Need DIY info for Malaga, Cartagena, Vigo, Palma De Mallorca and others

[gam888]

We are a family of 5 visiting Malaga, Cartagena, Vigo, Palma De Mallorca, Barcelona in Spain, and Gilbrata, Cannes and Lisbon during our cruise in June. I am searching for DIY tours information for these ports. I have been reading other posts and have learned that Malaga, Cartagena, Palma De Mallorca are walkabe cities, and some people say there is not much to do in Vigo. Has anyone hired any private tours companies or taken taxi tours for any of these ports, would you please share your experience with us and if you remember what the prices are for the tours. We have been to Barcelona before and have been to the Ramblas, the cathedral and the old quarter. This time we are thinking of seeing the waterfront area, or the mountain with the funicular? Is there a waterfront area with cafes and so on with a pretty view? What is the best way to get there?

For Cannes, we have been to Monaco, Nice, St Paul de Vence and Eze. So this time we thought we will stay close and just visit the town itself. There is the beach front at Cannes, is it a sandy beach or is it pebbles? Is is a public beach you can just pay for the chairs? We would like to have 2 stops during the whole cruise we can do a quick beach stop for an hour or so, just to relax and get some beach time. I heard there is a Samil beach near Vigo? Does any one have any suggestions where you would pick two beach spots during this cruise? For Lisbon we are thinking of hiring a tour company that would take us to Sintra to see one of the palaces, and the village. For Gibrltar, not sure if we should hire a tour company or is it easy to do it yourself to see the Rock, the apes, and so on? For Malaga, there is not enough time to spend the 4 hours round trip to go to Granada, so it would have to be seeing the city itself, I couldn't find any tour company that operates there, I could only find walking tours, so not sure if that means the city is small enough that we can just see all the sights by walking around ourselves. For Cartagena, I couldn't find any tour company there either. Is there a good beach near Palma De Mallorca that you can take a bus or taxi to from the city centre? Any info is great. Thank you in advance.

[Turtles06]

We are a family of 5 visiting Malaga, Cartagena, Vigo, Palma De Mallorca, Barcelona in Spain, and Gilbrata, Cannes and Lisbon during our cruise in June. I am searching for DIY tours information for these ports. I have been reading other posts and have learned that Malaga, Cartagena, Palma De Mallorca are walkabe cities, and some people say there is not much to do in Vigo. Has anyone hired any private tours companies or taken taxi tours for any of these ports, would you please share your experience with us and if you remember what the prices are for the tours.

 

I am one of those who was underwhelmed by Vigo. It is definitely do-able on your own, as the ships dock right at the foot of the old town. You can find street maps and more info on their tourism web site, at the following link. (The web site makes Vigo sound a lot more interesting than it is.)

 

http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/tourism-professionals

 

If you haven't already been to Santiago de Compostela, I would strongly recommend taking an excursion there from Vigo. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a very interesting medieval Cathedral that Catholics believe houses the ashes of St. James, and is ground zero for El Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), the destination for thousands of pilgrims each year, who come by foot, bike, etc. No need to be a Catholic or religious to appreciate the architecture or the history or the town. If you go, it's worth watching the Martin Sheen movie "The Way" beforehand.

 

Have a great trip!

[mbeginner]

We are a family of 5 visiting Malaga, Cartagena, Vigo, Palma De Mallorca, Barcelona in Spain, and Gilbrata, Cannes and Lisbon during our cruise in June. I am searching for DIY tours information for these ports. I have been reading other posts and have learned that Malaga, Cartagena, Palma De Mallorca are walkabe cities, and some people say there is not much to do in Vigo. Has anyone hired any private tours companies or taken taxi tours for any of these ports, would you please share your experience with us and if you remember what the prices are for the tours. We have been to Barcelona before and have been to the Ramblas, the cathedral and the old quarter. This time we are thinking of seeing the waterfront area, or the mountain with the funicular? Is there a waterfront area with cafes and so on with a pretty view? What is the best way to get there?

 

Palma de mallorca

 

Right opposite the cruise terminal (Estacio Maritima) exit is a stop for bus N° 1 (EMT bus company) Bus N° 1 takes you in 10 minutes from the cruiseterminal to Plaça d'Espanya in the city center for € 2.50 per person (one way). The bus runs every 15 minutes.

If you are docked at the fort at Porto Pi, you can also take bus N° 1 at Dic de l'Oest bus stop opposite the fort.

If you wish, at Plaça d'Espanya you can catch a connecting bus N° 15 or 25 to the beaches (Balneari) east of the city. You can check the timetable in advance.

 

 

Viago

 

In Vigo you dock right near the historical city center, so walking is a good option to get around. Once you are on the pier you will see a big new shopping center next to a small Marina. Walk between the shopping center and the Marina towards the Rua Canovas del Castillo, a busy road. Just across you will see the Tourist Office. , . Another way to walk straight into town is by the small pedestrian bridge in the middle of the shopping center. You will cross the busy streets from the sky and walk into the historical center or continue to the train station for an excursion outside the city.

You can make a cruise excursion by train from Vigo to Santiago De Compostela. There is a train almost every hour from the station Vigo-Guixar to Santiago De Compostela. The journey takes between 1h30 min to 1h45 min Tickets can be purchased at the station. They cost between € 7 and € 11 per person (one way). Before you go, better consult the timetable of trains between Vigo and Santiago De Compostela.

