Cruise on the Venice Lagoon, and you'll be left with unforgettable memories. From sleepy villages to historic cities, from fashionable beach resorts such as the Lido to fishermen's settlements and typically Mediterranean family bathing scènes, Venice's hinterland reveals its hidden treasures to you on a voyage as remarkable for its natural landscapes as for its picturesque villages. Separated from the sea by a narrow enck of land, the lagoon immediately reveals itself in all its vastness.

Chioggia, a marvellous little town linked by bridges to the Mainland, has an amazing fish market and is the southernmost port on the lagoon. Follow the deep water channels to the traditional fishing village of Pellestrina, then cross the Malamocco shipping channel and head for Venice.

The campanile of St Marks is slowly outlined on the horizon. Arriving in Venice by watern you enjoy a stunning view of the Serenissima's most famous spot, with the Basilica of St Mark and the Palace of the Doges. Cruising on northwards, romantic islands ripple out; Murano with its glassblowers, Burano, the lacemaking island, and Torcello, whose cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is one of the greatest Venetian monuments of the Byzantine age. Its mosaics in particular are superb. Once past these charming islands, extend your cruise up to Treviso, on the meandering tree-lined River Sile, or alternatively on the Brenta Canal, whose rustic landscapes recall the canvases of Canaletto.

Alternating with vineyards are magnificent villas by Palladio, most of which you are able to visit. With so much sightseeing, you will need to get in plenty of bathing too, and between Chioggia and Grado you'll find some of the finest beaches on the Adriatic.