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Italy viewed from the Water

Being a peninsula and rich in rivers and lakes, a great way to discover Italy is from the water.

There are many cruises in the Mediterranean that stop in Italian harbors: La Spezia, Genova (with amazing views of the Cinque Terre), Livorno,ÌýCivitavecchia (near Rome), Naples, Messina and Trapani in Sicily, Bari and Ancona on the Adriatic.

Italy viewed from the sea: the Amalfi Coast, view of the bridge in Amalfi, and the town facing the sea and going up the mountain
Italy viewed from the sea: the Amalfi Coast Ph.

If you don’t like to spend days on a cruise ship, there are many ways you can see Italy from the water on a one day tour that are also served as public service, so they are not expensive at all.

Ferries connect various villages of the coast in Liguria:ÌýPortofino, Rapallo, Sestri Levante,ÌýPorto VenereÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýCinque Terre.

Italy viewed from the sea: Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre
Italy viewed from the sea: Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre. Ph.

You could for example board one of the boats that connect Naples and Salerno to the villages of the Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento) with Ìý´Ç°ùÌý. Or you could get onto one of the many boats that connect the mainland to the islands of the area (Capri,ÌýProcida,ÌýIschia).

Italy viewed from the sea: arrival in Procida on a ferry
Italy viewed from the sea: arrival in Procida on a ferry

connect different towns in ³§¾±³¦¾±±ô²âÌýand Sicily to smaller Islands of the region (Eolie, Egadi, Pelagie).

Italy viewed from the sea: Cefalù in Palermo, Sicily
Italy viewed from the sea: Cefalù in Palermo, Sicily. Ph.

A different but equally beautiful experience is to get on a on the Brenta river. You can slowly float from Padova to Venice (or the other way round) while watching some beautiful Venetian Villas.

Italy viewed from the water: Villa Giovanelli, a beautiful villa by River Brenta in Noventa Padovana
Italy viewed from the water: Villa Giovanelli, a beautiful villa by River Brenta in Noventa Padovana. Ph. wikimedia/Milazzi

You can also navigate on Italian lakes:ÌýGarda,ÌýMaggiore,ÌýComo,Ìýµþ´Ç±ô²õ±ð²Ô²¹Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý°Õ°ù²¹²õ¾±³¾±ð²Ô´ÇÌýare all lakes that offer a ferry service.

Italy viewed from the water: a village by Lake Como
Italy viewed from the water: a village by Lake Como. Ph.

Italy viewed from the water: Fishermen Island on Lake Maggiore
Italy viewed from the water: Fishermen Island on Lake Maggiore. Ph. 85

Italy viewed from the water: Castle in Sirmione by Lake Garda
Italy viewed from the water: Castle in Sirmione by Lake Garda. Ph.

If you are in ³Õ±ð²Ô¾±³¦±ðÌýand don’t feel like paying 60 to 100 euro for a 30 minutes ride on a gondola, you can take one of the public vaporetti that go almost anywhere in the Laguna (as of 2019 a 75 minutes ticket costs 7.50 euro, 20 euro for a one day ticket; check the actv website for updated prices).

Italy viewed from the sea: Piazza San Marco in Venice
Italy viewed from the sea: Piazza San Marco in Venice. Ph.

To end with, one of the most romantic experiences you can have in Italy: a mini cruise on the Tiber river in Rome. With dinner, if you want to exagerate.

Italy viewed from a river: the Tiber and Rome in the evening
Italy viewed from a river: the Tiber and Rome in the evening. Ph.

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