Big Boats in Small Canals? Not Anymore.

The Italian government has ruled that cruise ships are no longer permitted to sail through the historic center of Venice, to better protect the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The decision is endorsed by Italy’s ministries of Environment, Culture, Tourism, and Infrastructure, and aims at “protecting a historical and cultural heritage not only of Italy but of the whole world”.

An accident that occurred in 2019, where a cruise ship hit a tourist boat, sparked the debate on whether or not large boats should have access to Venice’s canals. As of now, large passenger boats have to dock at Marghera, an industrial port, well away from the historic lagoon.