Venice - It could be a special effect from a summer blockbuster - giant cruise liners skirt the canals of Venice, coming dangerously close to scraping the city's famed old structures. But it's the reality. A 300-metre long cruise ship is squeezing along the Giudecca Canal, inching its way between the Doge's Palace and the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute en route to the dock.
Cruise liner season has started in the city of gondolas and canals prompting mounting opposition from environmentalists, leftists and lifelong Venetians.
"Venice is crumbling" is scrawled on many canal walls. Rome's "La Repubblica" newspaper runs headlines about the "invasion of the sea monsters," and includes regular commentaries from opponents of the cruise lines and Greek ferry companies.
"They come within inches of Saint Mark's Square and endanger the historic buildings by moving great masses of water, causing vibrations and polluting the air."
More than 60,000 tourists hit Venice on May 1, including many short-term visitors who had arrived on the cruise liners. But Venice does not profit from those visitors, say critics. Only the travel agencies benefit, they say.
Public protests have become so common that Mayor Massimo Cacciari has had no choice but to try to calm the waters.
Opponents argue that cruise liners are welcome "in Venice, but outside the lagoon." Additionally, they argue that the larger ships need deeper waters to move, which exacerbates high tides in the city.
The debate has become even more heated since a large ship ran aground outside Doge's Palace in dense fog four years ago. Since then, tow boats stand at the ready.
The "Friends of Venice" have no plans to give up their protest. They have initiated a touring photo exhibition, critically comparing the city to a theme park and decrying the fact that cruise lines are advertising views of Saint Mark's Square from the boat.
Undoubtedly, these floating hotels would happily moor their ships right beside Doge's Palace. Cacciari now has to find a solution that satisfies everyone without driving away the tourists.
Internet: www.turismovenezia.it
