Venetian residents protest massive cruise ships that crowd city ports

At one moment the scene is everything you expect of Venice; medieval churches, domes and bell towers, and water sparkling in the canal in front of you. But quite suddenly, this picture can be dramatically and controversially transformed.

A colossal, gleaming white cruise ship hoves into view.

“The beauty of Venice is undoubted. But the city pays for it like a prostitute that is too beautiful.” Photo by Dottie Day.

Some resident Venetians bitterly oppose this.

The row about the ships goes to the heart of the controversy over quite how much Venice should give itself over to tourism.