venice trieste cruise port address

Trieste Cruise Port – the essential guide

If you’ve eagerly anticipated setting sail from Venice on your dream Mediterranean or Greek Isles cruise, prepare for an unexpected delight.

Venice, in 2021, had to bid adieu to many of the larger cruise ships due to rising water levels, creating a unique opportunity for the picturesque Trieste Cruise Port to steal the spotlight.

This charming Italian port, nestled gracefully along the scenic Adriatic coastline, now beckons you with open arms, offering itself as the gateway to your unforgettable voyage.

Read on to discover all the essentials for a smooth cruise experience, setting sail from Trieste Cruise Port.

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Trieste Cruise port

So where exactly is Trieste cruise port, and how easy is it to spend time in Venice before or after a cruise from Trieste?

First, you must check which ports to head to with your cruise line when booking a cruise from Venice. If it’s from Trieste or Ravenna , you need to consider this before you book your flight and make transfer arrangements.

Trieste is located 160 km northeast of Venice. It has the Adriatic Sea to the west and borders Slovenia to the east. It’s about a two-hour transfer either by road or rail from Venice.

If you plan to spend a few days in Venice before your cruise, we recommend saving a night or two to stay in Trieste. It’s a great city, with plenty to see and do.

The good news is that getting to Trieste from Venice is not tricky, and you have choices. Allow for the travel time and budget for the extra cost. We discuss all your transport options further below in this article.

Given that most cruise ships arrive at Trieste’s Stazione Marittima cruise port (the more central cruise port), the information we give here is for Stazione Marittima port. The historical cruise passenger terminal building is close to the city’s largest square, Piazza Unità d’Italia.

What are the closest airports to Trieste cruise port?

• Trieste Airport TRS (40 km)
• Venice Marco Polo Airport VCE (150 km)

If you prefer to skip Venice, search for flights to Trieste’s airport. To get from the airport, book an airport transfer to your hotel before you leave home. Alternatively, below you have the following public transport options.

Trieste Airport (TRS) to central Trieste

Trieste airport is around 40 km from central Trieste. Here are the transport options available to get you to the city center:

Bus : APT Gorizia is the local bus company operating bus number 51 from the airport. You can buy a one-way bus ticket for about 5 euros.

Taxi : There are taxis at the airport as you exit the arrivals area. The journey time is an estimated 30 minutes for around 50 euros. Expect to pay more if you are traveling in the evenings.

Train : Our favorite way to travel is by train. A direct train from Trieste airport to the central train station runs 2 or 3 times every hour. It’s a quick 29-minute journey costing around 5 euros per person.

Check out Omio’s website to easily search and compare train ticket prices to find your journey . Tickets can also be booked through Trenitalia or Italotreno. However, Omio offers price comparisons for your trip and a more straightforward booking process.

Venice Marco Polo (VCE) Airport to central Trieste

Venice airport is around 150 km from central Trieste.

If you arrive on an international flight to Venice Marco Polo Airport and want to transfer directly to Trieste, here are your best options:

Private Transfer: a private transfer is the easiest but most expensive option. Book through a trusted supplier such as Viator and have a driver waiting for you as you exit the arrivals lounge. The journey time is around 2 hours and can cost about 200 euros. This becomes more affordable if you have four or more guests and can share the cost for a hassle-free way of getting there.

Train: there is no train station at Venice Marco Polo airport. Take a taxi about 10 km from the airport to Venice’s central train station, Mestre. From there take a train direct to Trieste center. The journey takes 2 hours. You can book train tickets in Italy online before you leave home or at the train station.

How to travel between Venice island and Trieste

If you have chosen to explore Venice for a few days before or after your cruise and are staying on Venice Island, the train is a great way to get to or from Trieste. Purchase tickets to travel from Venezia S. Lucia train station to Trieste Centrale (or vice versa).

Choose the quickest journey where you do not need to change trains.

Trenitalia and Italo Treno are the leading train operators in Italy. They have high-speed Frecce trains that connect you to major cities and numerous regional trains.

You can book train tickets before you leave home, about three months after your travel date.

Alternatively, you can purchase train tickets directly at the train station. The cost of a single journey between Venice island and Trieste for an adult is around 15 euros per person.

Taxes are readily available to get to the port or your hotel from Trieste train station. Prices do vary, especially in the high season. Check with the taxi driver before you climb in. The journey time is about 20 to 30 minutes. The price will increase if it’s a national holiday or an evening journey.

Local buses also run from the train station to central Trieste and the cruise port.

Where to stay in Trieste

We recommend at least one hotel night in Trieste before your cruise starts – it’s a great city to explore. Here are our top 4 hotel recommendations for your stay in Trieste:

1. Double Tree by Hilton Trieste

The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel is centrally located about a 10-minute walk from the cruise port. The building is beautiful and is surrounded by a good selection of cafes and restaurants. If you are a Hilton Honors member (it’s free of charge to join their loyalty program), expect extra perks when you check in. We appreciated the chilled bottled water and fresh cookies.

2. Savoia Excelsior Palace

This is an excellent hotel, architecturally stunning, right next to the cruise port near Piazza Unità d’Italia. Enjoy good service and friendly staff – everything you’d expect for a 4-star plus experience. Ask for a balcony room directly overlooking the pier for a beautiful view. And to top it all, their lounge has an excellent cocktail menu.

3. Grand Hotel Duchi d’Aosta

This small, intimate boutique hotel has excellent facilities and a restaurant, Harry’s Piccolo. It’s located right on Piazza Unità d’Italia.

A popular feature includes a heated indoor pool in a city center location, and the hotel enjoys an excellent rating at Booking.com .

4. Hotel Continentale

The Hotel Continental is centrally located just a 10-minute walk from the central train station in Trieste and 15 minutes from the cruise port. Some rooms are a little dated, but overall, it is a good 4-star experience.

5. Hotel Solun

Hotel Solun is a great 4-star choice! The hotel is only 10 years old and has spacious, light, modern rooms, an excellent bar, and a nice restaurant. There are just 34 rooms and apartments, so book early. On our cruise embarkation day, we took a taxi from the hotel to the port for just 10 euros.

Splendid Trieste, Italy – a walking tour

Trieste, located in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region, is the region’s historical capital. The architecture, cuisine, and languages reflect its multicultural diversity, a mixture of Mediterranean and central European heritage.

A great starting point for getting to know the city is Piazza Unità d’Italia (Unity of Italy Square). This is the main square in Trieste. Once home to the old marina, it faces the sea and is the city’s commercial hub, with many beautiful government buildings lining three sides of the square.

There is a tourist information office right in the square. The friendly staff will provide information and paper maps of the city if you like, so visit them before you start your day.

From Piazza Unità d’Italia, head towards Piazza della Borsa. This square is an excellent place to shop or shop for coffee. Enjoy walking and exploring the area until you reach Canale Grande. This 2 km long waterway is a lively area of shops and restaurants; it’s also an excellent place to return to for an evening restaurant as the whole area is beautifully lit at night.

Just a 20-minute walk southwards of the canal is the Roman Theatre of Trieste on Via del Teatro Romano. A beautifully preserved Roman theater, it was built at the base of a sloping hill called San Giusto. Many of the archaeological finds discovered when the site was excavated in 1938 can be viewed in the museum at the Castle of San Giusto , located a short walk away.

When you reach Castello di San Giusto, you will have fantastic panoramic views over Trieste. It’s a bit of a climb but well worth it. End your city walk at the cathedral, Cattedrale di San Giusto Martire.

If you are hungry and looking to try local seafood dishes, we recommend Antica Trattoria Le Barettine, located between the cathedral and Unity of Italy Square. If, however, they are closed for the season, there are many restaurants to choose from in this area.

Favorite day trips from Trieste

Here are our favorite spots just a short distance outside Trieste that are worth visiting during your stay:

Miramare Castle – Castello di Miramare

Crowned by the spectacular 19th-century Miramare Castle located on a rocky spur on the Gulf of Trieste, this grand house once owned by the Habsburg family is a must-see while visiting the city. The castle and surrounding park are open every day except Christmas and New Year. The park is free of charge to enjoy, and the fee of 10 euros per person to enter the castle is well worth it.

Sistiana Bay

Just 20 km north of Trieste is the stunning bay of Sistiana. You could combine a visit here with Miramare Castle as the castle is on its way, about halfway between Trieste and Sistiana. You drive along the beautiful coastal road known as Costiera Triestina . There are plenty of places to stop and take photos, the most picturesque being at Santa Croce Mare and Grignano.

Book an excursion with a trusted supplier such as Viator so that transportation and a guided tour of the bay are included. You will even have time to explore and swim at the beach there. Note that it’s a shingle beach, not sand, edging the inviting turquoise water of the Adriatic Sea.

How to get to Port of Trieste from the historical center

The passenger cruise terminal, Stazione Marittima (Port Station), is located right next to the historical center and is within walking distance from Piazza Unità d’Italia (Unity of Italy Square).

If you are not within walking distance, we recommend asking your hotel concierge to book a taxi for the short ride to the port. Even if your hotel is only a 20-minute walk, remember you will have all your cruise packing and luggage with you, so a taxi is the best choice to avoid the long walk with suitcases.

How to get to Trieste Airport from the Port of Trieste

If your cruise ship arrives at Stazione Marittima cruise port in Trieste and you fly the same day as you disembark your cruise, here are your options for transportation to the airport in Trieste.

Taxi: The most straightforward way but also one of the most costly ways to travel is by taxi. Taxis are available at the port or by calling tel. +39 040 307730. Note you cannot book a taxi in advance. There is a flat rate from Trieste cruise port to Trieste airport at 60€. It takes about 45/50 mins.

Bus: You need to make two separate journeys to reach the airport using the bus.

a) Stazione Marittima cruise port to Trieste Piazza Libertà bus station

The distance is 1.1 km, about 15 minutes walking or 5 minutes by taxi (tel. +39 040 307730). Note you cannot book a taxi in advance.

Alternatively, take a bus (12-15 mins) from Riva del Mandraccio, numbers 8/24/30. You can purchase a ticket on board for 1.40€ single ticket. Buses leave every 10 minutes.

b) Trieste Piazza Libertà bus station to Trieste Airport

Bus G51 buses approximately every 30 mins, depending on the time of the day. It takes approx 55mins/1hour. You can purchase tickets for the G51 bus at the Trieste bus station (payment cash/credit card/debit card) for 4.40€ single ticket.

Train: You must make two journeys to reach the airport using the train.

a) Stazione Marittima (cruise port) to Trieste Centrale train station

The distance is 1.1 km and takes approximately 15 minutes to walk or 5 minutes by taxi tel. +39 040 307730 (you cannot book a taxi in advance). Alternatively, take a bus 12-15 mins from Riva del Mandraccio, number 8/24/30 (you can purchase a ticket on board 1.40€ single ticket, buses every 10 mins).

b) Trieste Centrale train station to Trieste Airport

There are trains about every 30/45 minutes, depending on the time of the day. Check the timetable with Omio, which includes the Trenitalia trains . It takes 28 minutes, and a single ticket costs around 5€.

Cruise lines departing from Trieste Cruise Port

• Ships: Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Breakaway
• Destinations: Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Adriatic Coast
• Ships: MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia
• Destinations: Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey
• Ships: Azamara Onward
• Destinations: Greek Isles, Ionian Sea
• Ships: Seven Seas Navigator
• Destinations: Mediterranean, French Riviera, Spain
• Ships: Queen Victora
• Destinations: Adriatic Coast, Western Mediterranean
• Ships: Star Princess

These cruise lines offer a variety of itineraries departing from Trieste, allowing you to explore stunning regions of the Mediterranean, the enchanting Greek Isles, the picturesque Dalmatian Coast, and more for your upcoming cruise in 2024 and 2025. Be sure to check with our travel partner, Cruise Direct , for specific departure dates and availability.

Trieste awaits you with exciting cruise adventures!

Meet the author: Sarah has created and booked hundreds of travel itineraries for thousands of customers during a career in the travel industry that spans 20 years. Having worked hand in hand with cruise lines, hotels, airlines and tour operators worldwide, she offers inspiring & detailed insights in the world of travel and tourism.

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30 thoughts on “Trieste Cruise Port – the essential guide”

We are tentatively booked at Forum Bijou in Trieste. How far is that from the port for Norwegian line?

Hello Marge

Thank you for contacting us. We apologize for the delay in replying to you. The latest information we have received from NCL is that they are using terminals Molo Bersaglieri for Pier #29 and Pier #30 OR Trieste Marine Terminal (TMT) – Via della Rampa for pier #57.

Kindly check with NCL which terminal they intend to use for your cruise sailing; the address should be on your cruise tickets.

If you are staying at Forvm Boutique Hotel, on Via Valdirivo, 30, this is about 10 minutes by taxi from the cruise terminal Molo Bersaglieri. This cruise terminal is very central.

To get to Trieste Marine Terminal is a little further; it is south of the city center, but it is still an easy taxi journey of around 15 minutes.

I recommend you ask your hotel to assist with booking a taxi to ensure you get to the cruise port in good time. We wish you a great stay in wonderful Trieste and a super cruise vacation.

Hello Sarah,

We will be departing Trieste on October 27 on the Norwegian Epic. Our cruise docs give the port address as “Trieste Cruise Terminal Via Della Rampa1,Trieste 34123, Italy”. Looking at the address in Google maps, it doesn’t quite make sense. Would this mean we are using Ormeggio 57? What address or location would you recommend we give the taxi driver (we will be staying at the DoubleTree in Trieste)?

Hello Mark,

Thank you for contacting us at CruiseTrail! It is important that you use the address given to you by your cruise line. Some cruise ships use the Trieste Marine Terminal, reached via Via Della Rampa, a few kilometers outside of the city center. I recommend you check with your cruise line if in doubt or if you have questions, and that you give the full address on your ticket to your driver. Be sure to give them the cruise line’s name so they get you as close as possible to the cruise ship.

In May 2024 we will be staying in Venice 2 days and then Trieste 1 day before boarding the NCL Pearl. We are already booked at the Doubletree Hilton in Trieste. Since we’re staying on the island of Venice a train sounds like our best option to travel to Trieste. I plan to buy the train tickets early but am concerned about navigating the train system in italy. Is it easy to find the correct train?

Hi Wanda! Thank you for contacting us at CruiseTrail! We have used the train system many times in Italy without any problems. I recommend the following: 1. Purchase your tickets online (we like Omio) and download them onto your smartphone, so you can show them when onboard the train. 2. Turn up to the train station in good time so you do not feel stressed in finding your train. Find your route on the announcement boards, and it will tell you which track you need. The tracks are numbered. 3. If in doubt, ask an attendant, or go to the information desk, they will be able to help you in English. If you are staying on Venice island, you need to book from the Santa Lucia train station in Venice, to Trieste Centrale train station. Enjoy your cruise vacation, it sounds like you have a good plan! Trieste is lovely.

Our NCL cruise ends in Triste. How difficult is it to disembark and travel to the train station with luggage? We booked a hotel in Venice hoping to have time to tour the city before returning to Rome the next day. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Many thanks for contacting us at CruiseTrail!

You do not mention which cruise terminal your ship arrives at, do check your cruise ticket however very often it is Stazione Marittima.

To get from Stazione Marittima cruise port to Trieste Centrale train station takes approximately 15 minutes to walk, about 1.1 km. This does not sound a long way but actually with luggage it can be difficult walk along a busy road. I would certainly opt to take a taxi to the train station which will only take 5 minutes (depending on traffic). There are often plenty of taxis in the port area when cruise ships arrive. You can also call tel. +39 040 307730 (you cannot book a taxi in advance).

Alternatively, take a bus 12-15 mins from Riva del Mandraccio, number 8/24/30 (you can purchase a ticket on board for about 1.40€ single ticket, buses every 10 mins). However, this is a public bus and can get crowded and be problematic with a lot of luggage.

