Civitavecchia - Port for Rome, The Eternal City

A large number of cruiseliners dock each year at the Port of Civitavecchia, which lies around 40 miles northwest of Rome. Cruise companies with a presence at the port include  and Seabourn.  A reliable rail service links the port to the center of Rome, the journey taking a little over an hour.

The Roman Emperor Trajan founded the Port of Civitavecchia in the  part of the second century, calling it Centumcellae. Even today, remains of Trajan’s Port, which lie within the walls of the modern port , can still be seen. At the end of the fifteenth century, the Port of Civitavecchia was under frequent attack by pirates. Pope Julius II instigated the building of a fort to protect the port.  The works were completed by Michelangelo in 1537. In the 19th century the Port of Civitavecchia was linked to Rome by a railway. World War II brought destruction to nearly three-quarters of the Port. The rebuilding enlarged the Port beyond its pre-war area.

Today Civitavecchia handles over two thousand cruise ship and ferry movements per year, for 2 million passengers, making it an important Mediterranean port.

Civitavecchia Port

The Port of Civitavecchia contains  more than twenty piers.  Most of the port is occupied by ferry and container ships. Cruise ships dock at quays on the land side of the sea wall.  These are 11 - Traianea, and 12,12B,13A and 13B - Antemurale Colombo. Sometimes number 25 (Commerciale) on the land side is also used.
There are currently 3 terminals, named the Bramante at pier 12, and non-permanent facilities at piers 11 and 25.
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Things to Do in Civitavecchia

Being the Port of Rome, Civitavecchia is the gateway to one of the most spectacular and interesting destinations in the world. But Civitavecchia contains one or two places of interest deserving a visit, if you have a few hours to spend either side of your vacation. Stroll through the town center, preferably with a map, and you will spot remains of the old town walls, Benedict XIV's fountain, medieval buildings like the old hospital, pretty squares and a lot of Italian life.  Thus combining a stroll through the town with a seafront sunbathing session to pass a very agreable day. Top sights in Civitavecchia are:

Forte Michelangelo
The 16th Century fortress named Forte Michelangelo towers over the port.  It was started by Pope Julius II and completed in 1535 by Giulano Leno.  The central tower was designed by Michelangelo. Constructed on the remains of Roman barracks, the fort is made from walls over 6 metres thick.

Cathedral of San Francesco d'Assisi
The Franciscans constructed the 18th Century Cathedral of San Francesco d’Assisi on the remains of 17th Century monastery. The Baroque-Neoclassical decoration of the cathedral attracts many visitors. Pope Gregory IX laid the foundation stone in 1228, and the cathedral was finished in 1253. The church features beautiful frescos and stained glass windows.

Civitavecchia Beach
Steps from the seafront promenade, just opposite the train station, descend to a yellow sandy beach. The water is remarkably clear and good for swimming.

Cruises Available

Mostly cruises concentrate  on either the Eastern Mediterranean - Greece, the Greek Islands and Istanbul, or the West Mediterranean - Spain, France, Corsica and Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands. For full details of cruise itineraries, see cruises from Civitavecchia Italy.  


Travelling to the Cruise Terminal from Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) airport
Taxi
A taxi ride from Fiumicino airport to the Civitavecchia Port costs about 150 EUR one way. Cabs are available just outside the arrivals terminal. Try to use authorized taxis (white cars showing a taximeter).

Train
Catch the train from the Airport to the Rome Termini train station. The journey takes about 30 minutes. Make sure you validate/punch your ticket before boarding the train.
From Rome center to the Port of Civitavecchia

The train to Civitavecchia from Rome runs from Rome's Termini train Station, located in the heart of Rome. Trains depart every half hour and cost about 12 EUR per passenger. The trip takes between 70 and 80 minutes. Civitavecchia Port is a ten minute walk from Civitavecchia train station. Turn right as you leave the station, and walk along the road that parallels the sea front.  The correct way is frequently signed. When you get to the entrance to the port, by the Forte Michelangelo, look for a bus stop.  Here cruise line shuttles leave to the actual cruise terminals. Here there's also an information booth  which can be helpful.

