A cruise ship on the sunset horizon in Cinque Terre, one of the many shore excursions offered to cruise passengers.

With an increasing number of cruise lines turning Italian hot spots into exotic ports of call, passengers have a unique opportunity to enjoy both land and sea in this boot-shaped country.  While it’s easy to visit the magical canals of Venice or the vibrant gardens of Palermo because of their easy-access ports, some of Italy’s other main attractions are farther away from their respective ports of call.  Even though most cruise operators offer organized shore excursions, there’s nothing like having a local expert pick you up in a private car to whisk you off in style to explore the best that Italy has to offer.

While Italy’s busiest cruise port, Civitavecchia, has attractions of its own such as second century ruins, the big draw is its proximity to Rome.  With a full day on land, it’s possible to make it to Rome and back, enjoying its famous sights: the Colisseum, the Vatican, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain—all of the City of Lights, all during a comfortable, private excursion.

Likewise, Livorno is a wonderful springboard to the treasure trove that is Tuscany.  Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, and San Gimignano are all within an hour’s drive from the port, so it’s easy to visit multiple locations in one day, taking in the rolling green hillside en route.

The ports of Naples and Sorrento, beautiful in their own right, offer easy access to the swanky island of Capri, the breathtaking Amalfi Coast, and Pompeii, rich with history.

And if a cruise doesn’t quite quench your thirst for Italy, extend your vacation and with a pre- or post-cruise tour, adding on a few days before or after you set sail.

Have you been on a memorable Italian shore excursion?  Tell us about it!

While the tarentella is one of Italy's most recognized dances, Tango World in Venice is about to take over the City of Water. (photo by Peter Hummers via flickr)

From June 1 to 5, Venice’s passenger terminal 103 will be transformed into an Argentine milonga, transporting you across the Atlantic for the fourth installment of Tango World in Venice.  While Italians are more known for their fast-paced tarantella than their sultry tango, Italian immigrants to Buenos Aires put their stamp on the national dance, influencing controversial changes in the lyrics, the music, and even the dance itself.  During Tango World in Venice locals, visitors, and cruise passengers alike can mix it up with professional dancers at nightly milongas, tango-ing the night away to live music.

While Italians may have put their stamp on the tango, here are some of the dances that they are really known for:

The Furlana, popular in Friuli and in particular Venice, is an old-fashioned dance that has a waltz feel to it, often featuring a couple flirting, courting, fighting, and making up.  Fast-paced and dramatic, the woman’s handkerchief is passed back and forth between the couple.

Liscio is a fluid, polka-like folk dance from northern Italy’s Romagna region that involves a couple circling the dance floor.  Both the dance and its music gained popularity across the country.

The Monferrina is a lively dance from the Piedmont region danced in two phases: the promenade and a couple dance.  The female dancers playfully move their skirts along with the accordion music.

By far the most well-known of Italian folk dances, the Tarantella, varies across Southern Italy and Sicily in name and performance (for example, the Puglia region calls it pizzica)—all of them fast-paced with jumpy movements and lots of tambourine playing.  Originally known as the cure to a deadly tarantula wolf spider bite, the frenzied dance known as the tarantella snuck its way into Italian and global culture.