The islands of the Venice Lagoon
Motorboat excursions to discover the fascinating islands of the Venice Lagoon
Not only Venice, but also Burano, Murano, Torcello, and other smaller islands characterize the Lagoon, and a holiday in this area cannot fail to include a motorboat excursion to discover these jewels that make the landscape distinctive and fascinating.
The excursion traverses the area of the Venetian lagoon known as the “Northern Lagoon,” characterized by sandbanks and small islands separated by canals and ghebi (water channels). Flora and fauna reign supreme in these areas, where the tranquility is disturbed only by the small, typical lagoon boats (sandoli, mascarete, and the more modern cacciapesca), the only ones capable of navigating the shallow waters of the ghebi.
Burano
The first island you encounter along the route is Burano.
A fishing island with a strong idiomatic identity, its most striking feature is its numerous colorful houses.
It is world-famous for its lace, proudly displayed in the “Lace Museum” near the square dedicated to the famous musician Baldassare Galuppi.
Excellent restaurants make a visit to Burano a very pleasant experience.
Torcello
Opposite Burano lies the island of Torcello, the first settlement of the future Venice.
At its peak, it reached 10,000 inhabitants, while today its residents have dwindled to just a few.
The “historic center” is characterized by the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to 639 and containing priceless Byzantine mosaics, the adjacent Church of Santa Fosca, and the Estuary Museum, rich in archaeological finds from the Venetian Lagoon.
Ancient legends provide the source for the names of two unique monuments: the “Devil’s Bridge” and the “Attila’s Throne.”
Murano
Continuing the itinerary, we arrive at Murano, the most famous of the three islands.
The world capital of artistic glass, Murano is teeming with active glassworks, still crafting it today using methods invented centuries ago by the first master glassmakers.
The Glass Art Museum houses pieces of great artistic value and exquisite craftsmanship.
Also worth a visit is the Church of Santi Maria e Donato, one of the oldest in the Venetian lagoon, an excellent example of Romanesque-Byzantine style, which still retains its intact marble and glass mosaic floor.
Many other Venetian islands
In addition to these three enchanting islands, the Venetian lagoon is made up of many others, all accessible by public boats from the Punta Sabbioni and Treporti terminals: Lido di Venezia, famous for its renowned “Mostra del Cinema”; Sant’Erasmo, the Artichoke Island; Pallestrina; Chioggia and Sottomarina, renowned for their fishing boats, and many other smaller islands.