Spain Mini Cruises have become very popular lately both because of their short duration and the beauty and charm of Spanish ports of call. The most popular is Bilbao and you can reach there from Portsmouth on a four day/three night cruise offered on P & O Ferries.  Brittany Ferries offers another alternative for people wishing to visit Spain, a two day/ three night cruise to Santander. Both ferries sail out of Plymouth and Portsmouth, so your choice really rests on the destination. From each port you can either remain within the city and see the sights or travel further inward to see a different side of Spain.

If you choose Bilbao you’ll be granted access to some of the best museums in Spain, including the famed Guggenheim Museum. Old Quarter offers some great shopping as well as some local cuisine. Bilbao also offers some beautiful architecture and historic places that are well worth a look. From Bilbao you also have access to a number of different Spanish cities, such as Rioja, Hondarribia, and Bermeo.

Rioja offers a peaceful and picturesque alternative to the bustling city of Bilbao. Rioja has two main attractions, one is the medieval town of Laguardia and the other is the “Lands of Rioja” where some of the best wines in all of Spain are produced. Hondarribia is a place of two halves. One half is a medieval town with small alleyways and ancient houses, while the other half offers a quaint fishing village that harkens back to the older days of Spain. Bermeo offers a chance to visit a large scale fishing port, as Bermeo is one of the most important fishing ports on the Cantabrian coastline. The town supports a large deep-sea fishing fleet with all the modern conveniences and you’ll have the opportunity to see a lot of the popular Basque architecture featured in the fisherman’s houses.

If you choose to visit Santander, you’ll be granted a more elegant experience as you spend time in the popular resort town. Santander is the perfect introduction to life in northern Spain, as if offers plenty of shopping, a few great beaches, some amazing restaurants and even a few museums. Santander truly offers something for everyone and since the ship docks close the heart of the city you can get anywhere you like simply by walking.

Whichever port you chose to take, you won’t arrive there in any better way than with a Spain mini cruise, because your vacation shouldn’t have to be stressful even if it is a short one.