Why a River Cruise Was the Best Way to Finally See All of Venice

I have cruised in Europe numerous times, but this itinerary had been on my wish list for a while. Previous visits to Venice had only ever been for a couple of nights at a time, always leaving me feeling there was so much more to explore. This time was different: a stress-free, all-inclusive river cruise that let me explore Venice itself and sail the lagoon to the smaller islands around it — something I’d never done before, and exactly the trip I’d been waiting for.

The Itinerary and Excursions

This itinerary is the perfect balance between spending time in Venice and cruising the Venetian Lagoon, visiting the various islands that surround the city.

The first thing to say is that the Uniworld dock is within walking distance of the main sights in Venice: St Mark’s Square, the Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Grand Canal. This makes it easy to explore independently, catch a vaporetto or wander the endless canals and characterful streets. It also means you can enjoy the sail past this incredible shoreline both during the day and at night, when the itinerary purposefully sets off to give the best possible view.

An absolutely jaw-dropping experience is the exclusive entry Uniworld clients are given into both the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica.

The Doge’s Palace visit is a morning small-group tour that takes you through the history of the palace and its Doges. As you move unhindered from room to room, marvelling at the incredible art and architecture, the experience is made all the more enjoyable by an over-ear Vox set supplied to each passenger for their own use throughout the cruise. This gives you the freedom to wander at your own pace while still listening to the guide’s commentary.

The evening trip to St Mark’s Basilica was equally stunning, with exclusive entry not only into the Basilica but also the crypt — a sacred part of the Basilica not normally open to the public.

Beyond Venice…

Burano is a truly lovely island, so pretty and easy to explore, with its quaint pastel-coloured houses. I visited a traditional lace-making demonstration and stopped for a coffee and a Bussola — a local cookie, either S-shaped or formed into a ring, and delicious with a coffee while people-watching. The craft shops lining the picturesque canals make it a charming, photogenic place to spend a morning. The best part is that Uniworld has its own quay for exclusive use and is the only river cruise company allowed to stay overnight, which means an evening stroll after dinner — once the day-trippers have gone — feels like a treat normally reserved for locals.

Chioggia (pronounced Kee-oh-jah) is the furthest point of the Venetian lagoon, so the journey there gives a scenic and informative insight into the rich history and present-day environmental challenges of this unique UNESCO World Heritage site. Once there, the range of included excursions gives you plenty of ways to see the highlights of this authentic seaside town. I took a trip to a local wine-producing vineyard, which was fabulous — good company, better wine. Other excursions on offer included a Bragozzo boat ride, a market visit, a 5km bike ride or, at an extra cost, oyster tasting in the lagoon.

Murano is world-famous for its long tradition of quality glass production, which makes the glass-blowing demonstration a genuine must-do.

Back in Venice, there are further ways to get under the skin of this fascinating city: from visiting the Rialto Food Market with Uniworld’s Executive Chef to the Ca’Macana Mask Atelier, where you can design and make your own Venetian mask. My particular favourite was a gondola ride through the canals — an iconic experience I’d always wanted to do, and it didn’t disappoint. This was at an extra cost but not overpriced, and you can share the cost with fellow passengers if you don’t mind sharing the gondola with up to five people.

It’s also worth mentioning the opportunity to learn how to row a gondola yourself. This is a free excursion, and Uniworld supports the women’s charity it promotes through it.

Evening Updates & Booking Your Excursions

Every evening around 6pm, during cocktail hour in Hari’s Bar, your cruise manager updates you on the optional and varied activities for the following day, and this is when you book your excursions. Most have capacity for everyone, and while a handful have a maximum number, there’s plenty of choice to please all. I found this way of booking far better than trying to plan it all at home — it brings the excursions to life and leaves you clear on exactly what you’re going to experience.

The sommelier then explains the paired wines for the evening: all Italian, many from local vineyards. My knowledge of Italian grape varieties was limited, so I welcomed the chance to taste what was on offer.

Food and Drink

This is one of the main attractions for many of us on holiday. On board La Venezia, Ristorante Rialto offers both buffet and à la carte breakfasts, buffet lunches and à la carte dinners. Dinner is served at 7pm, while breakfast and lunch have a more flexible time bracket.

There’s also Cielo’s Pizzeria, which makes fresh pizzas to order. It’s reservation only, and worth noting it isn’t air-conditioned, so on a hot day it’s worth checking whether the al fresco area is open before you book. The pizzas are delicious, and although Cielo’s doesn’t offer its own dessert menu, you’re welcome to pop into the main restaurant for the full choice there.

The Panini Bar offers — yes, you’ve guessed it — paninis made to order at any time of day, and afternoon tea most days as well. Sweets, cookies and tea and coffee are usually on offer in the mornings too.

A handy, help-yourself hot drinks station is well maintained and also has delicious cookies on offer (you really cannot escape temptation on this ship). You can top up your water bottle here too — the bottle is provided in your cabin and is yours to take home.

Beer, local wines, branded spirits and cocktails, as well as soft drinks, are available throughout the day and evening, all included in the cruise fare.

No mention of life onboard would be complete without Magdalena, who ran the bar in the lounge. She was hilarious — quick-witted, warm, and clearly worked incredibly hard, yet never lost her smile. Her cosmos were so good that having one after dinner quickly became our nightly ritual. But Magdalena wasn’t content just making our go-to drink: she took every opportunity to show off her range, gently insisting we try something else from the menu. By the end of the week we’d worked our way through most of the cocktail list. I can confirm her talents extend well beyond a cosmo — though I was rather relieved to get home and give my liver a break.

Evening Entertainment

Hari’s Bar comes alive after dinner with live entertainment ranging from Latin music to opera, and there’s a dance floor for those who like to show off their moves.

If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, there’s nothing more peaceful than watching the night lights from the top deck with an after-dinner drink. An evening stroll ashore is sometimes possible too, depending on the ship’s sail time.

Final Thoughts & Who Is This For?

This itinerary gave me a real insight into Venice and its surrounding area, and the true value lies in the excursions included in the price — wide-ranging and well worth doing.

I visited in July, when the weather was hot enough that the top deck was sometimes too humid to enjoy, and many passengers tended to sit in the air-conditioned lounge instead. My advice would be to avoid the hottest summer months, so you can enjoy the top deck by day and get the most out of every excursion.

If you’re used to ocean cruising, bear in mind that the dining selection, while very good, isn’t as varied given the size of the ship. That said, the menu changes every evening, and the drinks — including the local wines, and Magdalena’s cocktails — are always of excellent quality, served by wonderful, friendly staff.

This holiday would suit anyone who loves to mix culture, history and architecture with good food, drink and a bit of social activity. The ship provides the perfect place to relax and indulge before the next adventure ashore. The short flight makes it an ideal week away, but if you’d prefer a longer break, Uniworld has excellent pre- and post-cruise packages offering great value and seamless arrangements.

Solo travellers are made extremely welcome too, and the intimacy of the ship makes it easy to feel at home and join in with the planned activities.

I finally got the extended Venice trip I’d been after — and, thanks to Magdalena, one very memorable cocktail menu along the way.

Watch the Trip