Barcelona Spain from a Cruise Ship: 11 Shore Excursions
What to do when visiting Barcelona, Spain from a Cruise Ship?
Typically, when cruising in Spain, most cruise itineraries start or end, or both in Barcelona. If this is the case, consider staying at least a couple of days before or after the cruise to fully enjoy all that Barcelona has to offer.
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and a major Mediterranean cruise port located in the northeast region of Spain. This cruise port is one of the busiest and most visited in Europe.
Barcelona has awesome food, sandy wide beaches, historic buildings, and great weather (mild climate throughout the year). We can’t forget the famous artists and architects.
Planning Your Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources
We recommend:
👉 Tour Company – Viator and GetYourGuide
🛳️ Cruise Company – Expedia
👉 Book Accommodations – booking.com or Vrbo
🚗 Rental Car – DiscoverCars.com
👉 Travel Insurance – Insubuy
🛬 Flights – Kayak.com and WayAway
📱 eSIM – GigSky (great for cruises and on land)
What is Barcelona known for?
One of the top things Barcelona is known for is its outstanding soccer team, FC Barcelona. Soccer is known as football in Spain and many regions of the world. Team FC Barcelona has the largest soccer stadium in Europe, Camp Nou, which holds over 100,000 fans.
After soccer, Barcelona is known for its stunning architecture and is the only recipient of the Royal Gold Medal for architecture awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Also is known for sandy beaches, fabulous food (over 20 Michelin-starred Restaurants), and 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Is Barcelona worth visiting?
Yes, Barcelona is one of the top travel destinations in the world. Food, architecture, soccer (football), nightlife, beaches, and the overall culture are the major draws.
Where do cruise ships dock in Barcelona?
Barcelona has 2 cruise ports. The larger cruise port Moll Adossat Quay has 4 terminals (Terminals A, B, C, and D) where the big cruise ships dock. The World Trade Center (WTC) port has 3 terminals (South, North, and East) where the smaller cruise ships dock.
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Can I walk to the city center from the cruise port?
The time to walk from Moll Adossat will depend on the terminal. From Terminal A it is a 25-minute walk, and from Terminal D, a 45-minute walk to La Rambla with no shade from the sun. The WTC is about a half-mile or 10-15 minute walk from Paca Colon to the start of La Rambla.
The good news is that there are cruise shuttle buses that run between the cruise terminal and the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla. The fee is minimal.
How far is the port from the beach?
The nearest beach is about 3 miles or 10-15 minutes by car. If you walk, it will take about an hour.
11 Things to do when visiting Barcelona, Spain from a Cruise Ship
Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia is spectacular. It’s well worth a visit. The world’s largest unfinished church (The Church of the Sacred Family), was designed by Catalonia’s famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Construction has been going on, since 1882 or 1883, and is expected to be finished in 2026 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death.
Tip: Book tickets in advance because this is a very popular tourist attraction (tickets available starting 3 months out). Also, be sure to go up into one of the towers. We visited the Passon one and really enjoyed it. Sagrada Familia Tours
Barceloneta Beach
Barceloneta Beach (also known as San Sebastian) is over 2.5 miles of beach within the city limits. You can play volleyball or ping pong and get a tan. This area features several bars on the beach and at night becomes a popular party spot with live music. You can rent chairs and umbrellas. Other facilities at the beach include showers, water sports, wif-fi spots, and cafes.
The beach is located about 1.5 miles or a 30-minute walk from the cruise terminals.
La Rambla
La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona, also known as Las Ramblas. It is a 1-mile pedestrian boulevard from Placa Catalunya to Port Vell at the statue of Christopher Columbus. La Rambla goes through the heart of the city center and is tourist-packed with shops, restaurants, souvenir vendors, street performers, and other attractions.
Placa de Catalunya
Placa de Catalunya, known as Catalonia Square, is a favorite meeting place for tourists and locals. Located on the northern end of La Rambla, it separates the old town from the Eixample district.