Worth Knowing
Language Italian
Currency EURO

Barbados - a perfect Caribbean Island

Barbados has a wealth of natural beauty, interesting places to visit, and seemingly never-ending ribbons of white sand beaches, surely amongst the finest in the Car ibbean.  The landscape ranges from the rolling hills and big surf on the east Atlantic coast, to the flatter lands and gorgeous tranquil beaches on the west Caribbean coast.

During the 18 and early 19th centuries the island was run as a large sugar farm under British owners, and you can still see a small number of original sugar plantations reborn as museums detailing the hardships of the slave work force working on the plantation.

Today the inhabitants of Barbados are termed Bajans, and the ancestors of the original plantation system live in generally harmonious way under a representative government.

Barbados is the furthest east island in the Caribbean  and normally avoids the worst effects of the region's tropical hurricanes because the island is situated just past the major hurricane strike path. On average a hurricane only hits the island around one time every 26 years.

All these plus points make Barbados a favorite cruise ship port-of-call, and lately, mainly due to the well used nearby international airport, the island has also become a busy starting port for many cruiselines.

Bridgetown Port

Bridgetown Port (properly termed the Deep Water Harbor) lies in Carlisle Bay on the south west coast of Barbados. The Port manages all of the country's bulk ships, plus a large number cruise ships.  Built in 1961, the Port was formed by a manmade breakwater. In 2002 the central approach channel and the  inner harbor were deepened to enable bigger cruiseships to berth.

Since the dredging project the port has experienced a large amount of growth both in goods and cruiseliner traffic.
The Bridgetown Port comprises of four docks giving 1531 metres in length, and can handle 5-6 large cruiseships.. The breakwater (522m long), the sugar berth (307m long), berths 2,3 and 4 (total length  550m) and the Esso Jetty (244 meters), located the breakwater.  The latter is used when the others are full (In the picture to the side, the nearest ship is anchored at the Esso terminal).   For more port details see Barbados Port.

Between the quays and the port entrance sits the cruise terminal, opened in January 1994.  It provides services  for crew and cruise passengers visiting the island.  The cruise terminal houses the normal functions to manage passengers, like Customs, Immigration, Plant and Animal Quarantine, Health Center,, Barbados Tourist Center and Post Office. There are other useful facilities, including restaurants and bars, a business facility, and an internet cafe. The terminal has a large amount of space filled by shops, with more than twenty duty free shops with  beautiful jewellery, fine china, the latest in electronics, and Bajan craft outlets.
Taxis and rental cars failities lie just outside the terminal main entrance.  Alternatively the fit amongst you can walk to Bridgetown's main bus station, the Fairchild Street Terminal, around 20 minutes by foot, to make the most of the island's efficent and cheap buses.

Things to Do in Barbados

Broad Street
The main street of Bridgetown. It consists mainly of tax free shops, banks, larger department stores, and cafes. Also take a look at Swan Street which features many cheap clothing stores

Harrison's Cave   
View spectacular caverns with glittering crystal outcrops, gushing waterfalls, and underground lakes with sightless crayfish. An electric tram transports you on the trip.

Beach
The island's beaches are open to the public. Just a mile from the cruise terminal are the beaches on the Gold Coast.  Payne's bay is good for snorkelling.  Next to Paynes bay lies Fresh Water Bay, with a beautiful threesome of beaches, Paradise Beach, Brighton Beach and Brandon's Beach .

