Italian authorities have approved a ban on cruise ships entering the historic centre of Venice. The country’s culture minister said that the decision came in response to a request from UN cultural body Unesco.
Italian ministers agreed that large cruise and container ships would no longer be able to enter the city’s Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic St Mark’s Square.
Large ships will now have to dock at the city’s industrial port until a permanent solution is found.
Cruise ships are currently unable to enter Venice due to coronavirus restrictions but their absence since has been credited with improving water quality in the lagoons.
Pressure to pass a ban on large vessels mounted in 2019 after a cruise ship crashed into a harbour in the city.