Help needed - Port info

Looking for some advice please, my dads going on the Magic of Spain 7 night cruise next Saturday the ports of call are Palma, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Cadiz, Malaga and Cartagena.

Can he do his own thing in most of these ports or would he be better to booked something with Thomson? He's very active and enjoys a good walk but I appreciate that some ports have more to offer than others, he is particularly interested in Gibraltar and Lisbon as these are two places he's not visited, if possible any advice on shuttle buses in these ports may be helpful, he is travelling alone and on his first cruise so any info and help would be greatly appreciated.

Lisbon is a really big city - would recommend the hop on hop off bus to get around. There will be a pickup/return stop near where the ship berths. Get off at the stop at the top end of the King Eduardo VII public park (its huge) and walk down through it to a main hoho bus stop at the bottom, it's an interchange where you can choose either of the two routes to follow.

https://city-sightseeing.com/en/80/lisbon/107/hop-on-hop-off-lisbon?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKEAjwvr3KBRD_i_Lz6cihrDASJADUkGCaOctsVUFryoW_LEbm4KGGkvw7JJ4zGH0GGPF33MnIoBoCgOTw_wcB

To get the best of Gib on a first visit I would recommend one of the (reasonably priced) local people carrier / taxi tours that wait at the port gates for offcoming cruisers - they take you right up the top of the rock via the sightseeing stops, the driver/guides are very good , their knowledge and patter is great - avoid the cable car alternative as it has long queues.

Cartagena is a walk off straight into the town scenario - a really lovely place. The naval museum (free) is near the promenade and is very educational - the Spaniards apparently were pioneers in early submarine development and a protype is on display. Cartagena is a main naval base for the Spanish Armada, so of interest to anybody into such stuff.

Read the information on the Spain ports in the Ports of Call forum.

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