Walking to Fort

[propanelady]

I've read that from the cruise ship pier to either the San Felipe Fort or the Clock Tower in the walled city is under 2 miles. I'm thinking about walking to the fort and exploring there first and then walking to the walled city from the fort. Is this just plain nuts or is this something an average person can do? Of course, it is terribly hot/muggy then I'll forgo this idea, but I would still rather walk than take a taxi.

[Appygirl]

Hot and muggy yes. This is a commercial port, freighters and containers, and dock workers, that sort of thing, with room made for cruise ships to dock. Its not a tourist area with a lot of people walking around. I'd say a lot depends on your comfort level and safety when leaving the port area on foot. This is probably the only port that I personally would not be comfortable going for a walk and I can speak Spanish and get around OK. If it was me I'd take a taxi.

[Host Caroline]

I agree.. in fact this is one of a few ports where I usually take ship tour...

[eandj]

It is ALWAYS very hot and muggy there. Get a ride to the fort and then you can walk down to the walled city. Very easy to do.

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

I don't recommend trying to walk. In addition to being super hot and muggy, where the ship docks is an isolated area, not "tourist friendly" like other ports with shops all around it.

[terryde]

We were just there last month. We took a cab to the fort, but really think we were taken. Cost $15 for 2 of us! Then walked easily to the walled city (over the bridge). took a cab back for only $10 and it was that much farther! From the fort to the walled city historic part is maybe a mile.

 

I do recommend the english audio guide to the fort - only $6 and it tells you everything, at your own pace.

[eandj]

We were just there last month. We took a cab to the fort, but really think we were taken. Cost $15 for 2 of us! Then walked easily to the walled city (over the bridge). took a cab back for only $10 and it was that much farther! From the fort to the walled city historic part is maybe a mile.

 

I do recommend the english audio guide to the fort - only $6 and it tells you everything, at your own pace.

 

That taxi fare is about right. Especially if you caught it at the port. Figure $7 or so a person to the walled city if there are two of you. To Old city and FOUR in a cab it was $4.00 each. Fort is a bit further. Don't fret. ;)

[Alsmez]

We took a cab to the fort and then walked to the Old City from there. It was HOT. As for cabs, the cab line inside the cruise terminal is a TOTAL racket - they overcharge like crazy. I heard them asking for as much as $20pp to the fort, which is ridiculous. They quoted me $20 for two. I told them I wouldn't pay more than $8 for the two of us and they refused to bargain - they just ignored us, presumably hoping we'd get tired of waiting and accept their price. Luckily we ran into another couple who said they'd heard we should walk out of the port area for cheaper cabs (which I then remembered having read here as well), so we did. Lo and behold, a cab for the four of us to the fort was only $10! Of course, the cabbie tried to take us on his own tour and up to the monastery, but we simply held firm, told him the price we had negotiated and where we wanted to go, and eventually we got there.

 

On the way home, we were approached by cabbies in the Old Town near the Clock Tower asking $10 back to the port. We walked away and out of the main tourist area and just flagged a cab, who quoted $5. Quite a scam, but you can certainly get around inexpensively if you stick to your guns.

[eandj]

Like a lot of places where cruisers disembark, cab drivers will do their best to collect more than "normal" from unsuspecting tourists. Ever been to Pireaus, Greece? :eek: What a joke! And just try to get one of the few cabs to Oia in Santorini after 10 in the morning, when more than one ship is port. It's a joke. Which is why cruise critic and tripadvisor are such a help to people.

 

After reading the range of what poeple pay from Point A to Point B, choose the price you feel comfortable with and then decide whether to "hold your guns" once there. Some cruisers don't feel comfortable bargaining with cabbies. Some find it just easier to share cabs and split the total to save money. We've learned not to worry once we have the facts.

[Putterdude]

The area you would walk through is quite mixed, it is hot, it is humid and it is further than we would care to walk in a strange city...we took a ship's tour when were there and when we go back we would take a cab.