The Venice cruise ship port is one of the busiest ports for cruises in the Mediterranean. Technically, however, it isn’t on the Mediterranean at all; it’s located within the Venetian Lagoon, which is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a narrow entrance called the Porto di Lido.
Whether you are looking for a romantic city break, a family trip or a once in a lifetime stop-off during your cruise, Venice has plenty of first class accommodation to suit everyone.
If you are docking in either the Fusina or Lombardia cruise terminals, there are still plenty of great hotels to choose from to extend your stay. One of the best places to stay is on the mainland, either in the Mestre or Marghera towns.
Book the best deals for hotels close to Marittima cruise terminal, or stay in other good areas to stay in Venice Italy.
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30125, Venice, San Polo 729
Hotel Marconi is on the Grand Canal, right... read more
EUR 81
30135, Venice, Hotel San Cassiano - Residenza d'Epoca Ca' Favaretto / Santa Croce 2232
Overlooking Venice's Grand Canal, Residenza d'Epoca San Cassiano... read more
EUR 88
30124, Venice, Calle Minelli 1876
Hotel Ateneo is set in a small Venetian... read more
EUR 92
30121, Venice, Cannaregio 3210/a - Calle Dei Riformati
With a quiet location in Venice's Jewish Quarter,... read more
EUR 69
30135, Venice, S. Croce, 686 - Fond. S. Simeone
Directly on the famous Grand Canal, Hotel Antiche... read more
EUR 290
30135, Venice, Santa Croce 578
Overlooking Venice's Grand Canal, Hotel Carlton offers a... read more
EUR 78
30123, Venice, Rio Terà Foscarini 912/A
Hotel Belle Arti is located 200 metres from... read more
EUR 80
30125, Venice, Rialto Pescheria San Polo 1612
The Locanda Poste Vecie is situated next to... read more
EUR 84
30125, Venice, Sestiere San Polo 2696
Renovated in 2003, Guest house Ca' San Polo... read more
EUR 92
30123, Venice, Dorsoduro, Calle Riello, 1873
Hotel Tiziano is set in a 15th-century building... read more
EUR 88
30121, Venice, Campo Santa Sofia 4198/99 - Ca D'Oro
Hotel Ca' Sagredo is an elegant, 14th-century building... read more
EUR 275
30124, Venice, Calle della Verona, 3673
Hotel Ca' Alvise is set in a historic... read more
EUR 82
30124, Venice, Riva del Ferro
Located in front of Rialto Bridge, Hotel Rialto... read more
EUR 125
30121, Venice, Calle Priuli Dei Cavaletti 68
Set in a restored monastery, Hotel Abbazia is... read more
EUR 185
30133, Venice, Giudecca 810
Set on the peaceful banks of Giudecca Island,... read more
EUR 219
30121, Venice, Lista di Spagna 116/A
Located a 2-minute walk from Venice’s Santa Lucia... read more
EUR 143
30121, Venice, Cannaregio 4183
Set in the Cannaregio district of central Venice,... read more
EUR 81
30121, Venice, Campo del Ghetto Nuovo 2874 Cannaregio
Kosher House Giardino Dei Melograni overlooks Venice’s Ghetto... read more
EUR 129
30121, Venice, Calle Priuli Dei Cavalletti, 73-74
Located just 100 metres from the Grand Canal... read more
EUR 114
30121, Venice, Calle Ca' D'Oro 3935
Set in a 15th-century building on the Grand... read more
EUR 100
30124, Venice, Campo Santo Stefano San Marco 2957
Located in Campo Santo Stefano square, Hotel Santo... read more
EUR 117
30124, Venice, San Marco 2053
Set in a 16th-century building, Hotel Kette is... read more
EUR 126
30121, Venice, Calle Corrente, Cannaregio 4057
Located 700 metres from the Rialto Bridge, B&B... read more
EUR 75
30124, Venice, San Marco 3286
In memory of the great Venetian artists who... read more
EUR 87
30125, Venice, San Polo 229a
Located in the historic centre of Venice, Ca'... read more
EUR 207
30124, Venice, Calle del Campaniel San Polo 1796
Situated in Venice, Polo's Treasures is 100 metres... read more
EUR 144
30123, Venice, Fondamenta delle Zattere 1413
Located by S. Basilio ferry stop, Palazzo Veneziano... read more
EUR 141
30123, Venice, Fondamenta Nani,960
Located in Venice, 900 metres from La Fenice,... read more
EUR 180
30135, Venice, Rio Tera Sant'Andrea 466/M
Set in Venice, within 2.9 km of Basilica... read more
EUR 189
30125, Venice, 744 Riva del Vin
H10 Palazzo Canova is situated in Venice and... read more
EUR 170
30124, Venice, Sestiere di San Marco n. 3201
Situated within 600 metres of La Fenice Theatre... read more
EUR 84
30121, Venice, Ruga do Pozzi 4173
Located a few steps from Rialto Bridge in... read more
EUR 110
30121, Venice, Cannaregio 4284/B calle della pegola 4284/B
Boasting air-conditioned accommodation with a balcony, Grimaldi Apartments... read more
EUR 462
30135, Venice, Santa Croce 1332/A
Located 600 metres from Venice Santa Lucia Train... read more
EUR 135
30123 Venice, Venice, Fondamenta Cannaregio 1105 A
Boasting a bar, garden and views of garden,... read more
EUR 360
30124, Venice, 2900 San Marco
Well set in the San Marco district of... read more
EUR 115
As Venice is relatively cut off from the rest of northeastern Italy, many tourists choose to visit there as part of a cruise. The most popular location for docking cruise ships is at Baciono Della Stazione Marittima Cruise Terminal. Stazione Marittima comprises of several piers, all within easy walking distance of the city centre and just a few kilometres from St Mark’s Square.