Available Cruises Departing From Barbados
Due to its position in the middle of the Southern Caribbean, Barbados makes an excellent choice as a departure port for Southern Caribbean Itineraries.  Choose from a great range of cruises such as -
Grand Caribbean Adventurer (Princess Cruises) Bridgetown, St Vincent, St Georges, Bonaire, WIllemstad, Southern Caribbean (Carnival) Bridgetown, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten, San Juan, St Thomas, Dominica, Bridgetown
Caribbean (PO Cruises) Bridgetown, Bonaire, Aruba, Jamaica, Grand Turk, St Maarten, St Johns, Dominica, St Lucia, Bridgetown
Caribbean and Amazon (PO Cruises) Bridgetown, Grenada, Santarem, Parintins, Manaus, Tobago, St Lucia, Bridgetown
Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St Thomas, St Kitts, St Johns, Dominica, Bridgetown
Barbados to Barbados (Windstar Cruises) Bridgetown, St Kitts, Nevis, St Maarten, St Barts, St Kitts, Guadeloupe, St Lucia, Bridgetown
Bridgetown to Bridgetown (SIlversea) Bridgetown, St Lucia, St Johns, St Barts, British Virgin Islands, Grenadines, Bridgetown.
For a full list of cruise schedules from Barbados, see cruises from Barbados.

Travelling to the Cruise Terminal From the Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport is 13 miles from Bridgetown Port. The airport is flown to by aeroplanes from Europe, North America and other islands in the Caribbean. The journey from airport to the cruise terminal is most convenient by cab, and takes around thirty minutes.  The cost is around fifty Bds.

Worth Knowing
The Barbadian dollar(Bds) is fixed to the US dollar and a Barbadian dollar is always worth half a US dollar, so US$1 = Bds $2.
Each passenger visitng Barbados has to pay a tourist tax of US$6.
Official language is English, but Bajan (a local English-derived dialect, and largely difficult to understand) is often heard.

  Introducting Piraeus

Piraeus has been an important Greek city and port since the Golden Age of Athens. The city was originally designed by Hippodamus, a knowledgable architect. Further development took place during the times of the Persian War, when Piraeus was integral to the Athens defence, as the linking corridor between the city and port was strengthened by strong walls. Later, during the Renaissance era, Piraeus was named 'Porto Leone', due to the magnificent marble lion statue standing over the harbor. The statue was removed and moved to Venice, where it can still be seen today.  Nowadays Piraeus is the largest port in Greece, and one of most significant in the Mediterranean Sea. From Piraeus, travellers leave for a multitude of destinations in the widely dispersed Greek Islands and beyond.

Recently the correct spelling of Piraeus is now Pireas, and all signs have been updated accordingly.

It's only 7 miles from Piraeus to Athens, and most travellers will spend the visit in Athens.  Situated on a plain surrounded by four mountains, Athens can get hot, sticky and dirty in summer.  However at its center stands the magnificent Acropolis, a don't miss attraction for travellers from all around the world.  Near the Acropolis lies the welcoming friendly district of Plaka, a place full of historic interest, and the Acropolis and Plaka are the staple of  travellers.

Piraeus Port

Your ship will dock in the Port of Piraeus situated on the southern side of the city.  The port sits on the Saronic Gulf, in the Aegean Sea. The port is first and foremost a ferry port, providing a service to the many Greek Islands. Greece is made up of a multitude of islands, so ferries are essential and ferries arrive at and leave from Piraeus 24 hours a day. The cruise terminals aresituated on the quays to the southern side of the port.

Cruiseliners lay up at either Cruise Terminal A or Cruise Terminal B. Cruise Terminal A, accessed by gate E11, is located in the middle of the harbour sandwiched by the Mioulis and Xaveris docks.  Cruise Terminal B, approached by gate E12, lies at the entrance of the harbour, protected by the Termistokleous breakwater..  The cruise ship capacity of Piraeus is about 11 cruise ships. 

A map of Piraeus port can be found at http://www.olp.gr/Images/Epivatiko/skarifima_epivatikou_limaniou.pdf

The cruise ship itineraries from Piraeus visit|include} a selection from ports in the Greek Islands, Israel, Egypt, Turkey and the Black Sea. For full cruise schedule details see Cruises From Piraeus.

