Venice

Considered the Mediterranean city of love, Venice has one of the most beautiful port entrances that can be admired from a balcony stateroom of a cruise ship.

Over the last years more and more cruise companies like Celebrity Cruises are using Venice, not only as the starting point of their routes, but also as port of call for their long routes (12-14 nights), spending a whole night docked.

Other companies like Pullmantur remain here for more than 10 hours, something that helps if you want to visit the nearby islands like Murano for example.

The port is located far away from San Marco, so we'll have to take the ships shuttle service or a vaporetto, which is in fact more a tourist attraction than a transportation

There are several vaporetto lines to get to San Marco, but to me it’s better to go back to Piazzale Roma and take line 1 through the Grand Canal (passing under Rialto and Accademia bridges). The best way to reach Piazzale Roma from the pier is the "People Mover", an electric train (you’ll find it near terminal 107). Watertaxis are very expensive. Anyway there is an information point about transportation in Venice near the cruise terminal 107.

SAN MARCO

OFFICIAL TOURS. We can choose between panoramic views of the city, visits to Murano (famous for its crystal) or the classic gondola ride.

ALTERNATIVES. Pick up a map and get lost in the corners of Venice. There is an interesting route through the most attractive places of Venice. I propose the following:

San Marco> San Moise (by XXII Marzo)> Santa Maria di Giglio> Teatro La Fenice> Campo Santo Stefano> Ponte Accademia> Museo dell 'Accademia> Scuola Grande if S. Rocco> Santa Maria di Frari> Campo San Polo> Ponte Rialto> San Giovanni e Paolo> Church of the Pieta> Hotel Danieli> Ponte of Paglia

If you want to look for a gondola ride, there is a stop at Cavaletto on the western part of San Marco, next to the Hard Rock Cafe. I recommend to negotiate the best price as it depends on the number of people, if the gondolier sings, if you want to drink a glass of prosecco...

WHERE TO EAT: Venice is very expensive, and more expensive as we get closer to San Marco.
If we choose a trattoria or restaurant be sure that the price shown on the list includes every charge like taxes, service charge or gratuities.

Just in case you want to drink a beer in Piazza San Marco, with an orchestra playing some songs, it will cost between 12 and 15 € (a small beer or bottle). If you eat an ice cream, the price is even higher ... So if you want a glamorous place where you can sit down, rest and drink something in Venice, I recommend Hotel Danielli. It is a classic, historical hotel in Venice near the Grand Canal and has beautiful interiors (you can visit it). It will cost 8€ (instead of  5€ on any bar) for a beer with snacks, the restrooms are clean and its worth the money.
A good choice for a sandwich or Panini is Roma Street on the right side of San Marco. It is a long street with  italian fast food restaurants and bars, where you can buy a panini with goat cheese and parma ham

SHOPPING: In the same street (Roma Street) and surroundings there are many souvenir shops, some very curious…

LINKS:
Hotel Danieli
Vaporetto