Venice, Italy cruise port guide
The first settlement of the marshy islands in the lagoon was for protection from barbarian tribes that terrorized mainland farms and villages. Island living quickly led to the development of skills in handling boats, then ships. Maritime trade conducted by shrewd merchants brought great wealth, which permitted the building of palaces, churches and monuments. The city became the center of the vast Venetian empire, its name forever summoning visions of grandeur, magnificence, richness, graciousness and beauty. Although later linked to the mainland, first by a railway bridge built in 1848 and then by a motor causeway in 1930, this island city will always be considered the "Queen of the Sea." There are no cars in Venice; all transportation is by boat or on foot along the time-worn, cobblestone streets and across some 400 bridges that span the city's 177 canals. Enchanting Venice truly offers an atmosphere that exists nowhere else.
About Venice, Italy
Venice is one of the world's most extraordinary cities, built on 126 islands in a shallow lagoon, with 472 bridges connecting its medieval neighborhoods. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and former capital of the Republic of Venice, it offers an unmatched concentration of Renaissance art, Gothic architecture, and unique canal-based transportation.
St. Mark's Basilica and the adjacent Doge's Palace anchor the city's tourist heart at Piazza San Marco. The Grand Canal, traversed by the iconic Rialto Bridge, is best experienced by vaporetto (water bus). The islands of Murano (glassblowing) and Burano (lacework, colorful houses) make excellent half-day excursions. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the Grand Canal houses one of Europe's finest modern art museums. The Accademia gallery is the premier repository of Venetian Renaissance painting.
Quick facts
Cruises visiting Venice, Italy
Prices per person · incl. taxes & fees.
Sailing soonest
Ancient Adriatic Treasures - Istanbul to Venice
Viking Sea · Europe · 14 nights
from $7,898
$564 / night
Adriatic & Mediterranean Sojourn Istanbul to Rome
Viking Sea · Europe · 21 nights
from $11,897
$566 / night
Timeless Venice
MS Michelangelo · Europe · 5 nights
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Ljubljana to Rome
S.S. Maria Theresa · Europe · 13 nights
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Slovenia, Venice & the Jewels of Veneto - Ljubljana to Venice
S.S. Maria Theresa · Europe · 10 nights
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Adriatic Discovery: Venice, Istria & the Croatian
Emerald Kaia · Mediterranean · 7 nights
from $14,390
$2,055 / night
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