Sightseeing in Athens

The Acropolis
The main tourist draw in Athens is the Acropolis. There is a 12 euro fee to gain entrance into the Acropolis.
The top attracation in Athens is the Acropolis, a 150 m (512 ft) rock in the center of the city topped with a number of temples that were built in around 400BC. The beauty of these ancient monuments makes the Acropolis known all over the world.  There is a 12 euro fee to gain entrance.
At the top of the Acropolis sits the beautiful Parthenon, a superb classical Greek temple, a magestic sight from  everywhere in the city.
Another iconic building is the Erechtheion. The 6 ladies that serve as pillars are fakes, you can see 5 originals in the Acropolis museum. Number 6 is in the British Museum in London, as well as substantial parts of the Parthenon frieze.

Syntagma Square
Look at the soldiers dressed in their unique skirt with coordinated tights and bizarre shoes. Especially
recommended is the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Roman Forum  in Plaka
Just down from the Acropolis is the Plaka District. This pretty area is made up of narrow meandering streets.
The Roman Agora can be found at the west side of Plaka. Here sits the impressive Horologion of Andronikos, an eight faced tower with a different wind god mounted on each side. Joint ticket with Acropolis.

The Shops in Plaka
There are a ton of local products worth considering. olive oil, small carpets, and leather shoes are all sourced locally and offer great value for money. The local antiques market is always bustling and fascinating.

Restaurants in Plaka
Relaxing in one of the pavement restaurants savouring a dish of tasty food with a glass of ouzo is a very enjoyable way to while away the evening.

Things to See in Piraeus

Marina Zea is the next bay to the main harbor, and where the luxury yachts moor.  The area has a laid-back cosmopolitan vibe, and friendly shops and restaurants.

Hellenic Maritime Museum
Chronicles the history of Greek ships, both ancient and modern.

Archeological Museum
Sculptures from both the Classical and Roman periods are on display, as are many treasures excavated in Piraeus; there are also ruins of an ancient theater nearby.

Getting to the Piraeus Cruise Terminals

From the Piraeus Electric Train station
It's about 1 mile from the station to Cruise Terminal A, and about a mile and a half to Cruise Terminal B. Walking's not practical, as its a substantial hike on a very hot day.  Instead walk over the main road via the new bridge for pedestrians. Catch a coach to your cruise terminal (lines 832, 833 843 or 859)..

From Athens to Piraeus Port
Metro Line
The best method of travelling from Athens to the Port of Piraeus is by the metro railway.  ISAP Line 1 (green line, Kifissia to Piraeus) joinsAthens directly to Piraeus Port. Look at the metro map (http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/ath/athens.htm)  for the route to take.
By Bus
There are two buses that shuttle between Athens and Piraeus. Buses Nos 040 and 049 operate 24 hours a day, and run every 20 minutes from 6am until midnight and then hourly. Bus No 040 runs between Syntagma square (Plaka district) in Athens and Akti Xaveriou in Piraeus (situated right between the cruise terminals).  Bus No 049 links Omonia Square in Athens and Themistokleous Square in Piraeus.  Get off at Karaiskaki sq in front of port gate E8, and here get a 843 bus to the cruise terminals at gate E11 or E12.
Taxi
Taxi fares are generally modest in Greece, but dishonest drivers are not uncommon, so it's best to use the service recommended by your hotel. You will be charged extra for luggage (EUR0,30 for each piece), and more for entrance to the port ( EUR0,60). The journey between Athens' center and Piraeus  takes around 30 min and the taxi fare is around EUR20.

Travelling from Athens Airport to Piraeus Port
Metro Rail
Blue Line 3 connects Athens airport to Monastiraki where you switch to green Line 1, taking you to Piraeus. The journey time between the airport and Piraeus is about an hour and a quarter.
Bus
Bus number E96 runs 24 hours between the airport and Karaïskaki Square in Piraeus, with services every 20 minutes. The bus departs from the area outside arrivals Gate 5. When you get to Piraeus take another bus to the cruise terminal (number|no 832, 833, 843 or 859).
Taxi
There's a surcharge for trips to/from the airport, Baggage costs more per item and the trip takes at least one hour (iit's 30 km between the airport and Piraeus port) so the cab price can be €50 or even more.