Category: Port of Call

As with many stops on a cruise itinerary, what you really want to see is further inland than the port where you dock.  The port of Malaga is a prime example.  Despite beautiful beaches, a rich museum of modern art (Picasso was born in Malaga and Van Gogh was on exhibit as well), Arab Baths…

Cartagena is a great port to have as part of any Mediterranean itinerary.  It is an easy walk off from the ship into a town which offers clean pedestrian streets with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants. There are a variety of fascinating sites including Roman ruins, Banyan trees and a medieval castle which sits…

As happens for many inland cities, the ship actually docks in a different port.  Oft times these ports are dirty, gritty industrial ports that serve many masters, only one of which is the cruise industry.  For our stop in Edinburgh the ship docked in the port of Leith.  It is prettier and cleaner than most…

The sail in to Istanbul is one of the most beautiful in my memory.  The harbour was a juxtaposition of modern and ancient with traditional fishing vessels vying for space next to speeding seadoos.  The shoreline was dotted with soaring minarets that grew larger as we approached revealing the mosque underneath.  It was simultaneously alive…

What was once a part of the Russian Empire in the 19th century has become the thriving Finnish capital, and a great place to spend a day.  Despite its location in the Baltic Sea Helsinki has very little medieval history.  Finland was industrialized in the mid-1800’s and Helsinki beautifully displays that centuries meticulous urban design…

Formed around the collapsed crater of a volcano, Santorini is one of the most beautiful Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.  Bright blue Mediterranean waters, whitewashed walls and azure domed roofs make this the most colourful and oft photographed of all the islands. Fira, the main city, sits atop a dramatic cliff making this a…

I read somewhere that the Orkney Islands were the Holy Grail for travellers to Scotland.  They are located in the far north and not easily reached by most common modes of transportation.  We were lucky to have the city of Kirkwall as a port of call on a British Isles cruise, giving us the opportunity…

Many Northern European cruises include a stop in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.  We were lucky to have it as an overnight, a great opportunity to spend time in this exciting city and explore its often tragic past. One thing I would recommend before you go is to learn a little bit about the…

Whether you have been to Athens before, or this is your first trip, you can see the best of this ancient city in one day.  Before you arrive I would recommend you bone up on your Greek mythology and the rich and extensive history of Greece.  Even though we have all seen pictures of the…