One of the Best Ways to See Italy? On These Intimate Small-Ship Cruises

When it comes to Italy cruises, your best bet is to go with a small-ship sailing. Big ships tend to do the tried and true—Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples—not that there’s anything wrong with seeing the Colosseum, St. Mark’s Square, Michelangelo’s David, and the ruins of Pompeii. But on the best cruises around Italy, there’s opportunity to go deeper and at a slower pace.

In addition to visiting off-the-beaten-path places, small ships tend to linger in ports, with the best itineraries including late evening departures and overnight stays. Indeed, these Italy cruises feature a more in-depth exploration with multiple in-destination ports of call allowing passengers to experience everything from cultural capitals to quaint fishing villages.

The main season for Italy cruises is April to October, coinciding with weather that increases the allure of beaches and outdoor attractions, even if visiting ancient ruins in the heat of summer may require some fortitude.

Whether you’ve been to Italy before or not, these amazing small-ship sailings will offer a fresh perspective—and a unique vantage point from out on the water—of a place that is cherished by so many.

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1. Take a Windstar sailing yacht to Sicily’s storied volcanic islands

To book: Windstar’s seven-night Aeolian Islands itinerary is priced from $3,199 per person.

This Windstar itinerary spends seven incredible nights sailing the Aeolian islands of Sicily. After departing Civitavecchia (the port of Rome), passengers will arrive in Ponza, a hidden gem of an island where Romans like to summer, followed by a picturesque stop in Amalfi. Guests aboard the 148-passenger Wind Spirit, a four-masted sailing yacht, can then experience a slice of Sicilian life with a call to Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian islands. A scenic sail around the island of Stromboli caps off time in this archipelago, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take advantage of the ship’s watersports platform, and indulge in the impressive locally inspired cuisine served on board.

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2. Explore Sorrento to Sardinia—and beyond—with boutique line Explora Journeys

To book: Explora Journeys’ seven-night Sardinian Sunsets voyage starts at $4,850 per person.

Explora Journeys is a recently launched cruise line, founded in 2021 as the luxury arm of Swiss-Italian company MSC Cruises. With a strong focus in the Mediterranean region, Explora offers this unique weeklong itinerary from Rome to Barcelona on its brand-new, 922-passenger Explora II (launching in September 2024), which will sail to the sunny port of Sorrento before continuing to Sicily’s Palermo and Sardinia’s Cagliari and Alghero (rumored to be the home of King Neptune’s secret grotto). If you can’t find the grotto, don’t fret—Explora II boasts four pools, and many suites are outfitted with tubs and private whirlpools.

Courtesy of Atlas Ocean Voyages

3. Hug the Adriatic coast with calls in Italy and Croatia on Atlas Ocean Voyages

To book: Atlas Ocean Voyages’ 10-night Italian Coast plus Croatia itinerary is priced from $5,700 per person.

If you’re fascinated by the Roman empire, this might be the sailing for you. Atlas Ocean Voyages’ well-paced 10-night cruise splits time in Italy (Capri, Puglia, Taormina) with port calls in Split and Zadar in Croatia. Due to the countries’ proximity along the Adriatic coastline, cities like Split were once under Roman as well as Venetian rule, heavily influencing the architecture and leaving a defining mark on Croatian history. (Game of Thrones fans will also get a kick out of Split’s museum devoted to the cult series.) Atlas debuted its first ship in 2021 and is considered a luxury expedition brand, offering an open bar, 24-hour room service, cultural immersion programming, and butler service in its suites. Its 196-passenger World Navigator will ferry guests from Venice to Livorno, in the northwestern part of the country, on this grand Adriatic adventure. In Italy, Atlas puts a strong focus on cultural and culinary immersion programs.

Courtesy of Silversea

4. Board a luxury all-inclusive Silversea ship bound for Tuscany and the Italian Riviera

To book: Silversea’s seven-night Italy from Monte Carlo cruise starts at $5,300 per person.

This ultra-luxurious Italy cruise kicks off in high style in Monte Carlo before embarking on the brand-new 728-passenger Silver Ray. Guests on Silversea’s snazzy flagship will be pampered as they sail from Portofino on the Riviera to Livorno and the lesser-known Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany. A call to the bustling city of Naples is a feast for the senses. Silversea’s out-of-this-world culinary program incorporates market visits, cooking demos, wine tasting, and food-themed excursions. A destination known the world over for its food and wine, Italy is one place that is worth the splurge—especially when it means the chance to make focaccia with farmers who have worked their land for generations (Silversea’s much-lauded culinary program S.A.L.T., for Sea and Land Taste, offers this as an included excursion to an eco-farm in Portofino).

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5. Sail around Italy’s boot with Viking

To book: Viking’s seven-night Italian Sojourn cruise starts at $2,999 per person.

In just one week’s time, this Viking ocean cruise manages to pack in a ton of bellissima Italy highlights along with one or two unexpected ports of call. Board your 930-passenger ship in the port of Rome or Venice; ships vary depending on the date and route, but all include free access to the Nordic spa and top-notch dining. Along the way, you can venture to Pompeii from Naples or out to Mount Etna from Messina, Sicily, as optional excursions for an additional charge. Another memorable stop is Crotone, an ancient capital perched on the sea, offering archeological ruins amid natural beauty. Bari is the heel of Italy’s boot, with plenty of churches and castles to fill a very charmed afternoon. If you like the idea of experiencing Italy without kids, you’ll like this: Viking is strictly adults only.

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6. Spend nearly two weeks immersing yourself in Italy with Azamara

To book: Azamara’s 12-night Italy Intensive Voyage is priced from $3,579 per person.

If you want to see as much of Italy as possible in a single sailing, we strongly suggest this comprehensive cruise from destination mavens Azamara Cruises. The cruise line specializes in country-intensive voyages like this 12-night download of all things Italian (save for one visit to Kotor, Montenegro, regarded as one of the most stunning ports in the world). Pair tourist hot spots like Sorrento with some more offbeat finds like Elba, the location of Napoleon’s first exile and also an ideal place to go kayaking (Azamara offers a kayaking excursion along the protected Cape Enfola with its lesser-known beaches and remote alcoves). If a full circumnavigation of Italy wasn’t enough, Azamara brings local talent aboard its ships for a special evening event—typically under the stars—as part of its cultural programming. This Italy cruise will be on a vessel such as the 710-passenger Azamara Quest or similar.

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7. Embark on a tall Star Clippers ship to the quaint villages of Italy and Corsica

To book: Star Clippers’ seven-night Ligurian Sea sailing is priced from $2,030 per person.

After becoming part of France in the late 18th century, the island of Corsica still retains its historical Italian cultural ties, making it an excellent addition to an already stellar itinerary by Star Clippers. Traversing not one but four gorgeous ports in Corsica is the 170-passenger Star Flyer, a tall-masted sailing ship that will be a treat to spot while harbored. The Ligurian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea that surrounds Corsica to the north and borders some hidden gems of the Italian Riviera, such as Lerici, billed as an alternative to the crowded Cinque Terre. The glamor of sailing on a tall ship is only amplified by this voyage’s round-trip route from coastal hot spot Cannes, on the French Riviera.

This story was originally published in October 2023 and was updated on August 12, 2024, to include current information. Fran Golden contributed reporting.