Venice & The Gems Of Northern Italy
8 Days from Venice to Venice
Day 1 Venice (Embarkation)
Arrive at Venice Marco Polo International Airport, where you will be transferred to the ship. Unpack, relax and enjoy your first evening on the Venetian Lagoon.
Day 2 Venice Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
If ever there was a city that could be described as “bewitching” and “ethereal,” Venice is it. An expert guide will show you iconic sites as well as quiet lanes and secret spots known only to locals (shhhh….). Also on deck today: a scenic cruise around the Venetian Lagoon and an experience that’s sure to be a highlight of your trip—an extremely rare after-hours visit to St. Mark’s Basilica. Hoping to escape marauding Huns, Goths and Vandals as the Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century, refugees built a little settlement they called Venice on tiny islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. By the 12th century, Venice was the wealthiest and most powerful city-state in Europe, controlling the Mediterranean and all European trade with the East. Its merchant-aristocrats lavished their wealth on palaces and churches, art and music, creating a city that is truly like no other. Now, seawater laps at the foot of thousand-year-old houses— and sometimes rises above the doorsteps—but the glorious palaces and romantic canals enchant visitors just as they have for centuries. Today you will embark on your own personal voyage of discovery through this entrancing city. Featured Excursions: Venice walking discovery tour Exclusive evening opening of St. Mark’s Basilica A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening
Day 3 Chioggia Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Join a local expert for a stroll around this picturesque fishing village, a popular place for artists, or “Go Active” with a bike ride along the beaches lining the lagoon. The seaside air and sweeping views are simply spectacular. The River Countess sails from Venice, cruising through the lagoon, past the Lido, the colorful fishermen’s houses of Pellestrina and the huge ongoing flood-control project called MOSE (which is designed to protect Venice from rising seawater), before docking in Chioggia, sometimes called “Little Venice,” at the southern end of the lagoon.Special attention to: We are obliged to comply with Italian Maritime Authorities who require that the ship is only manned by crew during the Adriatic Sea passage. We thank you for your cooperation. Choice of Chioggia walking discovery tour or Exclusive guided “Let's Go” bicycle tour of Chioggia’s beaches
Day 4 Polesella (Bologna or Ferrara) Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Bologna or Ferrara? Let your passions be your guide today. If you have an appetite for pasta, head to Bologna—the heart of Italian culinary traditions—and learn how to make (and eat!) your own lunch. Or indulge your appetite for art with an excursion to Ferrara, an ancient center for the arts that once rivaled Medici Florence. Today you face a tough decision: Do you spend a full day in Bologna, the culinary capital of Northern Italy, or visit UNESCO-designated Ferrara, a beautifully preserved Renaissance city? Choice of Full-day excursion to Bologna with exclusive pasta-making workshop and lunch or Half-day excursion to Ferrara with lunch onboard
Day 5 Taglio di Po, Chioggia Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Chioggia is such a delight that we’ll return there today to experience something completely different. You can visit the village’s bustling once-a-week market—a colorful and boisterous scene, and quintessentially Italian—or for something really unique, hop aboard a small boat to go mussel harvesting with local fishermen out in the lagoon. Dip into a lively local scene with a stroll through Chioggia, or, if weather permits, take a small boat out to the lagoon to take part in a mussel harvest.Special attention to: We are obliged to comply with Italian Maritime Authorities who require that the ship is only manned by crew during the Adriatic Sea passage. We thank you for your cooperation. Choice of Chioggia market visit with lunch onboard or Chioggia mussel harvesting experience You’ll sail back to Venice this evening.
Day 6 Venice Islands (Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello) Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Venice is an island surrounded by hundreds of smaller islands, three of which you’ll visit today —Burano, famous for its lace-makers and houses painted in eye-popping colors; Mazzorbo, where you’ll taste a historic golden-hued wine; and Torcello, home to beautiful Byzantine mosaics. Featured Excursion: Full-day “The Magical Islands of Venice”
Day 7 Venice Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Lovers of food and wine flock to Italy to immerse themselves in a true farm-to-table epicurean experience. If that sounds like you, you’ll love today’s walking tour to the famous fish and produce market next to the Rialto Bridge. Prefer a more visual feast? Join an art historian for a highlights tour of the Accademia gallery. Further your acquaintance with the city called the “Queen of the Adriatic” with a tour of its marvelous food markets (your ship’s chef might just lead your expedition) or take a tour of the stunning Academy museum. Choice of Exclusive “Do as the Locals Do” Venice walking tour or “Venetian Painters at the Accademia” tour with art historian guide A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Day 8 Venice (Disembarkation)
Disembark the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Venice Marco Polo International Airport for your flight home.