8 hidden gem cruise ports that you shouldn't skip

Independent

29-01-2025

Complaints about overtourism and a desire to visit unique destinations are helping cruise passengers fall in love with lesser-known and unexpected ports of call.
The cities and coastal resorts that passengers and cruise ships spend time in have become more important amid backlash from locals and environmental concerns. In some cases, cruise ships have had to change their choice of dock due to restrictions.
Venice has banned large cruise ships, while Amsterdam is limiting ship visits ahead of an outright ban by 2035. The Mayor of Nice has also proposed banning larger vessels.
To ensure passengers can still reach popular places, some ports are used as drop-off points to then travel to major cities where the main excursions take place. Examples include docking in Rotterdam to reach Amsterdam or Cadiz for Seville.
But many cruise passengers are also finding hidden gems in the port where the ship docks rather than travelling further afield. These locations can be more convenient as they are often walking distance from the ship, saving you money on taxis and meaning you avoid queues for shuttle buses.
Cruise brands are also recognising that passengers want unique experiences and may enjoy quieter locations on their itinerary rather than the typical holiday hotspots.
Here are the overlooked cruise ports that could be worth staying in rather than travelling through.
Nafplio
Mykonos and Santorini may capture the attention of passengers on a Greek island cruise, but it could be worth visiting Nafplio if it is on your cruise itinerary.
Sitting on the Greek mainland, the picturesque Venetian fortress town offers a quieter alternative to Athens. It has its own historic townhouses now converted into top boutique hotels and unique Greek dishes such as Gkiosa, an elder ewe or goat meat slow-baked in a stone wood stove.
You can visit Nafplio during a Celebrity Cruises Best of Greece sailing aboard Celebrity Infinity. Prices for a departure from Athens on 17 March start from £489 per person.
Sitting on Spain's often-overlooked northern coast, Asturias offers green landscapes in the Iberian peninsula and plenty of quieter beaches compared with more popular areas of Spain.
Cruises cover the Asturias province on stops in Gijon where excursions include the Baroque Revillagigedo Palace and the statue of King Pelayo, founder of the Kingdom of Asturias – or just drinking the local cider.
Trieste
Sitting on the north east coast of Italy, Trieste has become a popular location for large cruise ships since many vessels have been banned from its neighbour Venice.
Known as 'little Vienna on the sea', the port offers its own canals and is known as the coffee capital of Italy, making it a great place to get your caffeine fix.
MSC Cruises visits Trieste on Mediterranean sailings. Excursions include the Castle of Miramare, residence of Maximilian of Hapsburg and Charlotte of Belgium. A seven-night sailing aboard MSC Fantasia embarks and disembarks in Trieste, prices start from £1,299 for a 16 June 2025 departure.
Disko Island
Disko Island in Greenland ranks among travel company Intrepid's top Not Hot destinations.
Nearby Canada and Iceland get all the attention for snow-capped mountains but Disko Island, or Qeqertarsuaq in Greenlandic, offers its own unique fjords, valleys and basalt mountains to enjoy with fewer crowds. Its icebergs are some of the largest in the northern hemisphere and can be best-witnessed with expedition ships such as Hurtigruten.
Hurtigruten has a 13-day The Icy Giants of Disko Bay voyage. Prices start from £8,652 per person, departing 21 June from Reykjavík.
Cadiz
The south west coastal city of Cadiz has traditionally been seen as a cruise drop-off point for excursions to Seville, but it offers plenty for cruise passengers in port.
History buffs will love its Roman ruins and the narrow streets of its old towns where you can eat tapas and climb the Baroque watchtower Torre Tavira. There is even a quaint puppet museum that you can enjoy en-route to the city's many beaches.
You can visit Cadiz with Princess Cruises. It has an eight-day European Explorer sailing from Barcelona to Southampton, departing on 10 July aboard Majestic Princess. Prices start from £949 per person.
Zadar
The Croatian coastal city of Zadar is a lesser-known cruise destination but is quieter than the the more popular Dubrovnik and Split, making it a great way to spend a day off the ship.
Sailing on smaller ships can be advantageous as they can fit into the city's old port at the centre of the city, giving cruise passengers direct access to its ancient Roman streets and isolated coves.
Alternatively, the city centre is just a 12-minute shuttle bus from Zadar's main cruise terminal. Popular excursions include hiking through the Paklenica National Park where you can witness breathtaking canyons, caves, cliffs and natural works of art known locally as skrape.
Luxury small ship brand Azamara visits Zadar and can get you right to the centre of town. It has a 10-night Croatia Intensive Voyage departing from Athens on 12 July, with prices starting from £2,139 per person.
Bilbao
Barcelona may be the gem of the north of Spain but with locals complaining about overtourism on La Rambla, a potentially more welcoming option along the coast is Bilbao.
While Barcelona has its unique architecture and Catalan culture, Bilbao brings its own unique flavour as a cruise stop as the largest city in the Basque country. It has its own Guggenheim Museum, stunning views from the 251-metre high Mount Artxanda and a Winston Churchill-themed pub. Stadium tours are also available to the Estadio de San Mamés to learn about the city's successful football club Athletic Bilbao.
Royal Caribbean visits Bilbao during its Northern Spain cruise aboard Independence of the Seas. A week-long roundtrip from Southampton departing on 4 October starts from £749 per person.
Rotterdam
Amsterdam is in the process of phasing out cruise ships to reduce overtourism. Many ships now stop in Rotterdam instead and passengers may still be able to take an excursion to the Dutch capital. But it is also worth exploring Rotterdam itself.
Ships dock right in the centre, and this is a walkable city where you can enjoy the Blaak cube houses and the old harbour. Money geeks can even visit the museum of tax.