Sweet shore leave on La Palma

The market hall of Santa Cruz de La Palma is cozy and clear. Many small shops line up around a square courtyard. It’s the usual offer of Mediterranean markets: fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, spices, flowers and a number of small bars for coffee or a quick glass of wine. But there is a special feature here in St. Cruz: freshly squeezed sugarcane juice – on request also with “shot” – that tastes like more.

Cádiz/Spain: Sea urchin in the lighthouse

The restaurant El Faro (lighthouse) in the southern Spanish city of Cádiz again was such a pilot’s recommendation. As a local expert pilots do not only know the waters of their hometown, but also the culinary world. The recommendation for El Faro came from a true gourmet.

Shore leave St. Cruz de La Palma/Canary Islands

The Italian ship’s doctor, known for his passion for good food, invited us to this restaurant. He has been visiting it for years on every port stay in Santa Cruz. Now we know why. A tiny house with an even tinier kitchen, six tables, great taste and even greater hospitality. Happy, who gets a table at Doña Carmen, at the ENRICLAI in Santa Cruz de La Palma.

Shore leave Madeira

Madeira is a beautiful island. A paradise for hikers, plant lovers and peace seekers at any time of the year. The sporty alternative to cable car and basket sleigh ride is a walking distance from the ship to Cabo Girão – or (not quite as athletic) to Câmara de Lobos, the most beautiful fishing village of the island. Here you can read the captain’s shore leave recommendation: “Three walks in Madeira”

Shore leave Lisbon: Breakfast in Belem

A special way to get to know foreign cities and countries is a visit to a bakery or pastry shop. The variety of different types of bread and the selection of the most diverse pastries regularly lure my captain on a discovery tour to the most beautiful pastry shops in the world. One of them he found in Lisbon, namely the Pastéis de Belém. The good: from the cruise ship, it is very easy to reach by bike or on foot. Here is the captain’s shore leave recommendation: “Breakfast in Lisbon”

Shore Leave in Barcelona

I’m sometimes asked whether a captain has time for a shore leave now and then. Yes. He does. In consultation with his deputy, the staff captain, he sometimes can enjoy a short break. However, he never moves far from the ship. Safe is safe. But a lunch at a restaurant – preferably recommended by the local pilots – is a welcome interruption of board routine or a small tour through the respective port city. Barcelona in Spain is one of his absolute favorite cities. Here you can read the captain’s shore leave recommendation: “7 hours in Barcelona”