Once you are at the train station, the regional Trenitalia train will take you directly to Venice in around 2 hours.

Book a train ticket to Venice Mestre if your hotel is on the mainland, or to Venice Santa Lucia station if your hotel is on Venice island.

You can search and compare tickets with our travel partner Omio before you leave home if you like. They have a very handy app where you can download and store your tickets on your phone.

I hope this information is of help. Good luck and have a wonderful cruise vacation with NCL!

Best regards Sarah

Hi What’s the best option to get to the city centre from the cruise port. We are on MSC cruise arriving Trieste on 18th October

Hi George, thank you for contacting us at CruiseTrail!

If your MSC Cruise ship is docking at Stazione Marittima, Molo dei Bersaglieri, you are within walking distance (5 mins) of the main square in the city, Unity of Italy Square (Piazza Unità d’Italia).

Depending upon where your hotel is located (if you are staying in Trieste after your cruise) then you may either choose to walk or take a taxi from the port. I hope you enjoy your cruise and the city of Trieste – it’s really lovely and a great place to end a cruise vacation.

We are taking a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. We were told the ship will leave from Trieste Marina Terminal. The address is Punto Franco Nuovo Molo VIII. We are staying by the Roman Theater in Trieste. How do we get to the port?

Hi Nancy! Thank you for contacting us at CruiseTrail! Trieste Marina Terminal is located south of the center of Trieste, and I recommend you ask your hotel for help in booking a taxi to get you there as it is too far to walk. Be sure to give the name of the cruise line and cruise terminal when you book to ensure the driver takes you to the correct terminal. I hope you have a wonderful cruise from Trieste.

Thanks Sarah, Very helpful information. Looking forward to our cruise from Trieste.

Thank you for your kind words. I hope you have a wonderful cruise vacation.

Hi Sarah, thank you for the article. We will embark our cruise ship in Trieste in the summer of this year with Holland America line. The port address that HAL gives is: “Via Von Bruck, 3 Trieste, TS 34143 Italy”. From the Google map, I see this address is kind of far from the train station. Since we will stay in Venice for a few days before the cruise and would like to take the train to Trieste. Can you tell us what is the best way for us to get to the port from train station? Or is there any other ways to go to Trieste’s HAL port from Venice other than train? Thank you.

Many thanks for contacting us at CruiseTrail, and I do apologize for the delay in replying. I was awaiting more information from Holland American but it seems very vague from them regarding the cruise port they are using in Trieste.

From the information I received over the phone, it seems the Holland American cruise port is a short walk from the center of Ravenna, less than 10 minutes. I would, however, recommend that you check your cruise ticket for the exact address or contact your local cruise representative and have them check the correct port for your particular sailing.

The easiest and most cost-efficient way to get from Venice to Trieste is by train. You can find out all about booking train travel in Italy on our website. There is the option of a private transfer , with, for example, Viator, but this is the most expensive way to travel unless you are a small group and can share the cost.

To get from the train station to the cruise port, there are local buses from the train station, and also taxis. The journey time from the train station to the center is about 10-15 minutes. We usually recommend staying at least one night in Trieste prior to embarkation day to ensure that you arrive at your cruise ship in good time.

We hope you have a wonderful cruise vacation. Please check your cruise port address on your cruise ticket or with your HAL representative before you travel to ensure you arrive at the correct embarkation port.

We are cruising into Trieste later this year. We want to go to Venice for a couple of days. Is there a web site that would give me a phone number so someone can help me book train tickets to Venice?

Thank you for contacting us at CruiseTrail. How wonderful you are taking the time to visit Venice during your cruise vacation!

If you are not using a travel agent to help you with your booking, I recommend that you book directly with Omio, who offer train tickets with the fast train (Frecciarossa) and regional trains. You will most likely need to change in Bologna for your journey between Trieste and Venice. Omio also has an online help center where you can email them your questions. The Omio website is available in English, and you can pay in your local currency. It is very user-friendly. I recommend that you first create an account with them (free of charge), and you will have access to the information you need about managing your booking and also contact with their help center. When you have made a booking, you can download your tickets to the Omio app on your smartphone (if you like) and have them all in one place and easily accessible when you travel. We partner with Omio, and you can choose to book your train tickets here .

Good luck with your booking; we hope you enjoy Venice!

NCL has a homeport in Trieste now. On the Gem we embark in Trieste. The next day our stop is Venice (from 6:30a to 11p). I cannot locate information on how we get into Venice on May 23, 2023. If it’s a tender, where does it drop you off? I tried NCL without success. Their answer was Port of Venice and it’s a tender port. Does that mean we take a 2 hr. city operated tender to Venice from Trieste? I need details for a tour @ 9:30a meeting near St. Mark’s. As an organized traveler who pre-books as much as possible from home, I find no detailed information. Do I need a day pass or water taxi – I’m not able to determine based on what information is available on groups on FB, NCL or Cruise Critic.

Hello, and thank you for contacting us!

If your ship visits the Port of Venice, it will most likely anchor off-shore and use tender boats to get you into Venice. I have found this pdf from the NCL website which has more information about the port. I recommend you contact NCL again and ask them if this is the port you arrive at on the tender boat.

Once you are at the Port of Venice, you have several options to get to St. Mark’s Square.

NCL may offer a water bus that you can book in advance to get you there, this may be rather expensive, but it will get you there relatively quickly. You must be prepared for queues in Venice, especially when cruise ships visit and thousands of passengers are disembarking around the same time. Ask NCL if they offer water bus transportation and the price, and if you can be off the ship in the earliest group.

You can walk; this will take a good hour, I would guess, bearing in mind the crowds and finding your way. Although the walk is often delightful, it will take time. Hop on the People Mover (1 EURO each payable at the ticket machines with cash or a credit card) from the port to get you to Piazzale Roma, and you walk from there.

Alternatively, you can ride a water taxi from one of the first stops on the Grand Canal to St. Mark’s Square. It will be quicker than walking.

Perhaps you may consider booking a private transfer from the Port of Venice to St. Mark’s Square to get you there even quicker. We trust Viator as a travel partner for transfers in Venice, and you can look closer at the prices they offer here , although this may be the most expensive option for you.

We hope this information is of help to you. We wish you a fantastic day on Venice Island.

Hello Sarah We are flying into Venice Marco Polo Airport looking for any hotel, near Venice Maestre Central Station (MCS), that can provide a shuttle bus to pick us up at the airport. After staying for 3 days, we will check into Holland American Line Cruise ship at Trieste Marine Cruise Terminal. We will take ±2 hours train ride from Venice MCS to Trieste Central Train Station, and stay two nights in Trieste Town. If I take Local Bus #30 from Trieste City Center to Trieste Marine Terminal. There is no Inside Port Transportation from Passeggio Sant’ Andrea (GdF) at the port entry Gate to the Holland American Line Cruise Ship (Except for Walking that may be restricted). As you suggested we will take a taxi instead from our hotel in Trieste to HAL Cruise Port Terminal.

Hi George! It sounds like you have a good plan for your cruise vacation! If you are still searching for a hotel in Venice Maestre, you may like to look at Ambasciatori Hotel Mestre Venice. They offer an airport shuttle bus transfer. It is the same complex as Delfino Mestre. Located very close to the train station, next door to a supermarket, and the bus stop is outside the hotel to get you into Venice island. It is a 3-star option if this suits you. I recommend you read the reviews then contact the hotel regarding an airport shuttle transfer. If you like, you can start your hotel search on our hotel booking resource page . If you decide to look at hotel accommodation on Venice island instead, you can travel by train from Santa Lucia train station (located on the Grand Canal, Venice island) to Trieste. Good luck! I wish you a fantastic trip.

What is the best way to get to Friuili Venezia Guilia airport from the Trieste Cruise terminal? Is the bus station in walking distance (considering bag drag, etc.)

Hi Melissa! Thank you for contacting us!

You have a few options for transport from Trieste cruise terminal to Trieste Airport. If you cruise ship arrives at Statzione Marittima cruise port. Here are your options:

1. TAXI: The easiest way but also one of the most costly is a taxi. Taxi are available at the port or by calling tel. +39 040 307730. Note you cannot book a taxi in advance. There is a flat rate from Trieste cruise port to Trieste airport at 60€. It takes about 45/50 mins.

2. BUS: You need to make two separate journeys to reach the airport using the bus.

The distance is 1.1Km, about 15 mins walking or by taxi 5 mins (tel. +39 040 307730). Note you cannot book a taxi in advance. Alternatively take the bus (12-15 mins) from Riva del Mandraccio nr 8/24/30. You can purchase ticket on board 1.40€ single ticket. Buses leave every 10 mins.

b) Trieste Piazza Libertà bus station to Trieste Airport with Bus G51, buses approximately every 30 mins, depends on the time of the day. It takes approx 55mins/1hour. You can purchase tickets for G51 bus at the Trieste bus station (payment cash/credit card/debit card) 4.40€ single ticket.

3. TRAIN: You need to make two separate journeys to reach the airport using the train.

a) Stazione Marittima (cruise port) to Trieste Centrale train station: 1.1Km / approx 15 mins walking / 5 mins by taxi tel. +39 040 307730 (you cannot book a taxi in advance) / by bus in 12/15 mins from Riva del Mandraccio nr 8/24/30 (you can purchase ticket on board 1.40€ single ticket, buses every 10mins)

b) Trieste Centrale train station to Trieste Airport: There are trains about every 30/45 mins, depends on the time of the day. Check timetable with Omio which include the Trenitalia trains . It takes 28 minutes, single ticket is around 5€.

I hope this information helps you to decide which alternative suits you best. There are often many taxis at the cruise port when ships dock, but I have included the phone number for you as well. I also recommend that check with the guest services on board to see if they offer a transfer to the airport.

I was wondering the best way to get from Trieste port to Marco Polo airport. I will be traveling on my own. Taxi would be the preferred option but seems expensive. Thank you

Hi, Taxis and private transfers can get pricey when traveling alone or in smaller groups.

Depending on your travel dates, some buses and trains are pretty convenient. You can search for buses and trains with the provider we recommend and use. Click here to read more: Search, compare, and book transport .

I find it convenient to travel by train in Italy. One solution could be to take the train to Venice Maestre central station and then, from there taxi or bus to Marco Polo airport. I wish you a wonderful trip, and let me know if you have further questions.

Thank you for this helpful information! My husband and I are taking our first cruise, and Trieste is our embarkation port. We were unsure how to get from the airport to the ship, but your article spells it all out for us. We hope to have a little bit of extra time to explore what sounds like a beautiful city before we set sail. Thanks again for this awesome info!

How exciting, I am sure you will have a lovely trip. Thank you for your kind words; I am happy I could help. And yes, there is plenty to do and see in Trieste. I hope you enjoy the city before your cruise.

Thank you so much. Very helpful. We will be in Trieste September 2024. Brenda Brisbane Australia

Thank you for your kind words. Have a great time in Trieste, there is a lot to see and enjoy.

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The Trieste Cruise Port Ultimate Guide: How to Reach Your Ship

Updated: May 24

Welcome aboard! If you're planning a cruise that starts and finishes in Trieste , Italy, you're in for a treat. Here you will find all the tips and info you need to plan your trip to Trieste and how to get to Trieste Cruise Port from the nearest airports in Trieste and Venice or the Trieste train station.

Trieste is my hometown, so I know it very well and can help you plan your next adventure.

Trieste is well known as the gateway to the Adriatic Sea in northeastern Italy ; it offers a gorgeous blend of historical sites, stunning architecture, and a vibrant culinary scene that will leave you wanting more ( because a trip to Italy is not complete without tasting as much local food as possible ).

Explore Trieste's top attractions and hidden gems before or after your cruise, and if possible, stay a few days to enjoy everything this city offers. Check out my list of the best Hotel near Trieste Cruise Port , perfect for sightseeing.

Whether you're looking to immerse yourself in the rich past of this port city or a foodie eager to indulge in some of the finest Italian cuisine, Trieste has something for everyone.

So, grab your cruise ticket and get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure through the streets of Trieste, where history and culture blend in the most enchanting way before boarding your ship.

Let's set sail!

Travel Tip: If you have booked a cruise and notice that your cruise line is using the Ormeggio 57 cruise port instead of Trieste, it's important to note that Ormeggio 57 is located approximately 4km from the city center and it is not the Cruise Port i'm talking on this article.

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If you're planning a cruise and considering a stop in Trieste, this article will provide all the information you need about the Trieste Cruise Ship Port . Whether you're interested in visiting Trieste before or after your cruise, this article will guide you through everything you need to know. See here the Trieste Cruises calendar .

Be sure to read until the end to get all the details!

So please sit back, relax, and let me take you on a tour of the Cruise Port of Trieste!

Your Complete Trieste Cruise Port Guide: Tips and Recommendations

LET’S DIVE RIGHT IN...

Trieste Cruise Port Facilities and Services

Trieste Cruise Port has excellent facilities and services to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for cruise passengers.

The area near the terminal offers a variety of amenities, including souvenir shops, restaurants, and cafes, where you can relax and unwind before or after your cruise.

If you wish to visit Trieste before embarking, you can leave your luggage at four different luggage storage near the cruise port , making it easy to drop off your bags and explore the city without hassle.

Additionally, convenient transportation options are available outside the port, allowing you to access the city's attractions and landmarks easily.

Is this your first time on a cruise ship ? Are you ready for your next adventure? I have been only once on a cruise on a Royal Caribbean Ship . I had so much fun; I can't wait to do it again!

Psst! Planning to visit Trieste before embarking at the Port of Trieste Cruise Terminal?

I’ve got many blog posts about it. It's my home town after all! Here are some of them to help you plan your next dream vacation in Trieste:

The Ultimate Trieste Travel Guide

The 28 Best Hotels Close to the Trieste Cruise Terminal

Best Souvenirs and Gifts from Trieste

Best Restaurants and Bars in Trieste from a Local

One Day in Triste: The Complete Itinerary

How far is Trieste from the Cruise Port?

Trieste Cruise Port is conveniently located in the city's heart ( see Trieste Cruise Port address here ), making it easily accessible for cruise passengers. The port is just a short distance from Trieste's main square, Piazza Unità d'Italia, considered one of Europe's most beautiful squares.

From the port, it's a leisurely walk to many of Trieste's top attractions and the historic Old Town. The port's proximity to the city center allows you to make the most of your time in Trieste and explore its rich history and culture.

If you wish to visit Trieste a few hours before to embark your cruise ship, check out this Trieste guided tour . It lasts 2 hours and is the perfect way to explore with a local and save time.

Travel Tip: As soon as you book your next adventure, buy good travel insurance in case you need to "unfortunately" delay, extend, or cancel your trip. I recommend VisitorsCoverage for short trips and SafetyWing to stay longer than a month.

Where do the Cruise Ships Depart from in Trieste?

Cruise ships departing from Trieste usually dock at the Trieste Cruise Terminal, located within the port area. The terminal has modern facilities to ensure a seamless embarkation process for passengers.

You will find designated areas for check-in, security checks, and boarding, making navigating through the terminal and boarding your ship easy.

The Cruise terminal doesn't provide a parking space for those arriving by car, but you can book a parking car nearby here ( add to the website the dates of your travel, and you will get the daily price instead of the hourly one ).

The best option is to come by public transport from the train station or the nearest airport.

See Trieste Cruise Port on the map .

European Travel Alert!

If you don't have a Europe passport, from November 2023, you must complete an ETIAS visa waiver form before your trip and pay the €7 ($7.25) fees. This easy-to-complete form should give you instant approval, but it's recommended that travelers plan and submit their documents a few weeks in advance of their departure date.

