There has been a lot of controversy regarding cruise ships being able to sail in and out of Venice for a good while now and there have been reported protests already this year.
I am now reading news reports about demonstrators taking the law into their own hands again as lots of them yesterday had reportedly taken to the water in gondolas and small boats waving flares trying to prevent cruise ships from passing though including a ship belonging to Thomson.
The situation has arisen here because although Venice often has many thousands of cruise tourists a day there spending money, the locals are saying that their city is being ruined environmentally and culturally by this.
Cruise ship operators say that they create very little damage and the tourism they bring supports a great amount of people there.
The locals are saying that as well as the environmental damage the ships cause, they are finding the character of Venice is being spoilt and the higher costs due to tourism are pricing many locals out of the city.
Venice often has up to 60,000 visitors each day, they only have a local population of 55,000.
I have sailed in and out of Venice a few times and also spent a couple of days there and I have to say it is one of the most beautiful and interesting places I have ever visited.
I can understand where the locals are coming from but I can also understand why so many people want to visit and why so many cruise ships sail there. It is only really a matter of time I think until things change so if you haven’t had chance to sail from Venice then it is worth considering it sooner rather than later.