Venice

Why Venice is special to cruisers
Venice and its canals are one of Europe's top tourism attractions.

Venice's Top 5 attractions

St Marks Basilica / Bell Tower / Square
Doges Palace
Gondola ride
Venetian alleyways on foot
Grand Canal boat tour

Venice shore excursion tips & insights
Best time to visit
Late spring and early fall are optimum. Mid-summer can be undesirably hot-humid and the canals can have an unpleasant scent. In winter, night temperatures drop to or near freezing.

Exploring Venice on foot
See the real Venice by doing it early in the day (tour groups won't be clogging the streets, alleys, and leading attractions).

Best time to gondola
Sunset for beauty, evening for romance. Daytime atmopshere pales by comparison.

Pigeons
Don't let St Mark Square pigeons land on your head or shoulders, as some tourists do. Pigeons can harbor infectious diseases.

Outdoor cafes
Check menu prices before sitting down at a St. Mark's Square outdoor cafe (even the bill for a solo coffee can shock).

Verona is the top shore excursion destination beyond Venice
Popular attractions:
Roman Arena
An ancient colosseum that's in remarkably good condition.

Juliet's balcony
Don't believe guides who say it's the real one where Romeo wooed Juliet. How could anyone know? Not only is Shakespeare's play fictional, the Bard never traveled to Verona.

Links to my Wonders of Venice pages
Canals of Venice
Doges Palace
St Mark's Basilica
St Mark's Square
Venetian Alley Maze

Cuisine
Click Italian cuisine to read my insightful web pages on the local Veneto and other regional Italian cuisines.