How to get to Trieste Cruise Port

What are the closest International Airports to Trieste Cruise Terminal?

To reach Trieste Cruise Ship Port, you have three options for the closest international airports: Trieste Airport, Venice Airport, and Treviso Airport .

Trieste Airport (TRS) : also known as Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport, is the nearest airport to the city, approximately 30 kilometers away.

Venice Airport (VCE) : also known as Marco Polo Airport, is another convenient option around 140 kilometers from Trieste.

Treviso Airport (TSF) : is the second Venice airport used mainly by low-cost airlines, 147 kilometers from Trieste.

These airports offer domestic and international flights, providing convenient access to Trieste from any location. Read below how to go from each of them to " Trieste Cruise Port Terminal Passeggeri ."

Travel tip: If you arrive in Trieste too early for your check-in or your departure time is too many hours after your check-out, and you need a place to store your luggage, check out Radical Storage in Trieste , a website that shows you all the safe places to keep your bags while still exploring Trieste.

How to get from Trieste Airport to Trieste Cruise Port?

You have several transportation options from Trieste Airport to the Port of Trieste Cruise Terminal.

By taxi: one of the most convenient ways is to take a taxi or arrange a private transfer . Taxis are available outside Trieste airport terminal, and the journey to the cruise port costs € 60 and takes approximately 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

By bus: alternatively, you can opt for a shuttle service, which provides a cost-effective and hassle-free transfer between the airport and the cruise port. These shuttle services operate regularly and offer comfortable transportation for passengers with luggage. They will take you to Trieste Autostazione (bus station) or Trieste Cruise Port.

By train: t he train from Venice stops at Trieste Airport and will take you to Trieste Centrale Train Station. See train schedules from Trieste Airport to Trieste Centrale here .

How to get from Venice Airport to Trieste Cruise Port?

Several transportation options are available if you arrive at Venice Marco Polo Airport and must reach Trieste Cruise Port.

By bus: one popular choice is to take a direct bus from Venice Airport to Trieste Bus Station ( near Trieste Centrale Train Station ) or to Trieste Cruise Port ( when available ). These buses operate regularly and provide a convenient and affordable way to travel between the two cities. The journey takes approximately two and a half hours, depending on traffic conditions.

By train: you can also get to Trieste by train from Venice Airport . You must catch the bus n.15 at the airport direction Venezia Mestre Station ( buy the bus ticket at the airport ) and get off at Venezia Mestre Hotel Plaza bust stop ( train station stop ). Catch the train to Trieste Centrale Train Station. The journey takes two and a half hours.

By taxi: another option is to arrange for a private transfer here .

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How to get from Treviso Airport to Trieste Cruise Port?

Several transportation options are available if you arrive at Treviso Airport and need to get to Trieste Cruise Port.

By bus: there are different buses you can catch. Some leave from Treviso Airport, and others from Venezia Mestre train station. To get to Venezia Mestre station, take bus line 351. The journey can take up to four hours. See buses to Trieste here .

By train: take line 351 to Venezia Mestre Station, then the train direct to Trieste Centrale . The journey takes three hours.

By private transfer: you can see private transfers here . The journey takes two and a half hours.

How to get from Venice to Trieste Cruise Port?

To get to Trieste Cruise Port from Venice, you can choose between different transportation options if you're already in Venice city center and must travel to Trieste Cruise Port.

By bus: you can take a direct bus from Venice to Trieste . The journey takes approximately two hours, depending on traffic conditions.

By train: you can take a train from Venice to Trieste Centrale train station. Trains run frequently between the two cities, which takes around two hours.

By private transfer: a private transfer from Venice to Trieste Port takes two hours, and you can book it here.

How to get from Trieste Train Station to the Cruise Terminal?

Getting to the Cruise Terminal is a breeze if you arrive in Trieste by train.

If you are wondering how far is Trieste Cruise Port from the train station, you have nothing to worry about. The train station Trieste Centrale is conveniently located within walking distance of the port, making reaching your cruise ship easy. ( see trieste Centrale on map )

Exit the train station and head towards the port area. The walk takes approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on your pace. If you have heavy luggage or prefer to avoid walking, taxis are readily available outside the train station, providing a quick and convenient way to reach the cruise terminal.

If you prefer to save money, you can get there by bus line 8 or 30, which will take you right in front of Trieste Cruise Port Terminal.

Is there a Ferry from Trieste to Venice?

Unfortunately, there are no direct ferries from Venice to Trieste or vice versa. You can catch the ferry from Venice to Piran (Slovenia) and catch a ferry from Piran to Trieste.

This could be a great option if you want to visit the scenic town of Piran and spend there one day or two.

The journey from Venice to Piran takes less than three hours, and then 14 minutes to Trieste.

Unfortunately, the ferry from Piran to Trieste is not always available. Check them out here .

Exploring Trieste: Top attractions and landmarks

Trieste is a city rich in history, culture, and architectural beauty. As you explore the city, you'll see many attractions and landmarks. If you want to know more about them, read my article about the top places to see in Trieste here .

One of the must-visit attractions is Miramare Castle , a stunning 19th-century castle on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea. This castle is an unmissable romantic place to see in Trieste.

If you decide to arrive in Trieste one day before your cruise departs, this is the one day Trieste itinerary you need to enjoy this incredible city fully.

Another must-see landmark is Piazza Unità d'Italia, the main square of Trieste. This is probably my favorite place in the city after Miramare Castle. Elegant buildings surround this expansive square and offer breathtaking sea views.

It's the perfect place to relax, have a coffee, and soak in the city's vibrant atmosphere. Visit it at sunset and have an aperitivo at Caffe' degli Specchi; you will love it.

See Trieste Aperitivo tour here.

Shopping in Trieste: Best Souvenirs and Gifts

Trieste is a paradise for shoppers, offering a wide range of unique souvenirs and gifts to take home.

One of the best places to shop is the Old Town, where you'll find charming boutique stores and artisanal shops. You can browse various handmade goods here, including jewelry, ceramics, and local crafts.

My favorite shop for local souvenirs from Trieste is Tipicamente Triestino , where you can find all the best gifts from my city.

For food lovers, the city's markets are a treasure trove of delicious treats. Remember to buy the famous Trieste coffee, Illy Coffee, to enjoy the taste of Trieste long after your cruise has ended.

More Destinations Travel Guides and more Travel Tips are added regularly, so hit the subscribe button to:

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Must-try local cuisine in Trieste

Every visit to Trieste is complete with indulging in the city's delicious local cuisine, and I have a complete guide to what to eat in Trieste here ( just in case you love eating as much as I do ).

Here are some incredible experiences you can book for your time in Trieste:

A private Trieste home cooking class

Pasta-making class with a local

A dining experience at a local's home

As a port city, Trieste is renowned for its seafood dishes, a must-try for any seafood lover. Enjoy the local cuisine by tasting the "scampi alla busara" ( langoustines in tomato sauce, my favorite ) or "sarde in savor" ( marinated sardines, my parents' favorite ).

Trieste is also famous for its coffee culture, so be sure to stop by one of the historic coffee houses for an authentic Italian coffee experience. Pair your coffee with a slice of traditional Triestine cake, such as presnitz or gubana, to satisfy your sweet tooth (and don't forget to buy them as souvenirs, they are delicious).

Read my article " Where to Eat like a Local in Trieste " to plan where to have all your meals.

What to see in Trieste before your Cruise Departure?

If you have time to spare before your cruise departure, make the most of your visit to Trieste by exploring its hidden gems, maybe with a 2 hours guided tour with a local .

One of the must-see attractions is the Roman Theater, an ancient amphitheater dating back to the 1st century AD. Stroll through the Old Town's narrow streets to discover charming cafes, boutique shops, and beautiful architecture.

Take the chance to visit the Revoltella Museum, which showcases contemporary art in a stunning 19th-century building. Finally, walk along the beautiful waterfront promenade, known as the Rive, and enjoy the breathtaking sea views.

Be sure to walk along the Molo Audace, a pier from where to admire the famous Piazza Unita' d'Italia from the sea.

If you wish to learn more about Literature in Trieste, you should check out the Trieste Letteraria Tour , where to learn about the famous writers who lived in Trieste and wrote about it, like James Joyce and Umberto Saba.

Or you can book a private Trieste guided tour for you and your travel mates to learn about this city called "Little Vienna on the Sea."

Best Hotels Close to Trieste Cruise Port

Booking a Hotel in the Trieste city center near the Cruise Port is a great way to have a couple of days to explore Trieste before or after your cruise.

This way, you will be only a short walk from your cruise ship to all the top attractions.

Read my list of the best hotels in Trieste close to the Cruise Port.

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Day Trips from Trieste: Nearby Destinations to Visit

If you have a day or two to spare, consider taking a day trip from Trieste to explore nearby destinations .

One popular choice is to visit the picturesque town of Piran in Slovenia, just a short drive from Trieste ( where I got married in July 2023 ). Piran is known for its charming medieval architecture, narrow streets, and stunning coastal views.

You can visit it by renting a car in Trieste or check out this guided tour to Piran from Trieste .

Another option is to visit the enchanting city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Ljubljana is renowned for its beautiful architecture, vibrant cultural scene, and relaxed atmosphere.

You can reach Lubljiana by train or by renting a car in Trieste , or you can also check out the best Ljubljana and Lake Bled tour from Trieste .

Whether you explore the coastal towns or venture into the Slovenian countryside, a day trip from Trieste will add a unique and memorable experience to your cruise itinerary.

See here all the best day trips from Trieste .

Conclusion and Final Tips to Reach Trieste Cruise Port:

As you end your Trieste Cruise Port guide, I hope you have found all the information you need to plan your visit to my enchanting hometown.

From the convenience of the port facilities to the variety of transportation options, Trieste offers an unforgettable experience for cruise passengers.

Explore the city's top attractions , indulge in its delicious cuisine , and visit the nearby destinations to make the most of your time in this beautiful part of Italy.

Remember to check my Trieste Travel Guide before your trip, and pack comfortable walking shoes and a camera to capture the memories. Bon voyage, and enjoy your cruise from Trieste!

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More Italy Travel Guide:

In case you want to see more in Italy:

The Complete Italy Travel Guide

How to Plan a Trip to Venice: everything you need to know

Best Places to See in Rome: Top Attractions and Hidden Gems

BOOK YOUR TRIP TO TRIESTE: My Tips & Tricks

Psst! I use these websites to find the cheapest prices:

Activities in Trieste:

Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engine for city tours, museum tickets, and attractions at the best price.

To explore the city yourself, We Go Trip offers audio guides to download on your phone, while Take Walks offers many guided tours.

Multiple day trips from Trieste:

To book more than a 1-day trip, TourRadar is an excellent website where you can find private, group, and tailor-made multi-day organized adventures in 160+ countries worldwide.

How to move around Italy:

To move between cities, Trainline and Omio are websites to book bus and train tickets, while EconomyBookings is excellent for finding the cheapest car rental deals.

Need extra help?

Radical Storage is to find luggage storage while you explore Trieste, and Airalo will give you all the data you need for your phone.

Your super-organized travel blogger

Xoxo Valentina

Did you enjoy my article.

I have plenty like this one about visiting Trieste .

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions and share this article with your friends ( it would make my day ). Maybe someone you know is planning to visit Trieste.

Also, don't forget to check out my VIP AREA to see all the itineraries, packing checklists, and much more available for you for FREE!

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TRAVEL RESOURCES to plan your next trip

Find a cheap flight  via skiscanner, find a hotel via booking.com, find a rental car via rentalcars, get a travel insurance via safetywing, book tours & attractions via getyourguide, book bus/train   via omio, click here for more....

Hi! I'm Valentina,

but you can call me Vale.

I'm an Italian with a passion for well-planned travels and food.

In my Travel Guide, you will find everything you need to plan your perfect travel around the world.

Unmissable Local restaurants Where to Have the Best Dinner in Rome

How to Reach Barcelona From The Airports

Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Barcelona

Cruise FAQs

How to get from venice to trieste cruise port.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• The cruise port in Trieste is the main embarkation and disembarkation point for cruises.
• Familiarize yourself with the layout and facilities of the port to navigate smoothly.
• Don’t forget to bring your passport for international borders during the cruise.
• Comfortable clothing, footwear, sunscreen, and a hat are essential for the journey.

Understand the Distance and Transportation Options

Traveling by Train from Venice to Trieste

Taking a bus from venice to trieste.

Renting a Car for the Journey

Hiring a private transfer service.

Consider a Combination of Transportation Modes

Exploring venice before departure, discovering trieste upon arrival, tips for smooth navigation at the cruise port, enjoying your cruise from venice to trieste, frequently asked questions, how much does it cost to rent a car for the journey from venice to trieste, are there any direct train routes from venice to trieste, can i use public transportation to get from the cruise port to the city center in trieste, are there any restrictions on bringing luggage on the train or bus from venice to trieste, what are some popular attractions to visit in trieste before departing on a cruise.

Claire, a creative soul with an unquenchable thirst for storytelling, is an integral part of the Voyager Info team. As a dedicated writer, she weaves captivating narratives that transport readers to enchanting cruise destinations and beyond.

Claire’s love affair with writing began at an early age when she discovered the magic of words and their ability to craft worlds and emotions. Her innate curiosity led her to explore various literary genres, but it was travel writing that truly captured her heart. Drawing inspiration from her own globetrotting adventures and encounters with diverse cultures, Claire embarked on a journey to become a travel writer par excellence.

What Does Tendered Mean On A Cruise

When Is The Dream Cruise

Claire, a creative soul with an unquenchable thirst for storytelling, is an integral part of the Voyager Info team. As a dedicated writer, she weaves captivating narratives that transport readers to enchanting cruise destinations and beyond. Claire’s love affair with writing began at an early age when she discovered the magic of words and their ability to craft worlds and emotions. Her innate curiosity led her to explore various literary genres, but it was travel writing that truly captured her heart. Drawing inspiration from her own globetrotting adventures and encounters with diverse cultures, Claire embarked on a journey to become a travel writer par excellence.

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• Sophisticated Experience : From the first bite to the last sip, Chartreuse offers a refined dining experience that's truly unforgettable.

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Trieste, Italy

This modern, lively city enjoys a prominent location on a hillside surrounded by rugged countryside and a beautiful coastline. The vast Piazza Unità d'Italia is a popular meeting place, with sidewalk cafés and a number of buildings of architectural interest. Trieste is regarded as one of the most famous coffee towns in the world, so be sure to enjoy a cup of coffee in a local cafe. Among Trieste's highlights are the Cathedral of San Giusto, containing beautiful Byzantine mosaics and medieval frescoes. At the Piazza della Borsa stands the neoclassical former stock exchange, which serves now as the Chamber of Commerce. Crowning the hilltop is the Castello de San Giusto, home to a museum with excellent exhibits of weaponry, armor, furniture and tapestries.

