Port of Barcelona

 In Tourism facilities

The Port of Barcelona is one of the big tourism gates to the city, at same level than El Prat International Airport, although they complement each other. It was born as a natural port in the beach delimited between the peninsula that was the Montjuich mountain, and the Llobregat river mouth. It was moved to the city during the XIV century, to what then was the Royal Shipyard, now the Maritime Museum. 100 years later it was connected to the ancien island of Mayans, thanks to sand accumulation and some improvements, creating then the Barceloneta, and becoming over the centuries one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean.
Although it was already having cruise ships trafic, it was during the year 2000 when the “Moll Adossat” improvements were finished and the big bridge, the “Porta d’Europa” (door to Europe) to get there was set. So, it has been growing up to 35 specialized terminals, 2 of them
for ferries, and 7 for cruise ships. The last one, terminal E, is being inaugurated this summer 2018, for the moment on an exclusive use for Carnival Cruises.

Barcelona is a powerful motivation for tourism, and so, the port is base for a huge number of trips around the Mediterranean from several cruise companies. Also, a lot of them choose Barcelona for their maiden voyages when a new ship comes on duty:
In 2014, Windstar Star Pride, in 2015, Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, in 2016, Oceanía Sirena and Harmony of the Seas, in 2017 MSC Meraviglia, and in 2018, Seabourn Ovation, MSC Seaview, Carnival Horizon at her new terminal, and Simphony of the Seas.
Allure, Harmony, and Simphony, all of the “of the Seas”, all of them belonging to Royal Caribbean, were the biggest cruise ship in the world when they came on duty.
This huge number of ships arriving to the city is making the port busy not only in summer. 125 cruise ship scales are planned for October 2018, and 23 for February 2019.

That’s for monster cruise ships, but also Barcelona is interesting for small operators with medium and small ships that look for a quiet ambiance for a different kind of customer, most huge yatchs up to 100 passengers and a high crew ratio per passenger. Corinthian, Magellan,
Clio or Serenissima are some of those exclusive ships.

But the Port of Barcelona not only serves to big companies traffic. It has a very close relationship to citizens. Over time, the merchant port has been moving out of the city, and the old port, the “Port Vell” has turned into a leisure place for Barcelona locals and also for tourists.
In the center, and reachable by a wooden bridge from the Columbus Memorial, you will find the Maremagnum shopping center, the Aquarium, the Barcelona private Marina, and an open zone where constantly shows, flea markets and events are taking place. Besides, the Museum of History is next to, and as well the leisure and restaurants area of the Barceloneta.

A new project is starting this year 2018 to open the old fisherman’s wharf to public, and so this relationship with the city will continue improving. Don’t miss all that Port of Barcelona can offer you.

By Alex Carbonell

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