The train station of Santiago de Compostela is located just 15 minutes walking from The Cathedral, the main monument in Santiago. Once you exit the train station, go straight and climb the big stairs in front of you. Once on top you see a roundabout on your right. Follow the Rua De Horreo slightly uphill onto Plaza de Galicia, on the outskirts of the Old Town. Follow the signs for the Tourist Information Office. This will bring you right in the heart of Santiago de Compostela.

The Vigo-Guixar Train Station is about 1,5 kilometers from the cruise port. A walk takes about 20 minutes. Use the footbridge. This makes the route shorter and you can still see something of the historical center. You can also take a taxi from the cruise port to the train station. The ride takes about 10 minutes and costs between € 8 and € 10 per taxi (4 persons, one way).

 

 

I hope that helps

Edited February 21, 2014 by mbeginner

[campolady]

For Malaga, there is not enough time to spend the 4 hours round trip to go to Granada, so it would have to be seeing the city itself, I couldn't find any tour company that operates there, I could only find walking tours, so not sure if that means the city is small enough that we can just see all the sights by walking around ourselves.

 

MALAGA - It is such a shame that most people feel they should just use Malaga as a base for getting to Granada - it has so much to offer! There is certainly no need to book an organised tour in Malaga - it is a very pedestrian friendly port as the old city streets and alleyways are very compact. The old city is only 5 minutes walk from the Port entrance gates and everywhere is accessible on foot except for Gibralfaro Castle that is reached by the regular number 35 bus service from the main street Alameda Principal. Don´t miss calling in a few Tapas Bars - Malaga has some of the best in Spain - to sample the local delicacies and famous Malaga Wines (fortified wines similar to Sherry).

There is an excellent booklet ' Footsteps through the city of Malaga' that is available from Amazon and will give you some great walking suggestions.

[gam888]

Thank you everyone for replying my post. I am still doing my research on all these ports. It seems like a lot of people have found Vigo not very interesting. I am not sure if we want to spend 3 to 4 hour on a round trip journey to Santiago, although it sounds very interesting, so I am hoping we will find something worthwhile to see in Vigo, especially it is our last port, it is nice to be able to finish the cruise with a positive experience on the last port, perhaps we will go to the beach? Has anyone gone there on their own?

 

Campolady:

You have mentioned

"Gibralfaro Castle that is reached by the regular number 35 bus service from the main street Alameda Principal."

Is this bus stop easy to find, how long is the bus ride? Do you need exact change? Do you remember what the fare is, since we have 5 people, maybe it's better to take a taxi?

 

Thanks again everyone

[campolady]

Campolady:You have mentioned

"Gibralfaro Castle that is reached by the regular number 35 bus service from the main street Alameda Principal."

Is this bus stop easy to find, how long is the bus ride? Do you need exact change? Do you remember what the fare is, since we have 5 people, maybe it's better to take a taxi?

 

Thanks again everyone

 

First of all, taxis can only take a maximum of 4 people so for 5 you would need 2 cabs.

 

The bus stop is very easy to find - your nearest stop would be at the far side of the park just opposite the port main gates where there are several bus stops so just look for the one showing number 35 (the illuminated sign will tell you how many minutes until the next bus is due); alternatively, just walk to the Alameda Principal and there is a stop just up on your left. Can´t remember the exact fare - but less than 2 Euros per person. You don´t need exact change but the drivers won´t change anything bigger than a 10€ note. Journey time approx 15 minutes. Coming back you can get the bus back from the castle or, what we do, walk down to the Parador Hotel 5 minutes below the castle and have a drink there to see the fabulous views then pick the bus up right outaide the Parador gates.

 

If you are pensioners (over 65) and can show some ID you get into the castle for under 1 Euro.

 

Hope this helps.

[nickie2000]

hi gam888 sounds like your doing the same ports i'll be doing in september,,,

 

i've already been to barcelona before, so will just walk around, have been to palma also spend 3 days at the beach,, the beach yes is with pebbles...so we will probably visit the town...gilbraltar we've been and we had taken a bus tour from the malaga area as we were staying in malaga for 3 days... but if i recall from the port in gilbratar it is doable alone for more info you can read tomportguides,,, i'm sure he has info on gilbraltar and many other ports good infor...have not been to vigo am also trying to research and decide...MALAGA i've been there 2 times very nice town, safe and easy going around,,, from malaga depends the time you have at the port but easy to travel by bus..just check schedules before hand and the return times available...people are very helpful...

[CatF]

Thank you everyone for replying my post. I am still doing my research on all these ports. It seems like a lot of people have found Vigo not very interesting. I am not sure if we want to spend 3 to 4 hour on a round trip journey to Santiago, although it sounds very interesting, so I am hoping we will find something worthwhile to see in Vigo, especially it is our last port, it is nice to be able to finish the cruise with a positive experience on the last port, perhaps we will go to the beach? Has anyone gone there on their own?

 

Campolady:

You have mentioned

"Gibralfaro Castle that is reached by the regular number 35 bus service from the main street Alameda Principal."

Is this bus stop easy to find, how long is the bus ride? Do you need exact change? Do you remember what the fare is, since we have 5 people, maybe it's better to take a taxi?

 

Thanks again everyone

To gam888

 

Are you on the Independence of the Seas leaving Southampton on May 31st? If so, my husband and I are on the ship too. If you are interested in having (paid) on any of your private tours, please let me know. We are happy travelers--non complainers...rest assured