Trieste Marine Terminal Punto Franco Nuovo Molo VII 34123 Trieste TS, Italy

Driving to Trieste Marine Terminal from Marco Polo Airport (Approximately 2 hours): Head southeast on Viale Galileo Galilei to Via Triestina/SS14. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Raccordo Marco Polo. Take the exit toward Trieste/Udine. Merge onto Tangenziale di Mestre/A57, then merge onto A4/E70. Keep right at the fork to stay on A4/E70, follow signs for A34/Trieste/Gorizia. Keep left to continue on E70. Continue onto RA13, then continue onto Galleria Carso. Take the exit toward Trieste/Cattinara and keep left, follow signs for Trieste Centro/Burlo/Garofolo/Montebello/Fiera/Capodistria/Koper/Rabuiese and merge onto SS202. Continue onto Via Carnaro, then continue onto Piazzale delle Puglie. Turn left onto Via Federico Seismit Doda. Turn right onto Via Bartolomeo D'Alviano. Turn left onto Via della Rampa. Turn left to stay on Via della Rampa and at the roundabout, take the 1st exit. Molo Bersaglieri Passenger Terminal P. Franco Vecchio, Molo Bersaglieri 34155 Trieste, Italy Driving to Molo Bersaglieri Terminal from Marco Polo Airport (Approximately 2 hours): Head northwest. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit, at the second roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Viale Galileo Galilei. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Viale Galileo Galilei. At next roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Via Triestina/SS14, and then at the nextroundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Raccordo Marco Polo. Take the exit toward Trieste/Udine and merge onto E55. Keep right at the fork to continue on A4/E70, follow signs for A34/Trieste/Gorizia. Keep left to stay on A4/E70. Take exit Trieste toward Trieste/Sistiana. Continue onto Località Sistiana and take slight right onto SS14. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto V.le Miramare/SS14. Continue to follow SS14. Turn right onto Via Flavio Gioia, turn left to stay on Via Flavio Gioia. Turn right onto Largo Città di Santos, turn right onto P. Franco Vecchio.

By Durant Imboden

• Also see: Venice for Cruisers

V enice, Italy used to be the largest cruise port in the Eastern Mediterranean, thanks in part to its long history as a maritime republic and shipbuilding colossus. That changed in 2021, when the Italian government responded to political pressures by banning all but the smallest passenger ships from central Venice .

Today, a "Venice" cruise embarkation, disembarkation, or port call could take place at any number of small cities and industrial areas along the northern Adriatic coast between Trieste and Ravenna.

In this article, we'll show maps and give brief descriptions of these port locations. Read your cruise documentation carefully and confirm your ship's exact location with the cruise line if you're uncertain about where your ship will be berthed.

ABOVE: A river vessel, CroisiEurope's Michelangelo , cruises from the San Basilio pier in Venice's historic center.

Note: Even though medium-size and large ships are often moored far from central Venice, the cruise lines may use central Venice's cruise terminals as check-in and arrival points. If that's the case with your cruise, you'll be taken to or from your ship by shuttle bus. (However, if the pier is a couple of hours away--in Ravenna or Trieste, for example--you may need to book a paid transfer with your cruise line or get to the port on your own.)

Below are maps and brief descriptions of the ports that are now being used for cruises that begin, end, or include a port call in "Venice."

Venice, Marghera, & Fusina

In the map above, you can see three locations inside the Venetian Lagoon:

Venice's Marittima cruise basin and San Basilio/Santa Marta cruise terminal (at the edge of Venice's historic center, near the right side of the map).

The industrial port of Marghera , on the Venetian mainland (about a 15-minute ride by taxi or shuttle bus from Venice's Piazzale Roma ).

Fusina , to the south of Marghera, which serves the Anek car ferries to Greece but is also has facilities for cruise ships.

In most cases,  check-in and other formalities for larger ships are handled at terminals in the Marittima basin, with shuttle buses whisking passengers to and from the piers.

Small ships (typically below 25,000 GRT), including river vessels from Uniworld and CroisiEurope, continue to moor at either the Marittima basin or the adjacent San Basilio/Santa Marta piers in central Venice.

The town of Chioggia (pop. 50,000) lies at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon, alongside one of the lagoon's three inlets from the Adriatic Sea. Chioggia has been nicknamed "Little Venice" because its old town has canals like its larger neighbor to the north.

Chioggia welcomes river vessels (Uniworld and CroisiEurope) and a hotel barge, La Bella Vita . In the wake of Italy's 2021 embargo on most cruise ships in Venice, Chioggia has also served a handful of oceangoing vessels. Ships normally tie up at a pier in the northwest corner of Chioggia's Centro Storico or old town (see map).

Chioggia is slightly more than an hour from Venice by car, taxi, coach, or  bus. If you don't mind schlepping your luggage or hiring a cab from the end of the line to the pier, you might try ArrivaVeneto's frequent and reasonably priced bus service to Chioggia Sottamarina from Venice's Piazzale Roma , the Venezia Mestre train station, and Venice Marco Polo Airport .

Ravenna (pop. 160,000) is best known for its Byzantine mosaics , which date back to the 5th and 6th Centuries. However, the city does have a port on its northern outskirts, and a new cruise terminal is becoming the Eastern Mediterranean hub for Royal Caribbean and its subsidiary, Celebrity Cruises.

From Venice, a cruise transfer by bus or private car takes about 2-1/2 hours. (There's no direct train, although you can get from Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station to central Ravenna with a change of trains in Ferrara.)

In the map above, you can see the port to the northeast of the city. Cruise ships moor at the Porto Corsini, just inside the port entrance from the Adriatic Sea.

  Click here for advice on transportation between downtown Ravenna and the pier. If you're cruising with Royal Caribbean, see the Royal Caribbean Blog's article on shuttles from Venice and Bologna.

Monfalcone is northeast of Venice on the way to Trieste (see below), about an hour and a half from Venice by bus, car, or train. The town is mostly known for shipbuilding and other heavy industries, but MSC Cruises occasionally uses Monfalcone as a turnaround port.

On the map, you'll see the cruise quay just inside the port entrance.

Trieste is a major international port at the far northeastern corner of the Adriatic, close to Italy's border with Slovenia. It was an important city in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and still has a Central European vibe.

Cruise ships aren't newcomers to Trieste, but the number of ships has increased after the banning of large cruise vessels from Venice.

Trieste is roughly 165 km or 100 miles from Venice, but getting there is easy:

Fast trains from Venezia Santa Lucia take just over two hours to reach Trieste's central station.

Flixbus offers several connections per day from Venice, Mestre, and Venice Marco Polo Airport. Travel time is about 2-1/2 hours.

From the train or bus station, you can walk or hire a taxi to the cruise pier, which is located on the downtown waterfront near the Piazza Unità d'Italia.

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The Trieste Maritime Station, which is also used as a congress center, is located in the Customs port, in the heart of Trieste. The Maritime station acts as the cruise terminal and ticket office to both international cruises as well as short-distance car and passenger ferry lines operating between the gulf and the nearby coastline of Slovenia and Croatia.

Just cross the street and you are right in the elegant and well cared for center of Trieste.

How to get to Trieste.

From the airport : If you're traveling to or from Trieste itself, 20 miles away, the easiest way to travel is to take the number 51 bus which runs along near the coast to Trieste bus station (which is alongside the railway station). A single ticket costs €3, buses are generally half-hourly on weekdays, and the journey takes approximately 50 minutes. Look out for Castello Miramare on your right as you journey along the coast Tickets can be purchased at city bus/coach stations or at the airport: in the Arrivals Hall, with an automatic machine for self ticketing at the Post Office.

Most cruise lines i.e. Costa and MSC offer shuttles from Venice Marco Polo airport. About a two hour ride. The last part of the ride is stunning as you ride past the Adriatic from great heights.

Taxis are available outside the Arrivals hall from 08.00 to 24.00.

Printable map to take along.

Hotels near the Cruise Terminal

Cruise calendar for this port.

Watch a destination video .

Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers

Port Location on Google Maps

Monthly Climate Averages for Triest Italy

Sightseeing:

This lively city enjoys a prominent location on a hillside surrounded by rugged countryside and a beautiful coastline. The vast Piazza Unità d'Italia (just a block away from the cruise terminal) is a popular meeting place, with sidewalk cafés and a number of buildings of architectural interest. Trieste is regarded as one of the most famous coffee towns (Illy) in the world, so be sure to enjoy a cup of coffee in a local cafe. Among Trieste's highlights are the Cathedral of San Giusto, containing beautiful Byzantine mosaics and medieval frescoes. At the Piazza della Borsa stands the neoclassical former stock exchange, which serves now as the Chamber of Commerce. Crowning the hilltop is the Castello de San Giusto, home to a museum with excellent exhibits of weaponry, armor, furniture and tapestries.

Trieste is one big, open-air museum. Ancient Roman buildings are interspersed with beautiful eighteenth-century ones, Austrian-style landscapes, churches of all dominations, Art Nouveau facades, rural towns and villages such as Muggia and those on the upland plains

The tourist office

Tours Excursions Transportation:

Villa Opicina Tram Line : The terminus is located in the center of town, in Piazza Oberdan, about a 20 minute walk from the cruise terminal. The tram takes you up from the city to the surrounding beautiful natural environment of the Carso plateau, 348 m above sea level. This is an original form of transport (a cross between an regular tram and a cable railway) in nicely restored tram cars. Every 20 minutes from early morning to early evening. About €3 return. A 20 or so minute ride.

Villa Opicina tram line hasn’t run since 2016, and it not known if it ever be running again. Bus number 4 does same route in twenty minutes.

It pays to compare your cruise line tours here

Nearby Places:

Friuli Venezia Giulia is often defined a "small compendium of the universe", which it actually is. On a relatively limited surface you can very easily go from the mountains to the sea in a short time, crossing gentle hills and green plains turning into rocky coastlines or sandy beaches. There are countless chances to discover the real essence of this small, untouched paradise: walking on the streets of traditional villages or crossing the region while looking for aristocratic residences is enough to understand that we are in an area which is partly still unknown.

Shopping and Food

Trieste's two food markets provide colorful surroundings and a chance to eye the local cuisine. The covered market, at the corner of Via Carducci and Via della Majolica, is open Monday from 8am to 2pm and Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 7pm. The open-air market is on Ponte Ponterosso, alongside the canal that cuts into the center of the city from the harbor, and it operates Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 5:30pm.

Trieste has an elegant center and a great selection of upscale stores.

Currency Converter

Communication:

Language: Italian

WIFI: walk to the right as you come of the ship towards the Aquario (Aquarium), cross the street there and you will find many sidewalk cafes and restaurants with WIFI. Note: some restaurants are closed during daytime, but leave tables and chairs outside: a quiet spot to read your email.

Opening Hours and Holidays:

Opening Hours and Holidays: Most shops and businesses in Italy open from Monday to Saturday from around 8am until 1pm, and from about 4pm until 7pm, though many shops close on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings. Quite a few stores in Trieste are open on Sundays. Holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day) January 6 (Epiphany) Pasquetta (Easter Monday) April 25 (Liberation Day) May 1 (Labour Day) August 15 ( Ferragosto ; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) November 1 ( Ognissanti ; All Souls Day) December 8 ( Immaccolata ; Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary) December 25 ( Natale ; Christmas)

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

It is now official - the port of TRIESTE is the NEW "Venice port" for NCL

By TrumpyNor , January 13, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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As we have a 7 days roundtrip cruise from Venice, Italy booked for July 2022, and no cruiseships except the very tiny ones are allowed in to Venice port since summer 2021,  I have been trying to do some research to find out the likely alternative ports we would be sailing from, and there were three different alternative options that were likely to be the replacement port:

• Port of Ravenna
• Port of Trieste
• Port of Monfalcone

Until today my research had retulted in absolutely no clear answers, just guesses everywhere - not even my PCC at NCL could find out anything a couple of weeks ago. But today I was just checking my online cruise summary as I am waiting for a Latitudes Diamond upgrade to be activated on our Venice-cruise, and then I noticed this:

So the city of Trieste, located in   Italy’s   extreme northeast   (kind of surrounded by the country of Slovenia), will be the starting point for all cruises offered to/from "Venice" by NCL. Instead of the cruise ship (and city) being as little as 14 km/9 miles) from Venice Marco Polo Airport, Port of Trieste is located about 152 km/95 miles from Venice Marco Polo Airport. That is some distance..... 

For those who may have no idea what I am talking about, here is some information: https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice-cruising-changes.htm

Personally my husband and I have been on several cruises to/from Venice in the past, and was looking forward to spending a night there pre-cruise. Well, I guess not - will instead plan on finding a hotel in Trieste for the night before the cruise, as I do NOT want to travel for several hours just to get to the port on embarkation day... 

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Funky Fusion FoodsJ

I wouldn't take this as the final decision........

2 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said: I wouldn't take this as the final decision........

What do you mean? ALL cruises on ncl.com to/from Venice now have Trieste listed as the port, so seems pretty final to me...

24 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said:  will instead plan on finding a hotel in Trieste for the night before the cruise, as I do NOT want to travel for several hours just to get to the port on embarkation day... 

I`ve been in Trieste already and this city is a little jewel. Way more calm than Venice but dozens of magnificent historic buildings. So you won`t make a mistake if you stay one or two days in Trieste before your cruise.

Just now, CruiseMH said:   I`ve been in Trieste already and this city is a little jewel. Way more calm than Venice but dozens of magnificent historic buildings. So you won`t make a mistake if you stay one or two days in Trieste before your cruise.

Thank you very much for that information, happy to hear that!

aubreyc1988

I always find the smaller, rural towns a more accurate/authentic experience anyhow! I bet it is LOVELY, it is a bucket list item for me after the pandemic. 

Just booked the VIVA for the Greek Isles  Sept 2023 and the port of  TRIESTE it is , i was looking forward to exploring Venice but i new the VIVA wouldn't be able to cruise out of  it given the current rules.

32 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said: What do you mean? ALL cruises on ncl.com to/from Venice now have Trieste listed as the port, so seems pretty final to me...  

A change for us if we are to go on a cruise out of "Venice" next time. We have been to Venice a few times and have cruised out of Venice, and we greatly enjoyed that but it's now a "been there done that" thing for us - now more expensive and crowded (prolly no more crowds now that cruising is now banned from Venezia-Stazione Marittima Porto.

Trieste is so close to the Slovenia border .... we have been to Koper Slovenia by ship and have taken a tour to Ljubljana & Lake Bled - very picturesque.

Trieste is gorgeous and a wonderful city to spend a day or two in pre/post cruise.  Spent many a land vacations in that area growing up and the city of one of my family's favorite.  If I remember correctly, the area where the cruise port is has some really nice hotels and restaurants. 

There was some talk that they were going to build a new channel that would not go through the city center of Venice so that the larger ships could use the port in the future.  Just don't know the timeline on that or if/when it will happen.

We went on a cruise last August from Trieste and took the train, from Venezia Mestre to Trieste was just over 2 hours, and it was a very pleasant journey. Venice is definitely a beautiful and picturesque city, but Trieste is a little gem of a town and we had outstanding food while there. What it may lack in terms of Venice's many tourist sites, it more than makes up for by the lack of hordes of tourists. 😄

Well that's a bit more tricky, there are no direct flights showing from our local airports (Spain) on the dates we want, only 2 direct flights per week for a 10 hour journey time via Frankfurt. Maybe the flights will open up closer to the season

7 minutes ago, SpainAlien said: Well that's a bit more tricky, there are no direct flights showing from our local airports (Spain) on the dates we want, only 2 direct flights per week for a 10 hour journey time via Frankfurt. Maybe the flights will open up closer to the season

It is only a couple of hours with train from Venice, but we will be arriving at Venice airport around 16.00 and would probably not be in Trieste until around 20.00 - so not ideal. I have at least booked a hotel right across the street from Trieste cruise port, so should be in walking distance there....   😉

Royal Caribbean is using Ravenna, which is worth visiting but not very convenient if you're flying to Venice. For Ravenna, Bologna is an alternative airport. It's possible to fly to Trieste from Frankfurt and Munich, and I would consider taking Lufthansa via either of those (service from Munich is on Air Dolomiti, an Italian subsidiary). ITA, the successor to Alitalia, also flies there from Rome.

As several people have already mentioned, Trieste is truly a gem. I am probably biased because I have relatives that live there and in the surrounding region.

Assuming that the Viva sails from Trieste - and not from nearby Monfalcone - you will be surrounded by hotels, restaurants, and cafes directly across from the cruise ship pier - splurge and stay at the Savoia Excelsior - literally right across the street. Nothing beats a Spritz Aperol on a warm summer night sitting in Piazza Unita - the largest piazza in Italy, almost overlooking the Adriatic.

