Palamós
Palamós port is located in one of the deepest bays in the Western Mediterranean and can handle any size cruise ship.
‘There is a fishing auction here, kayaking, paddle boarding and other water sports,’ explains Costa Brava Cruise Ports’ cruise manager Maria Cano Olmos on experiences available close to the port. A 10-minute walk away from the town, cruise lines in the past have taken advantage of Palamós’ local market to purchase and prepare local ingredients for passengers onboard the ship.
Maria Cano Olmos at the Port of Palamós
‘We can manage any size cruise ship, but we like only one cruise ship daily because we prefer delivering an exclusive experience,’ adds Cano Olmos. ‘We’re a transit port and that is just what we prefer to be.’
Diving, hiking, boat trips and jet skiing are among other activities held in Palamós, which can be combined with exploration of the local fish market, fishing museum and fish auction. Last month, Azamara called at the port allowing passengers to witness Girona Flower Festival held each year in May. Says the line’s director - land product development Gina Dunnett, ‘We try to avoid big commercial ports. Our travellers are well travelled, well educated and want to go beyond the typical Mediterranean experience.’
Azamara’s director - land product development Gina Dunnett
Medieval villages
Referred to as ‘the wild coast’ by locals, Costa Brava is home to well-preserved Medieval villages, some of which are less than 30 minutes’ drive from Palamós offering opportunities to combine two or three of the villages into a single day’s excursion.
Seatrade Cruise's Holly Payne next to Andrea Ferla, manager destination experiences, Silversea Cruises in Pals
One way for passengers to be able to revel in the charm of the narrow cobbled streets of Pals, Peratallada and Monells, for instance, is to visit the locations on e-bike, a green alternative that opens up further experiences, such as the chance to ride through exquisite sceneries.
Pals, Peratallada and Monells are located approximately 30 minutes from Girona Old Town by bus.
Pals
Seatrade Cruise’s medieval villages shorex in Pals – whose features date from the Romanesque period through to the 18th century, and include a Gothic church, raparts and defence towers – involved riding an e-bike through olive groves and rice paddies harvested and served in some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in Spain.
The half-day experience drew to a close with wine tasting at nearby Celler Mas Geli.
Celler Mas Geli wine tasting
Girona city
Starting with the 12th century Banys Arabs (Arab Baths), a guided tour of Girona Old Town located less than one-hour away from Palamós by bus, kicked off Seatrade Cruise’s full-day programme. Complete with frigidarium, the mainly Romanesque site underwent reconstruction from 1929-31 and contains nature and animal themed designs relating to the Garden of Eden and other Christian icons. It was followed by a glimpse of the Basílica de San Félix (R.C. Church of St. Felix), which houses the tomb of Saint Narcissus who is credited with protecting the city from invaders.
Banys Arabs
The emphasis was on architecture during a visit to Girona’s cathedral, which took 150 years to complete and whose whose Gothic nave is the widest in the world. Adorned with a Baroque facade inaugurated in 1733, its construction began in the 11th century on the site of a Roman temple. Its design encapsulates Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles, with miniature models of the cathedral displayed within the building allowing cruise tourists to visualise the building’s shifts in construction over time. Within the cathedral’s own museum, the creation of the universe is depicted on an 11th century tapestry, serving as an additional shorex highlight.
The Tapestry of Creation, Girona Cathedral
Home to one of the most important Jewish quarters in the Iberian Peninsula, the tour included strolls along the narrow, limestone streets of El Call dating back to the 12th century and which is today lined with boutique shops and dining venues.
Girona’s historic sites feature prominently in the sixth season of Game of Thrones where filming in 2015 took place at Galligants bridge plus one of the narrow passageways within The Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants that serves as the Catalonia Museum.
Chocolate tasting at Casa Cacao
In addition to Girona’s architectural and archaeological highlights, cruise passengers have access to a broad variety of gastronomical venues, such as Casa Cacao specialising in freshly harvested and fermented chocolate from hand picked cocoa beans. Passengers can embark on a chocolate tasting experience while learning about the cocoa roasting process and its significance in chocolate production. Waste cocoa bean skins are used sustainably by the venue to wrap the confectionery products.
The region’s 14 restaurants hold 19 Michelin stars in total. The award winning chefs include the Roca Brothers - Joan (chef), Josep (sommelier) and Jordi (pastry chef) and MedCruise 60th GA participants were treated to a very special Roca-inspired gala dinner at Espai Mas Marroch.
Roses port
Home to 20,000 inhabitants, Roses is situated 30km from France, 65km from Girona and 160km from Barcelona, and its port is a 10-minute walk to shops and other amenities. Its berth is 317mtr with a 5.5mtr draught, and ships can anchor in the bay which has a depth of 15mtr.
‘Roses will receive eight cruise ships this year… it is usually nine or 10,’ says Sara Llado Gonzales, promotion and marketing, tourism, Roses, conceding there are no immediate plans for dredging, with the possibility of dredging dependent on ‘if there are more calls.’
It is 0.5 nautical mile between anchorage and tender berth, with the port using its own ship tenders. Pilotage is compulsory, using the same pilot as in Palamós, meaning a two-hour gap is needed between vessels manoeuvring in Palamós and those manoeuvring in Roses.
When Roses is unable to receive cruise ships, the vessel moves to Palamós.
Salvador Dali and Wines plus Roses Bay
A blossoming view of Roses’ picturesque bay from a vantage point overlooking Cap de Creus is no less matched in impressiveness than by the imposing 10th century Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes.
The monastery can be discovered as part of a guided tour combined with wine tasting. Passengers’ movement from one part of the building to another invites a new variety of wine, whose flavours and notes can be discussed with fellow passengers amidst takeaways on Roses’ rich history. The monastery, the Church of Santa Helena and the remains of the Verdera castle make up the cultural programme.
Back down the mountains and passengers can experience one of multiple restaurants that line Roses’ sandy beach. From the port, a journey to the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres brings a new perspective to the full-day history and culture-focussed excursion, housing the artist’s crypt together with the largest collection of his surrealist artwork and showing Dali’s journey through Impressionism, Futurism and Cubism.
Rounding up the day is a trip to the Dali Jewels Exhibition in the same vicinity.
Cadaques
Cadaqués and Portlligat
In a quaint cobbled village within a small bay on Cap de Creus peninsula is located the former home of Dali whose furniture and artworks mostly remain in-situ, and where cruise passengers have the chance to see the artist’s workshop.
Highlights of the Salvador Dali House-Museum in Portlligat bay can be coupled with the chance to explore Cadaqués bay, just south of Portlligat where Dali spent long periods during his youth. Surrounded by bright white buildings overlooking small fishing boats, it is a 15-minute walk away from Portlligat, through narrow lanes lined with traditional houses. From there, passengers can try gelato or fresh seafood – including from Martín Faix whose culinary and wine offerings span the Cap de Creus Natural Park, between Roses, Cadaqués and Port de la Selva.
Gala Dali Castle in Pubol, close to Girona city, makes up the Dalinian Triangle – a space of 40 sq km which together possess thousands of objects from Dali’s life and more than 4,000 works, from paintings and drawings to sculptures and engravings worth a total €385m.
The foundation that manages Dali’s works coordinates with the Cadaqués and Figueres tourist offices to integrate the three locations into guided visits and organise training for tourist guides.
Other exhibitions continue to take place within the Triangle, for instance, ‘Dali and holography: virtual reality and illusion of reality’ or ‘Dali by Halsman’ – a selection of over 80 photographs of the artist taken by Philippe Halsman.’
Salvador Dali House-Museum
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