Venice is a city like no other. Comprising of just over a hundred small islands and based in Italy’s northern Veneto region, of which it is the capital, Venice is rightly known as the Queen of the Adriatic. With no roads, only canals, travel by water or by foot are the only ways to get around. Famed for its beautiful architecture, romantic enclaves and rich Renaissance history, this UNESCO world heritage site continues to be a must-see destination.
Due to the large amount of ships wishing to dock in Venice, the city has now banned larger cruise vessels from doing so. As of September 2019, several ships will now be docking at either Fusina and Lombardia Terminals. Whilst both of these are further away from the city centre, they are both still within the Venice lagoon and the main sites are still reachable.
The Terminal Venezia Passeggeri or Venice Cruise Terminal is located near the 4-km causeway that links the historic city with the mainland. It consists of two main areas: the Marittima basin, which can handle the largest ships that call in Venice, and San Basilio, which is just around the corner in the Giudecca Canal.
# Marittima is the largest of the ship basins at the Port of Venice’s Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, with two terminal buildings and enough docking space to handle several large ships at once. It’s within walking distance of the Piazzale Roma, the main car, taxi, and bus gateway to the historic center.
# San Basilio is a long quay that runs from the main port area to the Fondamenta Zàttere, the promenade along the southern edge of the historic center on the Giudecca Canal. It accommodates small to medium-sized ships and yachts, including river vessels. The pier has a terminal building for oceangoing cruise ships.
Venice has plenty of accommodation options to suit everyone. The Gritti Palace offers some of the best views of the Salute church from its enviable position right on the Grand Canal. This palazzo dates back to the 15th century and brings a touch of authentic Venice to your stay.
The Aman Venice, location of George Clooney’s wedding no less!, is a must for all romantics. This hotel features museum worthy artwork and each of its 24 suites combines modern amenities with old world luxury. The Cima Rosa Boutique Bed & Breakfast is a great choice for those looking to explore the city centre and sample a different one of Venice’s restaurant cuisine every night, rather than the set up of a more traditional full or half board hotel.
Whatever you are looking for, Venice has it all from contemporary apartments to canal facing palazzo steeped in history. Looking for the best hotels, check out our list of the top rated accommodations in the city. Another option is to stay in a self catering apartment rental.
If you are looking for cheaper accommodation near to the port, there are some excellent budget friendly properties.
These include the AC Hotel Venezia by Marriott, which is within easy walking distance of the Rialto so you can take a stroll across this famous bridge. Another great budget option is the Hotel Olimpia Venice (BW Signature Collection), right in the heart of Venice’s historic centre.
Lastly, the Venice Maggior Consiglio offers easy access from the Santa Lucia train station and is the perfect place to begin your stay.
For those travelling on a budget, a bed and breakfast may be more your style, so why not try one of these hidden gems.
Close to the port is the lovely Casa Sant’Andrea, which is only a five minute walk from the beautiful Papadopoli Gardens. The Palazzetto Foscari is also a lovely and great place to stay, is within easy reach of the port and provides picturesque views of the Grand Canal from its location in the Cannaregio region.
If you are docking in either the Fusina or Lombardia cruise terminals, there are still plenty of great hotels to choose from to extend your stay.
One of the best places to stay is on the mainland, either in the Mestre or Marghera towns. Mestre offers a variety of budget friendly options, all within easy bus access of the city centre.
Hotels in Marghera are some of the most competitively priced and offer easy access to popular attractions such as the Chiesa dei Santi Francesco e Chiara d’Assiss and the nearby island of Mazzorbo, renowned for its orchards and vineyards.
Although some of the terminals are closer to the centre of Venice than others, the city itself is still within relatively easy walking distance of Marittima cruise terminal.
Venice is only a small place and walking from the main cruise terminal to St Mark’s Square should take no more than about forty-five minutes. For those who would prefer not to walk, the vaporetti (also know as the water bus) is the next best transport option to make your way around the city.
The nearest airport to Venice is the Marco Polo Airport. Originally only intended for inter Italy flights, you can now fly here directly from other destinations in Europe. Plenty of budget friendly hotels are located near Venice airport as well.
The airport is located roughly 8 miles from central Venice and is 10 miles to the cruise port. The best way to get there is either a 20 minute taxi ride or water bus, although the latter can take up to 60 minutes, so make sure to leave plenty of time. A cheaper option is the ferry that runs from the airport directly to the Stazione Marittima port terminal.
Treviso airport and nearby hotels are approx. 40 minutes away from the cruise port.
One of the best and most famous sights of Venice is of course St Mark’s Square. Known to locals simply as ‘La Piazza’, the square plays host to many cultural and religious events throughout the year.
From here, you can visit St Mark’s Basilica and take in the sights of the clock tower and the Piazzetta dei Leoncini. A little under two miles from the main port terminal, you can choose to take a scenic walk via the famous Rialto Bridge or cross the Grand Canal via the Ponte dell Accademia to reach the Square.
If you would prefer not to walk, the vaporetti water bus will transport you straight there in only a few minutes too. Some ships also have a dedicated shuttle of their own to transport guests to and from St Mark’s Square, so make sure you check with your cruise liner before you travel. There are many different ways to access Venice via the ports, so there is no reason not to explore the city as part of your cruise.