If you are planning on staying several days - the hinterland offers a variety of things to do off the typical beaten path.

10 hours ago, RD64 said: As several people have already mentioned, Trieste is truly a gem. I am probably biased because I have relatives that live there and in the surrounding region.   Assuming that the Viva sails from Trieste - and not from nearby Monfalcone - you will be surrounded by hotels, restaurants, and cafes directly across from the cruise ship pier - splurge and stay at the Savoia Excelsior - literally right across the street. Nothing beats a Spritz Aperol on a warm summer night sitting in Piazza Unita - the largest piazza in Italy, almost overlooking the Adriatic.   If you are planning on staying several days - the hinterland offers a variety of things to do off the typical beaten path.   Cheers.

Thank you to all of you who have taken your time to write som descriptions about Trieste, it is highly appreciated!

I actually booked a night at the Savoia Excelsior purely because of its location, that it is a luxury hotel comes as an extra bonus. Only downside for us is that we booked our flight to Venice several months ago, at a very good price. With arriving at Venice airport at 4.00 PM, then getting luggage, transport to train station, and the train itself, it is very possible that we will not arrive in Trieste until 8.00 PM or even later... Even though I can cancel our current plane tickets without a penalty, the price to purchase new tickets (either for arriving in Venice two days before the cruise and then have more time to get to Trieste without stressing too much, or for flights to Trieste) are much higher than then what I have paid for our current tickets).

So allthough would be nice to explore a new Italian city instead of Venice, will arrive there after dark and the cruise is the next day. 

17 hours ago, CruiseMH said:   I`ve been in Trieste already and this city is a little jewel. Way more calm than Venice but dozens of magnificent historic buildings. So you won`t make a mistake if you stay one or two days in Trieste before your cruise.

The one trip I was most looking forward to was my 2019 Greek Isles cruise out of Venice; it was also the most disappointing.  Not because of anything on ship, which was fine, but Venice and each of the ports were overrun with people.  Admittedly, we were there at a peak time (June) because it was my graduation present to my niece and she had a short window between graduation and the whole adulting thing.  I'm glad I saw Venice, despite the mob, but the prospect of a "little jewel" without huge crowds would be nice!

BklynBorn47

51 minutes ago, phillygwm said: The one trip I was most looking forward to was my 2019 Greek Isles cruise out of Venice; it was also the most disappointing.  Not because of anything on ship, which was fine, but Venice and each of the ports were overrun with people.  Admittedly, we were there at a peak time (June) because it was my graduation present to my niece and she had a short window between graduation and the whole adulting thing.  I'm glad I saw Venice, despite the mob, but the prospect of a "little jewel" without huge crowds would be nice!

Several times when travelling with grandchildren we have had the "short window" you describe. Of course, we realized the irony of our complaints since WE were part of the mob.  That said, before Covid we could visit these popular destinations on our own and even stay awhile because of the off season prices (right next to the Rialto Bridge in April 2019). Weather was great and fewer tourists. Sadly, "on our own" is unlikely to return any time soon.  

Looking forward to traveling now with any cruise line looking out for my well-being.   We have b2b NCL (Lisbon-Iceland) in June and b2b with Windstar (Athens-Istanbul-Black Sea) in Sept.  

cruisemom42

19 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said: I always find the smaller, rural towns a more accurate/authentic experience anyhow! I bet it is LOVELY, it is a bucket list item for me after the pandemic. 

While it is definitely lovely, I wouldn't consider it small or rural. The population is about the same as Venice.

The changed port sounds lovely.  I did cruise from Venice twice - spent an extra day once, and cruiseline had an overnight the 2nd time.  I do recall reading that the City of Venice was no longer going to accept ships.  Thats understandable. 

The Traveling Man

I'm looking forward to seeing Trieste.  We've been to Venice several times and really enjoy it, but as others have said, it's a case of "been there, done that" for us.  Since direct flights from the US to Trieste are few and far between, we probably will fly to Genoa or Milan, spend a couple of days there, then take the train to Trieste, perhaps with a stopover in Venice.  I appreciate the info about the Savoia Excelsior hotel.  We definitely will look into that.

As Cruisemom42 says - it is anything but rural. It is a city - it is the regional capital. A mix of Italy, Austria, and Slovenia that you will not find anywhere else.

As an option - even further off the standard tourist track - stop and spend a night in Udine - about 1/2 way between Venice and Trieste. Another undiscovered gem to most North Americans - unless you are stationed at the American airforce base in Aviano. Napoleon, Attila the Hun, and numerous others found reason to stop here. You can too on the way to Trieste.

4 hours ago, phillygwm said: The one trip I was most looking forward to was my 2019 Greek Isles cruise out of Venice; it was also the most disappointing.  Not because of anything on ship, which was fine, but Venice and each of the ports were overrun with people.  Admittedly, we were there at a peak time (June) because it was my graduation present to my niece and she had a short window between graduation and the whole adulting thing.  I'm glad I saw Venice, despite the mob, but the prospect of a "little jewel" without huge crowds would be nice!

You were there in June?You should have been there in August,thats the real main season with even more crowds. 😄

Trieste is not completely free of tourists,in summer there are also a lot of them but much less than in Venice or Dubrovnik.

As an aside - if you are taking the train from Venice, make sure to sit on the right hand side of the train. As you approach / pass the Monfalcone stop (the last one before Trieste I believe) you will pass the Monfalcone shipyard where the Prima / Viva were / are being built. You will get a good view of whatever ships are being built.

31 minutes ago, RD64 said: As an aside - if you are taking the train from Venice, make sure to sit on the right hand side of the train. As you approach / pass the Monfalcone stop (the last one before Trieste I believe) you will pass the Monfalcone shipyard where the Prima / Viva were / are being built. You will get a good view of whatever ships are being built.

Thanks for the tip !

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Trieste Cruise Port

• Ports Of Call

Italy 0 Comments 11238 Views

Trieste cruise port is located in the north-eastern Adriatic, in the very heart of beautiful Trieste. It represents the Maritime station and can be called one of Italy's most important cruise terminals for international cruise lines and local ferry lines. Despite the fact that during the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Trieste was not Italian, it always served as a significant regional port city. So, let us get you acquainted with it!

Where do cruise ships dock in Trieste Cruise Port?

Trieste cruise port is conveniently located right near the main square of Trieste, the famous Piazza Unità d’Italia. Unlike other European ports of call having more than one terminal and a significant distance between them and making you use additional means of transportation to get to the nearest bus station or simply to move between the terminals, the Trieste cruise port has a pier on the Gulf of Trieste allowing 2 cruise ships dock simultaneously on its both sides. Having left their ships, the only thing the passengers have to do is to come along a passage, cross the road, and, voila, they are already in the center of Trieste with all its attractions and sights!

How to Get to Trieste Cruise Port from Trieste Airport?

The easiest way to get to the cruise port of Trieste from the Trieste airport (Ronchi Dei Legionari) is by bus 51 (the cost of the one-way ticket is 3 EUR). It is the best and the most reliable way to overcome the distance of nearly 30 kilometers. The bus departs every 30 minutes and takes you from the airport to the railway station of Trieste which is situated close to the Trieste cruise port (about 1 kilometer). On your way, you will be able to enjoy scenic views of neighboring suburbs and small towns such as Monfalcone, Duino, and Santa Croce as well as the famous Adriatic coast with its gems like Miramare Castle and numerous beaches. The trip will take you about one hour. And yet, the airport of Trieste is not very popular and the number of flights it receives daily is quite moderate, that is why in some cases, it is worth considering the flights to other cities in Italy when planning your cruise. 

How to Get to Trieste Cruise Port from Venice?

If you arrive in Venice you can get to Trieste by train. It is the most convenient way, besides, the cost of the ticket starts from 9 EUR (if you buy it in advance on www.trenitalia.com ). The best and the most affordable way to get from Marco Polo airport of Venice to the Mestre Train station is by bus which departs every 30 minutes and is available all day long. The travel time is equal to approximately 20 minutes. Of course, if you don’t have enough time to wait for the bus, taxi services are also available. The travel time from Venice to Trieste is approximately 2 hours. Nowadays most cruise lines can offer you special shuttles which can deliver you from the Venice airport right to the cruise port of Trieste. During this 2-hours trip, you can get briefly acquainted with picturesque landscapes and colorful Italian towns from the shuttle window.  

How to Get to Trieste Cruise Port from Milan?

If the airport of your arrival is located in Milan, the best way to get to the cruise port of Trieste is by train. No matter what airport you arrive at (Malpensa, Linate, or Bergamo), all the trains from Milan to Trieste cruise port depart from the central railway station of Milan. For instance, you can get from Malpensa airport to Milan central station by train which takes an hour and costs 13 EUR. If you arrive at the Linate airport and do not have enough time you can get to Milano Centrale Station by taxi which will cost you up to 40 EUR and will take not more than 10 minutes, or by bus which will save you money. If Bergamo is the airport of your arrival, the bus is the only way to get to Milan Central Station. The travel time will take about 1,5 hours.

What to See in Cruise Port Trieste?

Trieste is rightfully considered a real open-air museum. So if your cruise trip schedule does not allow you to spend much time there you can simply walk along the streets enjoying the architecture representing a unique combination of Italian and Austro-Hungarian styles. Having an opportunity to spend more time in Trieste you are lucky as you can get acquainted with its numerous sights, some of which are mentioned below.  

Piazza dell Unità (Piazza Grande) 

This majestic square is the first attraction that you can see right after leaving your cruise ship. With its palaces (Palazzo Stratti, Palazzo del Governo, Palazzo Modello, etc), the square is the most prominent landmark of the most famous city of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire having kept its unique spirit ever since. Overlooking the Adriatic Sea this square is rightfully considered the largest square in Europe located right on the very sea coast.

Canale Grande and San Spiridione

Not far from Piazza, a long harbor called Canale Grande is located. Earlier it was used for ships but nowadays it is intended only for smaller boats. It is a popular place for the city dwellers and tourists because you can walk across both sides of the canal, relax while sitting in small cafes, and enjoy the atmosphere of Trieste as the famous writer James Joyce used to do when he lived in Trieste and was inspired by it. In close proximity to it, right from the main square, you can find the Serbian Orthodox Church of San Spiridione famous for its frescoes, paintings, and unique Russian icons. 

Miramare Castle (Castello Miramare)

Located not far from the Trieste cruise port, this amazing castle looks as if it appeared from a fairy tale, deserves special attention, and is undoubtedly worth visiting. Built in the 1860-s in Scottish medieval style, it represents a real architectural masterpiece and reflects the past Austro-Hungarian epoch. The majestic castle overlooks the sea and is surrounded by a wonderful park containing numerous beautiful and rare trees. The 19-century refined interiors including furniture and decorations have been very well preserved in the castle allowing you to feel the atmosphere of the past. Don’t miss an opportunity to visit this miracle!

Where to Swim in Trieste Cruise Port?

The cruise port of Trieste is located on the Adriatic Sea which is considered one of the cleanest seas in the Mediterranean. That is why if you have enough time in Trieste during your cruise trip you will be likely to desire to swim in its turquoise-emerald waves. Trieste can boast numerous well-equipped and completely natural beaches suiting any taste. One of the most popular and the nearest beaches to the port is Miramare beach located in close proximity to the snow-white architectural eponymous masterpiece mentioned above allowing you to combine your visit to Miramare Castle with its park and swimming nearby. Also, such beautiful beaches as Barcola, Ausonia, I Topolini, and Bagni Comunali Lanterna should be paid attention to. Of course, this list is far from being complete and ideally deserves a separate review. 

Trieste Cruise Port Summary

It is the shortest list of sights that you can visit having Trieste cruise port on your itinerary. It is simply impossible to include all the attractions of one of the most breathtaking and unusual cities in Italy! Besides, if Trieste is the first or the last port of call on your cruise we recommend that you should arrive there at least 2 days in advance or vice versa stay there longer before departure to visit neighboring Slovenia with its amazing capital Ljubljana, known as the city of dragons and the Green Capital of Europe.

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Trieste: Cruise port guide – what to do, see & eat

Trieste cruise port is not just a gateway to the delightful Italian city of Trieste but also magnificent Venice – here’s what to do on cruises to Trieste.

Words by Nick Dalton

Trieste, on Italy’s border with Slovenia, is a beautiful place with Trieste cruise port increasingly popular with ships now Venice along the coast is scaling back on big liners.

Cruise ships sail right up to the historic heart of a place that was created as a Roman colony by Julius Caesar and which became the fourth largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, only beaten by Vienna , Budapest and Prague .

Sitting on a finger of the Italian coast, the calm Adriatic in front and the mountains of Slovenia behind, Trieste is a city of elegant buildings, beautiful squares, Roman ruins and a hilltop cathedral, all easily walkable from Trieste cruise port.

There are waterfront walks, a Parisian element to the café-filled city streets and a celebrated cultural history that includes James Joyce, who wrote much of his avant-garde Irish literature, including Dubliners, during more than a decade here.

A day’s cruise visit here is glorious but Trieste is such a relaxed city that a couple days pre- or post-cruise are well worthwhile.

HOW TO GET INTO TOWN FROM TRIESTE CRUISE PORT

Walk across the road! Trieste Italy cruise port is one of the most accessible you’ll find anywhere. In August, dazzlingly decorated giant Norwegian Viva [above] sailed her maiden voyage from here, her nose across the street from ornate buildings, including regal, flag-bearing offices of giant cruise ship builder Fincantieri.

Turn right as you disembark and it’s a short stroll to the picturesque yacht marina; turn left and historic port buildings tucked away behind an imposing stone arch are being reimagined as apartments along with shops and restaurants.

The other side of the latter, a 15-minute walk from Trieste cruise port, is the railway station.

How far is Trieste airport from the cruise port?

Trains from Trieste airport take half an hour. The bus costs much the same and takes an hour.

Trieste has Ryanair flights from London Stansted but other carriers involve changes and lengthy journeys.

How far is Trieste cruise port from Venice airport?

Venice Marco Polo airport, about 100 miles from Trieste, has more flights, including BA and easyJet.

Transportation from Venice to Trieste cruise port

A bus from Venice airport takes about two hours 20 minutes. If you want to take a train from Venice to Trieste cruise port it costs a little more and takes just under three hours. Neither journey is particularly scenic, keeping away from the coast, but the road is simple and motorway all the way.

THINGS TO DO IN TRIESTE

See the sea.

The grandiose seafront of Trieste cruise port is a place to stroll, particularly at sunset when the Gulf of Trieste glows and shines. The cruise ships are a particular attraction – a wonderful view of ship and shore comes from nearby Molo Audace, a 246m stone pier built over the wreck of the ship San Carlo, opened in 1751 and named after Italian Navy destroyer Audace.

Across the road is Piazza Unità d’Italia [above, left], a vast, stone-paved piazza – said to be Europe’s biggest sea-facing square – lined with palaces from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, and glorious when illuminated at night.

A little farther along is the Grand Canal, not as grand as Venice’s but Venetian in feel. The short waterway, dating from the mid-18th century, allowed ships to unload in town. The more recent Ponto Rosso footbridge (on which stands a lifesize bronze statue of James Joyce) means it’s now only navigable by tiny boats. At the end is the beautiful Church of Sant’Antonio Taumaturgo while on either side are cafes and market stalls.

San Giusto Cathedral

Narrow, cobbled streets and alleyways reach an unusually squat cathedral at the top of San Giusto hill. In the 14th century the cathedral itself (which replaced an earlier building) was linked to the neighboring Shrine of San Giusto creating a striking four-aisle interior, with a splendid circular window above and decorated with Byzantine mosaics inspired by works in Ravenna, the cruise port city south of Venice.

