luggage service at the port. Anyone wishing to store their luggage before or after the cruise and tour the city can leave their belongings at the luggage storage of Sants Estacio railway station in the city center. From this station, there are direct trains to the airport.

Between the various piers and the city center, there is a shuttle service by the "Blue Bus"
Travel time from the city center to the passenger cruise piers in the port is about 10 minutes. A taxi price is about $8-10.
Walking time from the World Trade Centre (WTC) piers to La Rambla is about 10-15 minutes, but from piers A, B, C, and D the distance is over two kilometers (20-30 minutes walk) and therefore for those docking at these piers, it is better to take a taxi or shuttle.
The closest subway station to the port is Drassanes Metro located at the beginning of the famous La Rambla boulevard near the impressive Christopher Columbus monument. Already from the cruise pier, you can spot the Columbus monument which serves as a landmark from the port to the city center.

The shopping center closest to the port is Maremagnum Centre. Address: Muelle d’Espanya Street, 5, 08039 Barcelona. In addition to plenty of shops of all kinds, the center features a variety of restaurants, fast food joints, and cinemas.

View of the port of Barcelona and its various piers:

Barcelona Airport, code: BCN, is located about 20 km from the cruise port. From Israel, there are direct flights to Barcelona by El Al (daily except Saturday) as well as charter flights by several companies.
Spain's Iberia airline has direct flights daily to Madrid and from there connecting flights to Barcelona.

♦ Cultural tours: Flamenco show, architecture and famous church:

You can book guided tours and tickets for these attractions here via the Viator website: