Spain Port Shuttles

[didi7]

Would like to know if there are ship or town shuttles and/or Hop On Hop Off buses OR if it is easy to walk into town at the following ports: Ibiza, Cartagena, Malaga, Seville. Also, is it worth taking 1/2 day out of the 1 1/2 days we will have in Barcelona before sailing, to visit Montserrat? Thank you!

[YoHoHo]

Would like to know if there are ship or town shuttles and/or Hop On Hop Off buses OR if it is easy to walk into town at the following ports: Ibiza, Cartagena, Malaga, Seville. Also, is it worth taking 1/2 day out of the 1 1/2 days we will have in Barcelona before sailing, to visit Montserrat? Thank you!

There is a port shuttle list thread. If CC search function is working try searching the title and should find it.

I'll update it later re: Ibiza if not in there.

Answer is no - town centre is not comfortable walking distance and the walk through the port is rough unpaved road in much of it. Take the free shuttle that drops off on the main promenade close to the main centre.

 

If you take a taxi from the dock as we did, make sure you get a map from the Tourist Information rep on board marking the spot where the shuttle bus will be waiting for the return trip. In hindsight this is very obvious.

 

Also if traveling in summer take a hat as there is very little shade in the waiting area for the return bus trip.

 

As for Montserrat it depends somewhat on your interest and if you have been to Barcelona previously. Barcelona itself has a lot to enjoy. That said we did take much of a day for a trip to Montserrat and enjoyed it. Though it is cafeteria type food, if you think you might eat up there, before leaving Barcelona you can buy a package ticket that includes the train/funicular and lunch for what I thought was a reasonable discount. we were not able to buy that package (TI confusion) so did not eat a meal up there.

 

Make sure you arrive early in order to get into the Cathedral to hear the choir. We arrived too close and did not see them because of the crowds already inside. Very pleasant side trip none-the-less.

[candbgirl]

There is a port shuttle for Cartegena but it is poorly organized. One bus, long lines and the bus never showed up to bring us back to the ship. We took a taxi and returned quickly and for not much money. There is no way you can walk to the town center from the dock in Cartegena. It is pretty far.