San Giusto Castle

Next to the cathedral, are the 15th- to 17th-century fortifications of San Giusto Castle, the work variously of Austrians and Venetians, with epic views over city and sea. The armory is impressive while the Lapidarium of Tergeste is a garden and catacombs packed with Roman relics. Find out more .

Roman Theatre

The remains of a vast amphitheatre once believed to hold at least 3,500 spectators and only uncovered in 1938, the Roman Theatre offers a peaceful public spot among the shops close to the sea, open 24 hours. Statues and inscriptions found in the excavations are at the Lapidarium at the castle.

Joyce Museum

Above the public library, homage to the writer with details on the taverns, churches, homes and less-salubrious places the author frequented during his life here – his children, Giorgio and Lucia, were born here and his brother and two sisters joined him – while creating works such as The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Find out more .

Miramare Castle

On a rocky seafront promontory 8km north of Trieste (a mostly waterfront walk if you fancy it), an aristocratic 19th-century creation, Miramare Castle, is the former home of Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg, brother of Emperor Franz Joseph.

The elegant, white-towered house has its original furniture and is surrounded by a grandiose park full of rare and exotic trees. The sea around here is Miramare Marine Nature Reserve, where turtles and dolphins can be spotted on boat and snorkeling trips. Find out more.

See the streets

The city from Trieste cruise port is elegant and bustling without being overwhelming. The hillside roads are calm and historic, the lower streets have the feel of a major European city rather than simply a port town. Smart shops, casual bars, stylish restaurants and small parks.

Hidden gems in Trieste

Parco farneto.

Trieste’s largest park is only 2km from the centre so easy to get to on foot or by bus. The medieval woodland was flattened for firewood during World War Two but the park was restored and reopened in 2000 with looping paths through trees and rolling hills.

Parco di Villa Giulia

Slightly smaller than Parco Farneto but still only 2km from the center. Hilly paths give great views across the city and sea from the top.

Kleine Berlin

Truly hidden, this is a connected twin system of World War Two tunnels. One part was a civilian bomb shelter with a sick bay; the other, vast and complex, was built by the SS when they set up an HQ in the city. Free guided tours. Find out more .

Where to eat and drink in Trieste

Start your day with a rich and creamy cappuccino paired with a freshly baked pastry at one of the historic cafes like Caffè degli Specchi. For a mid-morning snack, try a “buffet” at a local bar – a unique tradition featuring small bites like crostini, prosciutto, and cheese.

Dive into the city’s seafood culture with a delicious plate of Adriatic seafood, perhaps sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines) or a mixed seafood platter at a trattoria by the sea. Don’t miss out on trying the local specialty, the hearty jota soup made with beans, sauerkraut, and potatoes – a perfect comfort food choice if you cruise to Trieste during the colder months.

Pair these delights with the region’s renowned white wines like Vitovska or the bold red Terrano. Finish with a slice of the delicious presnitz , a traditional pastry filled with nuts, dried fruits and spices.

Trieste restaurants to try

Inside the grandeur of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, this carves out a cool contemporary space while celebrating the past with modern takes on Austrian and Balkan themes and influences, such as gnocchi with cuttlefish ink. Find out more .

Casual but trendy bar and restaurant in a delightful setting on the edge of the yacht marina just along from Trieste cruise port. The interior is cool and white while The Roof is like a cruise ship deck for cocktails and a little music with enormous views of sea, city and coast. Find out more .

Harry’s Bar

Brother to the famed Harry’s in Venice, this is in the Grand Hotel Duchi d’Aosta on Piazza Unità d’Italia. As grand as the hotel, all polished wood and timeless style, it spills onto the stone square via an elegant terrace. There’s also intimate, white-tableclothed Harry’s Piccolo restaurant (two Michelin stars but starters from €45), Harry’s Bistro (mains from €18 with its own Margherita pizza) and Harry’s Pasticceria with choccy cakes and pastries. Find out more .

040 Social Food

Hip, stylish reasonably-priced bar/restaurant with outdoor tables giving views along the Grand Canal. Posh burgers (about £10 with fries), plus calamari, sardines and such, with hearty breakfasts, salads and gluten-free options. Cool décor, all wood, metal, brick and stone with an open kitchen, serving craft beers and cocktails at the proper bar. Find out more .

What to do outside Trieste

Postojna cave and predjama castle.

Just under an hour from the city (take a ship or local excursion). An extraordinary world of subterranean mountains, rivers and vast halls, not to mention a massive 5m-high stalagmite.

Home to olms, translucent, pink, lizard-like creatures with no visible eyes, dubbed ‘baby dragons’. Tour on the world’s only double-track cave railway. Nearby, halfway up a 123m-high cliff, is the 800-year-old castle [above] with secret tunnels and its own massive cave. Find out more .

Hotels in Trieste near the cruise port

Doubletree by hilton.

Several streets back from the seafront but in the heart of downtown, from the outside this looks like a historic attraction. Inside, it’s classical too, the early 20th-century building packed with original fresco ceilings, marble pillars and grand spaces. Berlam is a dramatic spot for everything from coffee to cocktails with tapas beneath a chandelier as large as a car. Find out more .

Savoia Excelsior Palace

A grand old-world hotel across the street from Trieste cruise terminal. The building stems from 1911 when it was part of the Habsburg monarchy estate and the hotel has a middle European glamour. The Savoy restaurant specializes in local seafood (including roast octopus) in an elegant, high-ceilinged setting. Find out more .

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Venice (Marghera, Italy)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Mediterranean - Black Sea

Local Time 2024-06-19 05:49

Port Venice cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Venice, Marghera, Italy. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Venice (Venezia) is a major seaport in the Adriatic (northeastern Italy) and one of Italy's most visited ferry and cruise ports serving turnaround operations (roundtrip Mediterranean itineraries) and also connecting to North Africa and Middle East. The city is the capital of Veneto (one of Italy's 20 regions) and has population over 260,000.

Venezia was established in the 7th century as a cluster of total 124 island settlements. Current-day Venice City is spread across 118 isles ( Venetian Islands ) separated by canals and interlinked by 400+ bridges. All these isles are in the Venetian Lagoon - a bay between the mouths of two rivers (Po and Piave). The entire Venetian Lagoon and part of Venezia are designated as UNESCO Site.

Venice City is currently served by two cruise ports - Porto Venice (locode ITVCE, for smaller ships and riverboats) and Porto Marghera (for large liners).

• Marghera was developed to serve as the city's commercial/cargo and industrial port (outside downtown) and is one of Europe's largest coastal industrial zones.
• On April 9, 2022, was inaugurated Marghera's provisional dock/temporary berthing facility (at Liguria Quay/EUR 1,9 million project) dedicated to cruise liners.

The Port is managed by AdSPMAS/Autorita di Sistema Portuale del Mare Adriatico Settentrionale/Porti di Venezia e Chioggia (Port Authority of Venice and Chioggia).

(IMPORTANT) Port Venice cruise ship ban

On July 13, 2021, Italy permanently banned large cruise ships from entering the Venice Lagoon (via Giudecca Canal) and docking at downtown terminals. The ban (effective since August 1, 2021) prohibits all vessels with GT 25,000+ tonnes.

• As an alternative cruise port is being developed Port Marghera, with expected completion in 2021-Q4. By this ban, only small-sized vessels ( passenger ferries , cargo ships, riverboats) can navigate the Giudecca and enter Venice's downtown.
• In July 2021, Costa and MSC replaced Venice (as homeport) with other Italian ports. Passengers were actually collected at Venice, then via buses transported to a different Italian port ( Trieste or Monfalcone).

In mid-June 2020, RCI-Royal Caribbean replaced Venice (as homeport) with Ravenna . The change affected the Rhapsody of the Seas ' Mediterranean schedule 2021 (May 1 through October 23). Ravenna is approx 144 km (90 mi road distance) to the south from Venice, or ~2,5 hours drive (via SS309 / Ravenna-Chioggia road).

• The itinerary change was explained with "increased concerns regarding the future of cruising in Venice Italy due to port congestion and the ability to control port traffic".
• Customers with already purchased through RCI airfare received complimentary shuttle bus transportation (pre- and after-cruise). Optionally was offered purchasing bus transfers from both the Ravenna cruise terminal and/or the Venice Marco Polo Airport.

In September 2023, Fulvio Lino Di Blasio (Port Authority's President) announced that cruise ships will be allowed to use Stazione Marittima di Venezia starting in 2027-Q2. The new plan grants entry to relatively smaller vessels (with max volume 60,000 GT-tons and max length 250 m/820 ft). Like the big liners, they will be also banned from the San Marco basin (Guidecca Channel route) and instead will access Stazione Marittima using the Vittorio Emanuele III Channel route.

The larger cruise ships will continue to visit Venice via Port Marghera.

Fincantieri Marghera shipyard

Fincantieri (one of the world's largest shipbuilding companies ) owns the merchant shipbuilding yards Monfalcone (near Trieste ), Marghera (Venice), Sestri Ponente ( Genoa ), Ancona , Castellammare di Stabia (near Naples ) and Palermo Sicily . The company also owns the naval shipyards Riva Trigoso (Genoa) and Muggiano ( La Spezia ).

Next are listed all cruise ships constructed at the Marghera yard, by the year built.

• (1991) Pacific Dawn, Costa Classica
• (1993) MS Statendam, MS Maasdam, Costa Romantica
• (1994) MS Ryndam
• (1995) Sun Princess, Carnival Destiny-Sunshine
• (1996) MS Veendam, Dawn Princess
• (1997) MS Rotterdam
• (1998) Sea Princess, Disney Magic
• (1999) MS Volendam, Carnival Triumph-Sunrise, Disney Wonder
• (2000) MS Zaandam, MS Amsterdam
• (2000) P&O Oceana, Carnival Victory-Radiance
• (2001) MS Zuiderdam, plus two cruiseferies (Pride of Hull, Pride of Rotterdam)
• (2002) MS Oosterdam, Carnival Conquest
• (2003) Carnival Glory, Costa Fortuna, Costa Magica
• (2004) MS Westerdam, Carnival Valor, P&O Arcadia
• (2005) Costa Concordia, Carnival Liberty
• (2006) MS Noordam, Costa Serena, Carnival Splendor
• (2007) MS Eurodam, Queen Victoria, Carnival Freedom, P&O Ventura
• (2008) Ruby Princess, Costa Luminosa, Costa Pacifica
• (2009) MS Nieuw Amsterdam, Carnival Dream, Costa Deliziosa, P&O Azura
• (2010) Queen Elizabeth, Costa Favolosa, Carnival Magic
• (2011) Costa Fascinosa, Carnival Breeze
• (2013) Royal Princess
• (2014) Regal Princess, Costa Diadema
• (2015) P&O Britannia, Ponant Le Lyrial, Viking Star
• (2016) MS Koningsdam, Carnival Vista, Seabourn Encore, Seven Seas Explorer, Viking Sea
• (2017) Majestic Princess, MSC Seaside, Viking Sky, Viking Sun, Silver Muse
• (2018) MS Nieuw Statendam, Carnival Horizon, MSC Seaview, Viking Orion, Seabourn Ovation
• (2019) Sky Princess, Costa Venezia, Carnival Panorama, Viking Jupiter
• (2020) Enchanted Princess, Costa Firenze, Scarlet Lady, Seven Seas Splendor
• (2021) MS Rotterdam, MSC Seashore, Valiant Lady, Viking Venus
• (2022) Discovery Princess, MSC Seascape, Resilient Lady, Norwegian Prima, Cunard-tbn, Viking Mars, Viking Neptune
• (2023) Norwegian Viva, MSC Explora 1, Virgin-tbn, Princess-tbn
• (2024) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 2
• (2025) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 3, Princess-tbn
• (2026) NCL-tbn, MSC Explora 4
• (2027) NCL-tbn

The list of brands/shipowners includes CCL-Carnival , MSC , Costa , Princess , HAL-Holland America , Virgin , P&O (UK and Australia) , Disney , Viking OCEAN , Ponant .

Port Venice

Porto di Venezia is a seaport in northeastern Italy, ranked Italy's 8th largest commercial port and also among the largest and most important cruise ports in southern Europe (Mediterranean Sea). As shipping volumes, in 2006 the port handled around 30,937 million cargo tons and over 1,453 million passengers (ferry and cruise).

Port Venice is currently the 2nd largest Mediterranean cruise port (after Barcelona ) by passenger volumes. However, due to environmentalist campaigns (since Concordia's sinking in 2012) to stop large-sized liners in Venice (vessels over 10 decks high), Port Venice started progressively to lose ship calls. In 2017, their number dropped over 10% - from 529 (in 2016) to 470. Cruiseship passenger numbers decreased by 11,4% (to around 1,4 million), which resulted in an income fall. Since the mid-1990s, cruising tourism is an important income source for the city and its citizens.

Environmentalists demand larger cruise vessels to stop navigating along Guidecca Canal to reach the seaport, as the route takes them within just 300 m (1000) ft of Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square). Besides the visual impact, other concerns are the damage caused by marine diesel engine pollution and the vessels' water displacement. New port regulations will require cruise ships to reduce emissions by switching to LSDO (lower-sulfur diesel fuel) before entering Venice Lagoon .

The controversy over whether cruise ships should be allowed into Venice was heightened right after Costa Concordia ship's capsizing near Giglio Island. Following the accident, the government issued a law banning cruise liners with gross tonnage over 96,000 GT from navigating the Guidecca Canal. The number of smaller cruise vessels (over 40,000 GT) along the channel was limited to 5 per day. In 2014, this law came into effect, just to be thrown out 2 months later by the Venice Court of Appeal.

In mid-June, 2017, over 18,000 Venetians voted in an unofficial referendum about banning large cruise vessels that navigate near St Mark Square. Activists set up a total of 60 polling booths, where 17,874 citizens voted to eject the ships which produce waves shaking the city's wooden foundations.

• In September 2017, three of the world's largest cruise companies ( Carnival , Royal Caribbean , MSC ) run shipping simulations on large liners navigating the Vittorio Emanuele III Channel route (Stazione Marittima) as a proposed alternative to the banned Guidecca Channel route.
• Since November 2017, Venice seaport access (through Giudecca Canal) is denied to cruise liners with GT tonnage over 100,000 tons. Instead, the vessels are rerouted to Port Marghera, from where passengers are ferried to downtown.

Since September 2019, Venice City charges day-trippers a tax of up to EUR 10 / USD 11 pp, which brings tens of millions of EUR annually. Of the ~24 million tourists in 2019, ~15 million were day-trippers. The new tourist tax (entrance fee) was approved by the Italian Government and contained in the country's 2019 budget. The new charge is included in the cost of hotels, trains, buses and cruise ship tickets. The tax ranges between EUR 2.50 to EUR 10 per person, depending on arrival time (low or high season).

Regularly scheduled cruiseferries link Venice City with Ancona and also with Slovenia ( Piran ), Croatia ( Pula , Rovinj , Umag, Porec) and Greece ( Kerkyra-Corfu , Igoumenitsa , Patras ).

• Venice-Piran route is served by Venezia Lines with 1 weekly crossing (travel time 2,5 hours).
• Venice-Pula route is served by Venezia Lines (4 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (3 weekly crossings), travel time is 3 hours.
• Venice-Porec route is served by Venezia Lines (7 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (5 weekly crossings), travel time is 3-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Rovinj route is served by Venezia Lines (7 weekly crossings) and Atlas Kompas (3 weekly crossings), travel time is 2,5-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Umag route is served by Venezia Lines (1 weekly crossing) and Atlas Kompas (1 weekly crossing), travel time is 2,5-3,5 hours.
• Venice-Corfu route is served by Minoan Lines (2 weekly crossings, time 26,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (1 weekly crossing, time 25 hours).
• Venice-Igoumenitsa route is served by Minoan Lines (2 weekly crossings, time 28,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (2 weekly crossings, time 25,5 hours).
• Venice-Patras route is served by Minoan Lines (3 weekly crossings, time 30,5 hours) and ANEK Superfast (2 weekly crossings, time 32 hours).
• Venice- Ancona route is served by Minoan Lines with 2 weekly crossings (travel time 6,5 hours).

