What you can do in port on a European cruise
These sailings use Lisbon, the Atlantic coast, London, and the Canary Islands. Barcelona, Rome, and Athens are on the Mediterranean page.
A daytime stop usually leaves time for the town beside the ship, not for a city two hours inland and back. If you want Paris or London properly, add nights before or after. An excursion sold by the ship waits if the group is late. A train or a taxi you arranged on your own does not.
Lisbon
Ships dock on the Tagus, below Alfama.
You can walk or take a short shuttle up into Alfama and the Baixa. Belém is west along the river. Pastéis de Belém sells a pastel de nata, a custard tart in a flaky shell. The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz is a hotel for the nights before or after the cruise.
Porto
Most ocean ships use Leixões, north of the city.
A taxi or the metro takes you into Porto. The Ribeira is the riverfront. The port-wine lodges are in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the bridge. A tasting there is a glass of port, the fortified wine aged in those lodges.
Le Havre and Paris
Ocean ships dock at Le Havre. They do not sail up the Seine into Paris.
The train from Le Havre to Paris takes about two hours. The Louvre holds the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower are in the city too. A short stop leaves time for one of those, not all of them. Shangri-La Paris, looking toward the tower, is a hotel for the nights before or after the cruise.
Southampton and London
Ships dock at Southampton.
The train from Southampton to London takes about an hour and a half to two hours. Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are in London. The Savoy is a hotel for the nights before or after the cruise.
Cádiz and Seville
Ships for Seville usually dock at Cádiz.
The old city of Cádiz is beside the pier. The ride from Cádiz to Seville takes about two hours. The Alcázar is in Seville. If the ship leaves later, a flamenco show can fit. It does not fit when the ship is only there for the morning.
Tenerife
Ships dock at Santa Cruz.
The old streets are near the pier. Mount Teide is inland. The ride from the pier to the cable car takes about an hour, and the mountain is colder than the harbor.
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