Placa de Catalunya is the heart of Barcelona and is considered the city center. At over 500,000 square feet, it has room for several statues, fountains, sculptures, and art. The square is surrounded by hotels, restaurants, shops, and bars.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya – MNAC
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (NMAC) is Catalonia’s only National Art Museum. It houses art from the 12th -20th centuries and has the biggest collection of painting on wood in Europe. The modern art floor has sculptures, posters, paintings, photography, video pieces, and decorative art pieces.
Climb the steps for a fantastic city view.
Magic Fountain of Montjuic
Font Magica is known as the Magic Fountain of Montjuic and features a display of color, motion, light, music, and water. Built for the World Fair or International Expo in 1929, it can produce 7 billion light and water combinations. You can find it in Plaza Carles Buigas at the end of Avenida Reina Maria Cristina.
Show Times vary throughout the year. You can visit for free. The show lasts about 20 minutes and the best place to see it is the steps leading up to the MNAC museum or the pedestrian bridge on the Plaza de Espana side.
Barcelona Cathedral
The Barcelona Cathedral is a Gothic church that started in 1298 and was completed in 1913. It occupies a large square, the Placita de la Seu. You will find orange trees, magnolias, and resident swans here. Also, enjoy the panoramic view by taking an elevator to the roof.
The square is surrounded by shops, hotels, and restaurants.
Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum displays over 4,000 artworks, including sketches created as a young student to landscapes. This museum is Barcelona’s most visited art collection and is located on Montcada Street. It opened in 1963 and occupies five medieval palaces, providing a great setting for Picasso’s artwork.
Casa Mila
Casa Mila, built between 1906 and 1912, known as La Pedrera, is one of Antoni Gaudí’s designs. It started as apartments and is now a cultural center with art exhibits and scheduled performances. Also included is a Gaudí interpretation center, which is the only one in the city.
Located on Passeig de Gracia, Cas Mila is atypical for Gaudí as it is colorless. It earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. The roof includes views of Barcelona and the chimneys and ventilation towers, which are artworks themselves.
Casa Mila is located close to another Gaudí-designed building, Casa Batllo.
Casa Batllo
Also on Passeig de Gracia is Casa Batllo, one of Antoni Gaudi’s one-of-a-kind architectural creations. This design draws inspiration from the vibrant shapes and colors of marine life. Locally known as Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) and Casa del Drac (House of the Dragon) based on its design.
Casa Batllo is a World Heritage Site and has a museum. The majority of rooms are currently for company offices and event spaces.
Montserrat
The Montserrat mountain is a natural park and spiritual place in Catalonia. Located only 30 miles from Barcelona makes Montserrat a great day trip.
Plenty to see and do from the Cable Car to get to the Mountain’s Peak, the Black Virgin in the Basilica of Montserrat, the Benedictine Abby, art museums, the 10th Century Castle, and ride the Funiculars of Santa Cova and of Sant Joan
Montserrat is one of the must-do tours from Barcelona. Montserrat tour from Barcelona
Cruise Ship Shore Excursions
Most ships offer shore excursions you can book on board. Click on the cruise line below to see the excursions currently offered.
Transportation in Barcelona
Barcelona is a totally walkable city center, especially around the La Rambla area. If you want to see other areas besides the city center, there are plenty of taxis, a metro, and 2 different hop-on hop-off bus services. Both of the hop-on hop-off companies have similar routes and stops.
Traveling in Barcelona, Spain from a cruise ship, use the cruise bus shuttles at the cruise terminal.
The Wrap-Up: Barcelona, Spain from a Cruise Ship
Visiting Barcelona from a Cruise Ship provides you with many unique opportunities. From visiting large cathedrals, hanging out at the beach, or enjoying the many fabulous restaurants. This city will delight you at every turn.
So whether you take a shore excursion from the ship or set out on your own, you are sure to make memories that will last you a lifetime.