MOSE - Venice flood barrier project

MOSE project is designed to protect Venice and Venetian Lagoon from flooding caused by high tides (up to 3 m / 10 ft). The integrated system consists of rows of large mobile gates at 3 inlets (Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia) through which Adriatic Sea water enters and leaves the Venetian Lagoon.

These gates are able to temporarily isolate the lagoon from the sea during high tides as they open and close separately thus controlling the water flow.

MOSE system's control center is in Venice's Arsenal, where 9 people constantly monitor the lagoon's conditions. The monitoring staff's training started in 2011 by simulating real-time flood defense operations. During that period was also collected data about water levels, waves, water pressure, and fresh river flood.

Flooding due to high tides mires Venice during winter months. During high tide forecasts, sirens all over the city sound a warning, and real-time information is provided (online and via mobile phones). Other measures are setting up temporary elevated platforms in city parts with heavy pedestrian traffic. High tides usually last 2 1/2 hours. The flood of November 4, 1966, saw water levels reaching up to 194 cm (6 ft). This was the end of the agriculture in the lagoon and also resulted in the death of the majority of its plants. Previously, the lagoon was a winemaking region.

The Mose barrier concept was first proposed in 1988. The consortium Venezia Nuova was contracted by Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Construction works (simultaneously at all 3 lagoon inlets) started in 2003. The project also included other anti-flood measures - coastal reinforcement, raising quaysides, and lagoon improvements. The project was 85% completed in 2014. In 2016, the gates arrived and were inserted into their concrete foundations.

The project's total cost was EUR 5,4 billion (GBP 3,9 billion), with its completion scheduled for 2020.

Construction works on the MOSE system were slowed due to investigations into corruption, with allegations of bribery and illegal political party financing. The investigation resulted in 35 arrests (in June 2014). Among the arrested was Consorzio Venezia Nuova's former president, who was accused of diverting funds to Venice's mayor for financing his campaign for office in 2010.

Construction works included pre-building concrete foundations (23,000 tons each) and then lowering them into the lagoon. Gates have spares (for each inlet), which allow being removed every 5 years (for maintenance) without interrupting the barrier's service. All hinges on the gates are equipped with a waterproof camera that permits removal operations to be accurately monitored and controlled.

The commercial harbor is impacted each time the gates are lifted. The amount of electricity used for the operations is also considerable.

According to CLIA (data 2019), in Italy, the ship cruise industry generates an annual turnover of ~EUR 16,2 billion (USD 19,1B / GBP 14B) and supports 120,000+ jobs (direct and indirect).

Venice cruise terminal

Port Venice is the leader not only in one traffic segment. It is the largest Mediterranean cruise port (in terms of annual passenger shipping numbers) and also main cargo port. Roundtrip cruise itineraries from Venice (homeport) go mainly to ports in Adriatic Sea (Croatia, Montenegro, Albania) and Aegean Sea (Greece and Turkey). Port Venice has 10 multifunctional (cargo) terminals and 6 dedicated cruise piers/passenger terminals.

Venice Cruise Port Terminal (VCT or Terminal Venezia Passeggeri) is Europe's 3rd busiest cruise port and world's 13th largest. Each year, Port Venice handles thousand cruise ship calls and over 1 million passengers. The seaport is located at the end of Venice (the road to the continental Italy, at the 4th km).

The seaport is in the Venetian Lagoon and the Porto di Lido channel links it to Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean). Over 20 cruise companies are hosted by Venice Cruise Terminal. Major companies, like NCL Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC, homeport large-sized liners here.

The cruise port has 3 main quays, the biggest being Marittima. It has 3 passenger terminals with capacities to handle world's largest liners. The cruise port comprises TM Quay, Piave Quay (berth 117), Tagliamento Quay (berths 107, 109, 110, 112) and Isonzo Quay (berths 18 and 20). Two terminals serve smaller ships - San Basilio (berths 29 to 31) and Santa Marta (berths 24 to 28). All these docks are in the Giudecca Canal.

On November 8, 2017, was officially announced the decision to not allow Venice seaport access (through Giudecca Canal) to cruise liners of GT tonnage over 100,000 tons. Instead, the vessels are rerouted to Port Marghera, from where passengers are ferried to Venice.

Venice is known to be the “Queen of the Adriatic”. It is one of the most romantic world cities. Venice can enchant anyone with its breathtaking palazzos, canals and beautiful bridges. This city is so spectacular, that you will need at least three days to enjoy some of its wonders. Spend a day in a gondola at the narrow channels and be amazed by Venice. Go to Murano, the Venetian glassmaking center, or visit some of the famous places near the St Marks Square:

• Basilica: the place where you can see Pala d’Oro. This famous altarpiece dates since 976. It is made of solid gold by the Byzantine goldsmiths and it has precious gems encrustations.
• Doge’s Palace: situated right to the Basilica. You can see the Council Hall, plaques of the Doges (all 76, except Doge 55) and the world-famous Bridge of Sighs (the last walking place for the criminals before their transfer from the palace into the jail).
• Campanile: dating since 912. The Campanile is the third building you have to see. There is astonishing city view from the top of it. This is not the exact original of the building, but a rebuilding with the original materials after its collapse in 1902.

From Venice City are offered tours to Bologna - located approx 130 km (80 ml) to the southwest. Train travel time is 1,5 hours.

Venice tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

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Venice - user reviews and comments

Venice, Italy – Cruise Port Guide

Discover the insider secrets of the port of Venice, Italy! The port is located on beautiful waterways that entice thousands of tourists annually. In this blog post, we’ll help you quickly explore and navigate the Venice cruise port so you can fully appreciate its beauty and history.

With our guide, you’ll find essential information about the Venice cruise terminal amenities, transportation options from the port to popular city attractions like muscle-powered gondolas, budget advice, and more! When visiting this fantastic European destination, prepare for a luxurious voyage filled with culture and breathtaking sights.

About the Port

The Venice cruise port is one of Europe’s busiest and most popular cruise ports. Strategically located in three distinct areas, the port serves an array of international travelers each year with multiple terminals to meet their needs.

The main cruise terminal is Venice Passenger Terminal (VPT), near the Sestiere di San Marco Bay across from Piazza San Marco. Other nearby terminals include Venice Trieste and Imperial Marino Veneziano port Mary & Ravenna – both within walking distance of the city center for tourists looking to explore all that Venice offers by foot or public transportation.

As well as boasting some of Italy’s best architecture, attractions, and unique cultural events, 32 waterways containing more than 400 bridges make it a must-see travel destination!

Cruise Terminal Information

Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.P.A. manages the Venice cruise port and operates three locations: the Venice Passenger Terminal (VPT), Terminal Venezia Passeggeri, and Marittima.

The Port is connected to the historic city of Venice—“La Serenissima” or “The Most Serene City”—through a spectacular 4-km causeway along an island archipelago known as La Giudecca consisting of eight separate islands.

At these three ports, travelers can access maps, bus rides, and shuttle services for transportation into the city. These services run frequently from March until November to various points in the old Italian city, including tourist sites such as St Mark’s Basilica .

Additionally, it is possible to take any of these modes of transport further away from the Venetian Lagoon to other destinations, such as Mestre Railway Station and Marco Polo Airport, for those who want to explore even further afield or return home more conveniently.

How To Get Around

Getting around Venice is relatively easy, with walking being the most popular way of transport. Due to its small size and pedestrian-friendly layout, it is possible to access many attractions by foot with little difficulty.

When visiting the city, make sure you have a map to get your bearings—this will allow for efficient use of time and money as landmarks such as San Marco Square are within walking distance of each other.

If located close enough, visitors may also choose to bike across bridges at sunset for breathtaking views over gondolas passing below them on cozy canal rides– truly an unforgettable experience!

Things To Do

As a cruise guest in Venice, you’ll immerse yourself in a beautiful city full of rich history and culture awaiting exploration. From sightseeing to visiting landmarks like St Mark’s Square, don’t miss out on these activities in the most romantic city on the planet.

You can also take a Vaporetto or gondola ride through picturesque canals and explore lesser-known neighborhoods. At local markets such as Rialto Bridge Market or Sant’Angelo Market, you’ll be able to get acquainted with Venetian cuisine and products.

For those looking for a unique experience, taking a water taxi around the Grand Canal in Venice offers an excellent opportunity to enjoy the unforgettable view. Disembarking at Trinity Bridge allows for a tour of Basilica San Marco, which holds great significance in Christian history.

Beach Pass Information

Venice’s beaches are accessible with a beach pass. Beach passes provide access to the city’s most beautiful spots and famous clubs, allowing travelers to enjoy the sun and sand while saving money on daily entrance fees.

Visitors must purchase a one-day ticket from an authorized vendor or tourist information office in Venice to obtain a beach pass. This ticket typically costs around €15 per day and allows entry into all public beaches throughout the city—though there are occasionally restrictions for specific locations.

Local Cuisine & Best Places to Eat

Venice has unique culinary experiences and offerings, from traditional Italian dishes to regional Venetian specialties. Venetian cuisine is known for its rice dishes, pasta, seafood, and other savory flavors made with fresh local ingredients.

For the ultimate gastronomic experience in Venice, dine at one of two acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurants or visit one of the Bib Gourmand eateries, which offer good food at reasonable prices.

There’s Something for Everyone!

Explore Venice like a local by sampling local osterias and bacari—traditional eateries serving authentic Venetian fare and wine and cocktails in a lively atmosphere.

Visit tiny romantic trattorias (family-run restaurants) to try classic Tuscan dishes such as ribollita or Lampreia stew cooked over an open fire or explore bustling outdoor markets to buy local handmade cheeses served up with fragrant bread still warm from the oven.

Shopping Opportunities

The Venice cruise port offers various shopping opportunities, from quaint boutiques to chic designer labels. Behind the Correr Museum , well-known luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel can be found selling their designer clothes, shoes, and purses.

Local Currency

Whether you’re visiting for a day or planning to stay a while, it’s essential to understand the local currency used at the Venice cruise facility. The official currency in Italy—and indeed all of Europe—is the Euro (EUR). In 2002, when European nations adopted the single currency, Italy removed its former national currency, the Italian lira, from circulation.

ATMs and foreign exchange bureauarend near the St. Mark’s Square area and other central locations for visitors who want to convert their country’s money into Euros. Cash is still preferred over debit/credit cards, so keeping an emergency supply of euros on hand is always helpful!

Safety Travel Tips

Cruising is a fun and exhilarating experience, but keeping yourself safe should be your top priority when visiting the Venice cruise port terminal. It can be easy to become vulnerable in crowded areas full of unfamiliar people.

The best way to guard against potential danger or theft is to stay aware of your surroundings and avoid taking risks. Dress conservatively to avoid drawing attention, keep valuables hidden away, never share cabs with strangers, and travel in groups when walking around.

Finally, if possible, leave expensive jewelry back on the ship so that if anything does happen, you won’t lose any irreplaceable items during your trip.

Best Time To Visit

Visiting Venice is always an incredible experience, but the best time varies greatlyPlanan your trip between May and October for optimal weather conditions and fewer crowds.

July and August in Venice are hectic for tourists due to increased day-trippers and cruise ship passengers taking holiday during this time. Additionally, Venetians traditionally take a two-month vacation that falls around these times, leading even more people into the city and making it crowded and hot.

If you want a less crowded experience, consider visiting Venice in April or May, where the temperatures are pretty warm.

Popular Cruise Lines That Visit Venice Cruise Port

Cruise passengers can explore Venice’s wonders through several famous cruise lines that call the port home. Celebrity Cruises , for starters, offers roundtrip itineraries from this port to premiere destinations in the Adriatic Sea, such as Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania.

Royal Caribbean is another must-visit for anyone looking for unforgettable journeys around Italy’s stunning cities—from taste-testing pizza in Sorrento or shopping along Rialto Bridge’s local markets, these ships host unique activities ideal for young couples looking to relax on the sun deck or adults keen on exploring nearby towns during shore excursions.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Venice cruise port, such as the difference between Venice Ravenna and Venice Trieste, here!

Can you walk into Venice from a cruise ship?

Yes, you can easily walk into Venice from the cruise port follow the signs and take the shuttle that services passengers arriving at the Vienna cruise port. The port is only a five-minute walk away.

Where do the cruise ships dock in Venice?

The cruise ships in Venice dock at several locations along the city’s waterways. These ports include the Venice Passenger Terminal (VPT) at Marittima, located near St Mark’s Basin and connected to the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea via its Porto di Lido entrance.

What is the difference between Venice Ravenna and Venice Trieste?

Venice and Trieste are two departure ports for cruises in Italy, although Ravenna is another option that often comes into consideration. An important point to note is the distance from Venice to Trieste is approximately 160 km northeast.

Booking Information

If you’re planning a cruise ship trip to this gorgeous location, reserving tickets in advance makes your journey much easier and faster.

The first step to ensuring you gain access to the port quickly is booking a ticket online through Skiptheline . Romantic Eastern Mediterranean cruises are often booked through these outlets, ensuring travelers have exciting itineraries available immediately when stepping onto their magnificent destination!

The Venice port guide is valuable for anyone cruising to or from Venice, Italy. It provides essential information about the port, including where cruise ships dock, amenities at the passenger terminal, transportation options into the city, shopping opportunities, local cuisine, and more.

So take advantage of this comprehensive guide today—it could be just what you need for an unforgettable stay in one of Europe’s oldest cities!

Rhodes, Greece – Cruise Port Guide

Are you planning a cruise stop in Rhodes, Greece? The island’s history and stunning natural beauty make it a must-visit destination for any Mediterranean voyage. This comprehensive guide to the Rhodes Cruise Port is your key to everything this port has to offer, from how to navigate the terminal, fun activities around town, tasty local …

Mykonos, Greece – Cruise Port Guide

Planning a trip to Mykonos Island on a cruise ship and feeling overwhelmed? Did you know your ship docks in Tourlos, the new port in beautiful Mykonos, Greece? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll simplify your travel planning by providing all the necessary information – from getting around to must-visit spots. Ready for an epic adventure? …

Funchal, Portugal – Cruise Port Guide

Wondering where to dock during your next cruise trip? Funchal, one of the most visited ports on South Europe’s Atlantic coast, might be the ideal answer. This guide will give you everything you need about the Funchal Cruise Port, from terminal information and local attractions to currency details and safety tips. Sit tight as we …

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Cruises from Venice (Trieste)

A cruise from Trieste is ideal—it is a two-hour scenic train ride to Venice and a popular seaport for Italy cruises. With this city’s blush facades, wide plazas and Austrian influence, you’ll have plenty to do and plenty of elbow room to enjoy it, plus you can easily train to Venice for the day. Trieste is disorienting—geographically, it’s surrounded by Slovenia, as far northeast in Italy as you can get, ensconced in the untamed beauty of the Karstic plateau and lashed by the Bora wind. It holds a collision of Italian, Austrian-German, Croatian and Greek cultures and earned many nicknames, including “Vienna by the Sea,” “City of Coffee,” “Gem of the Adriatic.” Before your cruise from Trieste, see waterfalls tumble from rocky cliffs in the Rosandra Valley or sip coffee and let the day unfold at the largest seaside square in Europe. Here are some things to do in Trieste on Italy cruises.

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Things To Do In Trieste 

Miramare castle, piazza unità d'italia, teatro romano.

• Kastella & Mikrolimano

Grotta Gigante

The Colosseum

• Acropolis Display
• Cafe Dexameni

More Details About Cruise from Trieste

Trieste at a glance.

