The beautiful European city that banned cruise ships from ruining it
Tourists arriving in Barcelona will no longer have the convenience of strolling directly into the city's historic centre.
Barcelona has banned cruise ships from docking at its most central port, in a move to curb emissions in the heart of the city.
The bold decision, which comes into effect on October 22, will see all cruise ships rerouted to the city's less central southern port, specifically along the Moll Adossat pier, which is currently used by major cruise liners including Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and MSC Cruises.
The ban will notably impact the city's 'Muelle Barcelona Norte' northern docks and the bustling World Trade Centre area.
Tourists disembarking from these ships will no longer have the convenience of strolling directly into Barcelona's historic centre.
Instead, they will need to rely on shuttle buses to transport them from the southern dock to the heart of the city.
Reaching the iconic La Rambla boulevard, a central attraction in Barcelona, will no longer be a ten-minute walk from the central port.
With the implementation of this ban, tourists can expect a journey of approximately half an hour by bus from the southern port to La Rambla.
The stringent restrictions have been in the pipeline since 2018 when the municipal government and port authority in Barcelona joined forces to regulate cruise ship activity.
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The last cruise ship entered Barcelona on October 3 and Lluis Salvado, the President of the Port of Barcelona, hailed it a "historic day for the city".
Speaking about the ban, Salvado said: "We are pushing the pollution away, towards the south, and reducing the emissions that reach the city."