Mediterranean cruise port trips

Naples greets ships at Stazione Marittima, just steps from the old center, with Pompeii, Vesuvius, and the Amalfi Coast nearby. It continues a centuries-old tradition as a major cruise and shipping port and is located in Campania, in southern Italy.

• If your trip starts or ends here, Naples Airport is 4 mi (7 km) away
• 2 hours: Castel Nuovo, Galleria Umberto I and pizza in the old town
• Half day: Pompeii’s ruins– only about 40 minutes away by car
• Full day: Wind down the Amalfi Coast to see Ravello and Sorrento

Split's cruise port sits beside Diocletian's Palace, a Roman emperor's retirement home turned lively old town. It’s just a 5-minute walk to most major sites in Split, making it an easy choice for very short ports of call.

• If your trip starts or ends here, Split Airport is 15 mi (24 km) away
• Region: Dalmatia, on Croatia's famous Adriatic coast
• Half day: Climb Marjan Hill, the large park on the sea with nice views
• Full day: Krka National Park for the hiking trails and waterfalls

Dubrovnik's walled old town, a UNESCO site on the Adriatic, is a short ride from the Gruž cruise terminal. This city has been a major economic and cultural powerhouse in southern Dalmatia for thousands of years, and is known for its massive limestone defensive walls.

• Port: Gruž is 2 mi (3 km) from the old town
• If you start or end here, Dubrovnik Airport is 12 mi (20 km) away
• For short stops, stay in Stradun neighborhood for history and a meal
• Half day: Hike or take a cable car up Mount Srđ for views of nature
• For full-day ports of call, take a day trip to Kotor, Montenegro

Nice's port sits at the east end of the old town, putting the French Riviera's beaches, markets, and hilltop views in easy reach. Smaller ships dock in Nice itself, while larger ones tender at Villefranche.

• If your cruise starts or ends here, Nice Airport is 5 mi (8 km) away
• With 2 hrs, stroll Old Town, Cours Saleya market, and Castle Hill
• Half day: Walk the Promenade des Anglais and tour the Matisse Museum
• With a full day, go to Monaco, the tiny but mighty principality.

Piraeus, Greece's largest port, is the gateway between Athens and the Mediterranean islands. It is a very busy port, but the Acropolis is only about 30 minutes away by metro.

• If you start/end here: Athens Airport is about a 1-hour drive away
• With just a few hours, go to waterfront cafés on Mikrolimano marina
• Half day: Acropolis and Parthenon via metro Line 1 to Monastiraki
• With a full day port of call, take a tour of the Corinth Canal

Barcelona is the jewel of Catalonia! Its busy cruise port lies at the foot of La Rambla, close to Gothic lanes, Gaudí landmarks, and city beaches. The terminals are 1.2 mi (2 km) out from the old town, so plan accordingly.

• If you start or end here, El Prat Airport is 9 mi (15 km) away
• 2 hours: La Rambla, La Boqueria market and the Gothic Quarter
• For a half day: Sagrada Família (book ahead) and Casa Batlló
• Full day excursion: Head to the tiny country of Andorra and back