When was Trieste founded?  1719  

Where is Trieste located?  Trieste is located on the northeast coast of Italy, Approximately 72 miles east of Venice  

What is the population of Trieste?  It is estimated to have a population of 204,000  

What language is primarily spoken?  Italian  

What is the time zone of Trieste, Italy?   Central European Time (CET) and Central European Summer Time (CEST) 

• Trieste, Italy is GMT/UTC +1h during Central European Time
• Trieste, Italy is GMT/UTC +2h during Central European Summer Time

What currency is used in Trieste, Italy?  Euro (EUR)

Travel Tips for Trieste

How do I book a flight to Trieste, Italy?  At Holland America we offer cruise travelers low prices on their flights. Please see more information on our  Flight Ease program here .  

Where should I stay when cruising from Trieste?  We offer hotel packages to our already booked guests. For more information, visit our  hotel packages and pre- or post-travel arrangements .  

What are some of the top places to see in Trieste?  Visit our  Trieste (Venice) Port page  for more information on our top travel recommendations.

Trieste Port Information

What should I expect boarding to be like for my cruise from Venice?   Please visit our  preparation FAQ  page for information on how to access or print boarding passes, how to check in online, and to see if you need a passport.  

Can I book an airport shuttle to my cruise?   Book an airport transfer from the airport to your ship after you book a cruise with Holland America Line. We make getting to and from your cruise comfortable, convenient and hassle-free. For more information on EXC City Stays & Overland Tours, please visit here .

What is the address of the Trieste port?  The stazione marittima is located at Molo dei Bersaglieri, 3, 34123 Trieste TS, Italy.

Are you an already booked guest with Holland America Line ? For booked guests, please log in to see our travel planning details on how to book an airport transfer.

Curious to learn more about cruising or want more information?

Please visit our most  frequently asked questions page  on cruise preparation, transportation, safety and security, and more.

Europe Vacation Packages

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Book flights that depart and arrive in time for Greece cruises from Athens with Holland America Line Flight Ease®. Find low prices, loads of options, and enjoy flexibility and support should plans change.

Add a Hotel Package

Athens stays up long after the sun goes down. Add a hotel package to your cruise and indulge in an unforgettable overnight in Athens.

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There is a lot of ground to cover, we make it easy to schedule transfers between the airport and ship. Arrange ground transportation ahead of time and breeze to and from your Greece cruise.

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Venice (Italy) Cruise Port Essential Guide

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Venice overview for cruise passengers: where ships dock, what to do, top attractions, and shore excursions; dining and shopping.

By: Editor-in-Chief Date: February 26, 2021

Venice is one of the most visited cruise ports in Italy and Europe. Built upon 117 separate islands and held together by wooden beamed structures below water, Venice is as strong today as it was when first inhabited over 1500 years ago.

The maze of tiny cobbled streets and courtyards, where you bump into history around every corner, seems to go on forever. Not surprisingly, Venice remains a city that all cruise passengers must have on their bucket list.

• Where is Venice

Where cruise ships dock

• Things to do in Venice
• Top attractions
• Shore excursions (Shorex)
• Lunch and quick bites

Shops and shopping

There is so much to do and see in Venice that cruises calling at the port for one day will force passengers to choose carefully. The good news is that most cruise lines stay at least two days in Venice, allowing more time to explore this unique city.

Venice is both a port of call and a homeport in Italy for cruises in the eastern Mediterranean. However, the overwhelming majority of cruise ships dock in Venice to embark and disembark passengers.

Embarking and disembarking in Venice

Cruise passengers embarking in Venice cruise port, especially those traveling from the US or Canada, should fly at least one day ahead. Arrive in Venice before noon and stay in a hotel overnight to fully enjoy the city.

If you are disembarking a cruise in Venice, you should also consider staying an extra day to explore the city, although you should have in mind that hotels tend to be very expensive but worth every penny.

Where is Venice and the cruise port

Venice is on the northern tip of the Adriatic sea, formed by the Italian peninsula on the west and coasts of Croatia, Albania, and Greece on the east side. Trieste and Ravenna are another two cruise ports nearby and also visited by cruise ships to explore Venice. Trieste is 68 miles (110 km) to the east, and Ravenna is 66 miles (107 km) to the south.

The cruise port is inside the Venetian Lagoon, on the west side of the city. For over one century, cruise ships have been sailing in and out of the lagoon, offering spectacular vistas of Venice but damaging the wooden structure underwater. There have been many complaints by residents and, sooner or later, there will be inevitable restrictions on cruising.

There are 2 cruise terminals in Venice where ships may dock:

• Venezia Terminal Passeggeri
• San Basilico

With very few exceptions, all cruise ships dock at the Venice Passenger Terminal. This main cruise terminal is in an area connected to the mainland by road and train. It has excellent access for all cruisers embarking or disembarking in Venice.

Cruise Port, Venice

Photo: Public Domain

The terminal also has good connections to the historical center - namely by Vaporetto or Water Taxi -, and is less than 3/4 of a mile (1 km) from Piazzale Roma. This large square is the primary transportation hub of Venice. Within walking distance of the Piazzale Roma, there are quite a few impressive highlights.

► Explore: At The Pier and Terminal in Venice The Cruise Terminal and the San Basilico pier, amenities and services, Vaporetto, Taxis, Getting to Piazzale Roma and more ... Read the full review ►

Things to do on a cruise to Venice

Whatever you want to do and see in Venice, be aware that the historical city is exclusively pedestrian. So, make sure you wear comfortable footwear.

Photo © IQCruising

To visit the top attractions, you will always walk a lot. And there are many highlights and different areas to explore on foot in Venice. Inevitably, you need to choose carefully what you want to do, which sites to visit, and which to skip. Here are the top things for cruise passengers to do in Venice:

• Visit the highlights around St Mark
• Enjoy top museums and art galleries
• Visit churches with stuning art
• Walk around the Jewish Ghetto
• Explore Murano and Burano
• Take a Gondola Ride
• Discover Verona
• Go on a tour to Padua
• Enjoy beach time in the Lido
• Go on a shopping spree
• Lunch al fresco in a secluded piazza

Top attractions in Venice cruise port

St Mark Square is, undoubtedly, the top highlight of Venice. Besides the fact that this is one of the most beautiful squares in the World, here you will find some other highlights: Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), the Bell Tower (Campanile), the Clock Tower (not to be confused with the previous one), the Correr Museum.

St. Mark's Square, Venice

Photo © IQCruising.com

The magnificent Doge's Palace and the famous Bridge of Sighs (Ponte de Sospiri) are literally around the corner. In St Mark Square, the cruise passenger will also find three famous cafe-restaurants: the Cafe Florian, the Ristorante Quadri, and the Cafe Lavena.

► Explore: Top Highlights and Main Attractions Reviews of St Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Bridge, Accademia, and more ... Learn More ►

Landmarks beyond St Mark's square

But there is much more to see in Venice beyond the Piazza San Marco. The Rialto Bridge is an iconic landmark - and the walk from San Marco to Rialto a must-do.

The Teatro La Fenice , the Jewish Ghetto (and Museum), the Arsenale, the Riva degli Schiavoni (Waterfront Promenade), the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, the Ca' D'Oro , are among the top landmarks to enjoy. Finally, visiting Venice would never be complete without a tour to Murano, Burano, or the Lido.

► Explore: Top Landmarks (Squares, Streets and Monuments) Reviews of Canal Grande, La Fenice, the Jewish Ghetto and more ... Learn More ►

Churches and Museums

Once upon a time, Venice became famous for being a magnet for some of the most famous artists ever gathered in the world. Their masterworks are on display in the countless churches of Venice. And in excellent museums. A look inside churches is always an eye-opening experience as, in most cases, the exuberant interiors do not match the humble exteriors.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo are two examples of modest facades with exuberant interiors.

Amongst the many art exhibits, the Galleria dell’ Accademia and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco are two must-see museums. Museums like Peggy Guggenheim Collection , the Ca’ Rezzonico, or the Museum of Naval History should also be on your to-do list.

► Explore: Top Religious Sites not to be missed in Venice. Reviews of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, San Zanipolo, Santo Stefano, Gesuati and more ... Learn More ►

Cruise shore excursions and tours

Obviously, all cruise lines visiting Venice offer many and diverse shore excursions of the city and other destinations close by. Royal Caribbean offers 11 shore excursions , and Norwegian Cruise Line has available 9 shore tours .

Celebrity Cruises offer as many 8 shore explorations , Holland America lists 25 cruise excursions and Princess has available 18 excursions in Venice cruise port.

The upper-premium cruise lines like Oceania and Viking visit Venice cruise port on many itineraries. Oceania Cruises organizes 23 shore excursions in Venice. Although most luxury cruise lines include shore excursions with the cruise fare, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea offer unique and diverse explorations ashore in Venice. Regent lists 27 excursions , and Seabourn has 12 excursions .

Dining, quick bites, and local cuisine

One thing cruise passengers must-do in Venice is to have lunch, a quick bite, or at least grab a snack as you explore the city. The cruise terminals are too far from top attractions and to walk back to the cruise ship for lunch is a waste of precious time.

Yet, be aware that Venice is famous for not having as good restaurants as you would expect. There are, obviously, excellent restaurants in the city. But you have to be in the know to find the best gourmet cuisine. However, there are lots of places to have a quick bite or grab a snack. And the settings are unbeatable.

Whether it's by a canal, under an arcade, on a side street, or an off-the-beaten-track square, the cruise visitor will stumble upon great scenic choices. You may want to follow your instinctive nose (if you have one) or read our review of the best places to have lunch, a quick bite, and learn about the local cuisine.

► Explore: Restaurants, Cafes and Bars Reviews of Bistrot Venise, Co Vino, Oliva Nera, Rosa Rossa, Tratoria Al Cugnai and more ... Learn More ►

Very few people live in Venice (population rounds fewer than 40,000), which means that most shops the cruise passenger will come across target the 20 million tourists that visit the city every year. However, this doesn't mean that shops are tourist traps but that most are very high quality.

In Venice, you will find boutiques with all the high fashion designers ranging from famous Italian names like Salvatore Ferragamo to international brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, or Tiffany.

Murano Glass Shop, Venice

Cruise passengers looking to buy a nice souvenir to take a bit of Venice home should look for handcrafted glass made in nearby Murano. There are shops all over Venice with beautiful glass designs. You will also find art galleries with famous contemporary artists. Like most in Venice, even souvenir stores are of exceptional quality.

Carnival Costume Shop, Venice

Some of these shops are just a delight to look at, in particular, the stores selling Carnival costumes and masks.

► Explore: Shopping Areas, Streets and Best Shops Reviews of Unique Shops, Italian and International Design, and more ... Learn More ►

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The information on this page was accurate when last updated but changes may have occurred without notice. It is advisable to confirm details with local tourist information before planning your cruise, tour or excursion of Venice. If any inaccuracies are found or if there are any suggestions to improve the content of this page please let us know.

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2025 Greek Isles Cruises: Discover Santorini, Naples & Mykonos

The Greek Isles is one of the world's most popular cruise destinations for a reason. There's truly something for every type of traveler in the Greek Isles , whether you're on a romantic getaway, a memorable family vacation, or an adventure all on your own. When you cruise the Greek Isles with Norwegian Cruise Line, you'll stop in some of the most beautiful and historical ports in the world.

Let's take a look at some of the exciting destinations and ports you can visit when you book a Greek Isles cruise in 2025 with Norwegian.

Ready to start planning? Explore all Greek Isles cruises .

Explore Greece with Norwegian

With crystal-clear waters and bright blue rooftops, you'll recognize the majesty of Santorini as soon as you arrive. This port offers countless chances to take in the splendor of the Greek Isles, from guided walking tours to cable car rides. After you explore the city, you can relax on a stunning beach or stroll along the remnants of a volcanic eruption.

Another breathtaking port in the Greek Isles is Rhodes , nestled right off the coast of Turkey. Home to an ancient acropolis and playfully colorful buildings, Rhodes will leave you wondering if you've walked into a storybook. You can even get up close and personal with one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Colossus of Rhodes, making for an unmissable photo opportunity.

One of the richest centers of history and culture in the world is Athens (Piraeus) , another stop on many of Norwegian's Greek Isles cruises. At this port, you'll explore the Greek capital, home to countless historical landmarks, such as the Acropolis, the Olympian temple, and the Parthenon. When you're not traversing the ancient streets or taking in the culture at one of the city's museums, you can stop for local cuisine and shop for souvenirs from native artisans.

See Mykonos, Corfu & Crete

If you've heard of the Greek Isles before, you're likely already familiar with the spectacular city of Mykonos . This port of call is a vacationer's paradise, with stretches of soft, sandy beaches where you can recline in the Mediterranean sun. You'll even find dance clubs and bars on some of the beaches, so you can stay out on the coast all night long. There are also opportunities for off-road excursions that take you into the countryside and near some of Greece's most impactful sights, including ancient ruins and historical roads.

Lush green tree canopies and vibrant blue waters await you in the port of Corfu . You can feel the influence of ancient Venetians throughout the city, with ornate facades, marble statues, and looming columns that make you feel like you're in Rome. Fans of Greek mythology will be especially excited by Corfu's ties to Greek history and folklore, as the city is rumored to be the very Island of Scheria from Homer's Odyssey.

For a taste of life on the largest Greek island, you can visit the port of Heraklion (Crete) . You'll be greeted by quaint stone beaches with gorgeous views of the sea, as well as ruins from ancient times throughout the city. With architecture from the 13th century, you can see marvels such as Venetian-style buildings and the Minoan palace of Knossos, famed for its housing of the Minotaur in Greek mythology.

RELATED CRUISES: 10-Day Greek Isles from Venice (Trieste) to Istanbul: Santorini, Athens & Croatia 11-Day Mediterranean from Rome to Istanbul: Italy, Greece & Turkey 7-Day Greek Isles from Istanbul Athens: Santorini, Rhodes & Mykonos

Explore Turkey on a Greek Isles Cruise

You'll see more than Greece on a Greek Isles cruise with Norwegian, as many voyages stop in Turkey, another of the region's most historically rich areas. In the port of Kusadasi , for example, you can walk the same streets as ancient Greek residents once did and visit several ruins and excavation sites from archeological digs. Other can't-miss sites in Kusadasi include the ruins of the Roman Library of Celsus, the Basilica of St. John, and the rebuilt Temple of Artemis.

Another popular stop for cruisers in Turkey is Istanbul , a wonderland of fashion, culture, and art. Here, you can take in all the rich history of Turkey by visiting ancient monuments and mosques with intricate facades, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. With tulips being a symbol of the city, it's no surprise that you'll find gorgeous tulip blooms in the city's many gardens.

See the Pyramids in Egypt

Just a short sail away from Greece is Egypt, which is home to several ports that you can visit with Norwegian. One of the most exciting ports in Egypt is Alexandria , as it has an incredibly significant history, having been founded in 332 B.C. There are countless historical sights to see, including ancient ruins, ornate tombs, and what's left of the Great Library of Alexandria. You can even brave the Catacombs of Kom al-Shoqafa that run underneath the city's streets if you're looking for an adventure.

You'll also get the chance to visit Port Said on some Greek Isles cruises, a colorful city that was founded in 1859. Right along the Suez Canal, this city gives you the chance to see some of Egypt's most famous historical landmarks after a short drive, such as the Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which is the oldest member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

If you're in the mood for a walking tour, you can take one all around Cairo and learn even more about Egypt's history. There's also the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, where you can shop for souvenirs, such as gemstones, leather goods, and spices.

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Are you still deciding which Greek Isles cruise suits your preferences and schedule for your cruise vacation? Remember to sign up for Norwegian's cruise deals to receive the latest offers and specials directly in your inbox.