Travel experts at Emerald Cruises know the value of time during a holiday. Our perception of time often shifts when travelling as we try to jam pack our days with experiences, inevitably wishing we had more time in each destination.
With this in mind, Emerald Cruise specialists set out to offer travellers the opportunity to make the most out of every minute of the journey, challenging the conventional notion of stopovers as lost time.
Emerald Cruises explored the best cities where travellers can visit the highest number of top-rated attractions in a short span of time. From discovering hidden gems to strolling through iconic landmarks, the findings offer a fresh perspective on stopovers: no longer a time to wait, but part of the adventure itself.
The top-rated stopover destinations
|
Rank |
City |
Average Walking Distance between Top Tourist Attractions (minutes) |
Number of Top Rated Tourist Attractions |
Total 5* Reviews for Tourist Attractions |
|
1 |
Barcelona |
32 |
12 |
2.31M |
|
2 |
Istanbul |
32 |
14 |
2.13M |
|
3 |
Seville |
15 |
16 |
1.62M |
|
4 |
Venice |
20 |
16 |
1.37M |
|
5 |
Athens |
14 |
12 |
1.59M |
|
6 |
Valencia |
19 |
14 |
888K |
|
7 |
Dublin |
27 |
15 |
528K |
|
8 |
Naples |
35 |
15 |
741K |
|
9 |
Belfast |
46 |
17 |
203K |
|
10 |
Porto |
22 |
12 |
760K |
The top attractions per destination
Barcelona
- Basílica de la Sagrada Família: designed by the famed Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudí, it’s the world’s largest unfinished Catholic church, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Status. (image below)
- Placa de Gaudi: originally created as the Sagrada Familia’s garden, this picturesque square surrounded by lush greenery offers impressive views of the basilica.
- Montjuïc Castle: former military fortress built in 1640, offering a historical dive into the cities’ rich past and wonderful panoramic views of the city.
Istanbul
- Basilica Cistern: the largest of the many ancient underground cisterns hidden beneath the Turkish capital’s streets, offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of Byzantine Constantinople. (image below)
- Beyazit Square: officially named ‘Freedom square’, the square brings visitors into the heart of Istanbul’s history, with the grand Bayezid II Mosque standing impressively at its perimeter.
- The Boulder: a dog, known by the name of “The Boulder”, has become the top-rated tourist attraction in Istanbul, serving as a peaceful reminder of the calm found in stillness.
Seville
1. Casa de Pilatos: One of Seville’s biggest private residences, the palace is one of the cities’ best-preserved buildings, characterised by a beautiful blend of Gothic Mudejar and Renaissance styles. (image below)
2. Plaza de Toros Seville: Spain’s largest and most famous bullfighting arena, it hosts the world’s biggest bullfighting event during the Feria de Abril.
3. Parque de Maria Luisa: As Seville’s largest and most visited park, it is a peaceful urban oasis with must-see attractions such as Plaza de España, the Museo Arqueológico and the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares.
Venice
1. Free Walking tours of Venice: not an attraction per se, Venice’s free walking tours are the ideal way to experience the city’s charm as a local, discovering hidden gems and historic landmarks.
2. Doge’s Palace: One of Venice’s main landmarks, the building is a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. Inside the palace, visitors can explore historic rooms, appreciate iconic artworks, and walk through intriguing dungeons, crossing the famous Bridge of Sighs.
3. Piazza San Marco: Called by Napoleon the ‘world’s most beautiful drawing room’, the city’s main public square is the heart of Venice, with iconic buildings such as the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Correre museum. (image below)
Athens
1. Ancient Agora of Athens: the largest of the many ancient underground cisterns hidden beneath the Turkish capital’s streets, offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of Byzantine Constantinople.
2. Acropolis Museum: One of the world’s most important archaeological museums, showcases a large collection of artifacts from the Acropolis for a unique dive into Greek art and culture. (image below)
3. Temple of Hephaestus: One of the best preserved ancient Greek temples, its remarkable level of preservation offers a unique sight of classical Greek architecture.
Valencia
1. Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia: Spain’s second largest art museum, it showcases works from the 15th-19th centuries, including medieval paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts and showpieces by masters like Velázquez, El Greco, and Murillo.
2. Bioparc Valencia: Home to almost a thousand animals of 150 African species, the park offers visitors an immersive experience of the African continent, with a particular attention towards environmental conservation. (image below)
3. Gulliver park: Located in the east part of the Turia Gardens, it is one of the most popular parks in the city, featuring a large-scale Gulliver sculpture, inspired by Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, and slides, ropes, and tunnels, offering an interactive and imaginative experience for children and families.
Dublin
1. Dublin Castle: Built in the early 13th century on the grounds of a Viking settlement, for centuries the castle acted as the centre of English and British governance in Ireland. Currently employed by the Irish Government for official occasions, it is a popular tourist attraction. (image below)
2. Iveagh Gardens: Designed by Ninian Niven in 1865 as part of the Dublin Exhibition Palace, the gardens are one of the city’s most beautiful yet lesser-known parks, with unique features such as rustic grottos, sunken lawns, woodlands, a maze, a rose garden and archery grounds.
3. Dublinia: The museum explores Viking and Medieval Dublin, offering a deep dive into Dublin’s fascinating history.
Naples
1. Piazza del Plebiscito: The largest square in Naples, its architectural beauty makes it one of the city’s most elegant locations, serving as the venue for several events and celebrations. (image below)
2. Napoli Sotterannea: Located beneath the historic center of the city, this extensive network of ancient streets and squares, partly built by the Romans and Greeks, takes visitors on a journey through history.
3. Catacombs of San Gennaro: Representing the history of Naple’s protector, San Gennaro, visitors can appreciate the city’s evolution over time and marvel at the ancient frescoes, intricate tombs, and final resting places of numerous saints and bishops.
Belfast
- The Tropical Ravine: A listed building in Belfast’s Botanical Gardens, reopened to the public in 2018 after a £3.8 million renovation. Behind its unique Victorian design, are rare plant species and a stunning waterfall.
2. Titanic Belfast: Recognised as World’s Leading Tourist Attraction, the museum presents the story of the famed ship, from its creation and building to its debut voyage and mark in history. (image below)
3. Museum of Orange Heritage: Located in Schomberg house museum, the museum explores the origins of the Orange Institution, its evolution over time and current role in British, Irish and global society.
Porto
1. Dom Luis Bridge: Porto’s most famous bridge, it is built on two levels, with the top one crossed by the metro and offering pedestrians stunning views of the river Douro, and the bottom deck serving as road traffic. (image below)
2. Miradouro da Vitória: One of Porto’s best-known viewpoints, it offers visitors a free panoramic of the city’s most iconic landmarks, like the Dom Luis bridge and the Ribeira district.
3. Carmo Church: Built for the Carmelite order, the Church is one of the city’s oldest buildings, fascinating visitors with hand-painted azulejos and a striking organ with horizontal horns.