Cruise port guideITVCE

Venice

Venice's cruise ships now dock at Fusina and Marghera on the mainland after big ships were barred from the Giudecca Canal in 2021; river and small ships still use the city.

5 things to do1 airport connections3 ships

Your day ashore, at a glance

Find something worth your time Plan the airport transfer Read the safety guidance

Peak season: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Make the most of your stop

Things to do in Venice

5 recommendations

Choose an easy wander, a local highlight or a bigger day out. Compare practical details before you head ashore.

Photo: Zairon — Public domain
Recommended ashore
St. Mark's Square and Basilica
Go early to beat the crowds.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: palazzoducale.visitmuve.it
Recommended ashore
Doge's Palace
The secret itineraries tour includes the prisons and the Bridge of Sighs.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · License
Recommended ashore
Murano and Burano
Glass-blowing and painted fishermen's houses, by vaporetto.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Explore ashore
Recommended ashore
Rialto Market
Fish and produce stalls in the morning.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: Njsmith3 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · License
Recommended ashore
Gondola or traghetto
The traghetto is the cheap way across the Grand Canal.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity

Getting to your ship

Airport to cruise port

Fusina and Marghera are about 20 km from Venice Marco Polo, about 25 minutes by taxi or the lines' coaches. Small ships still at the Marittima terminal are 20 minutes from the airport by road, or by water taxi or the Alilaguna boat.

VCE

Venice Marco Polo Airport

To Venice · one way

Airport lounges

Verified transfer prices from VCE have not been published yet. Check the transport operator before booking.

Rental cars: Available at the airport but useless in Venice itself.

Know before you go

Safety ashore

Women travelers

Extra caution advised

Canada recommends heightened caution because of terrorism. Pickpocketing and distraction theft affect historic sights, beaches and public transport; keep valuables secure during port excursions. Editorial assessment for women visiting the port, based on country-level advice; no women-specific terminal incident rate has been verified. Local conditions and individual routes may differ.

Reviewed 2026-10-25

Government travel advice

LGBTQ+ travelers

Routine precautions

U.S. government advice reports no restrictions on same-sex relations or gay and lesbian events and recognises legal civil unions. Keep normal personal-security precautions. This legal baseline does not measure harassment or separately establish risks for transgender visitors. Editorial assessment based on the cited sources; conditions may vary by route, time and individual circumstances.

Reviewed 2026-10-25

Official safety, legal or local LGBTQ+ guidance

Editorial guidance reflects the cited advice and review date. Laws, attitudes and conditions can differ within a destination. No rating guarantees personal safety.

Pick your moment

When to go

Jan: Low season
Feb: Low season
Mar: Shoulder season
Apr: Shoulder season
May: High season
Jun: High season
Jul: High season
Aug: High season
Sep: High season
Oct: High season
Nov: Shoulder season
Dec: Shoulder season

● High season○ Shoulder season◌ Low season

Spring and autumn are the best months; summer is hot and crowded, and day-trippers pay an access fee on peak days.

Who else is in port?

Port crowding index

100 is average. 150 means 50% more ship passenger capacity than this port’s observed hourly average over the past 30 days; 50 means half the average.

Checking ships in port…

Estimate for tracked catalog ships, based on published passenger capacity, not actual passengers ashore. Port areas are approximate circles around published port coordinates. Only positions reported within an hour at 1 knot or less are counted; ships at anchor may be included. Missing AIS reports and untracked ships can understate crowding. Quiet observed hours count toward the average; collection outages do not.

Set sail