A Walk Through The Venetian Lagoon

The Venetian lagoon is much more than the famous city of Venice. It is a vast expanse of salty water from the Adriatic Sea, where more than a hundred islands emerge, some inhabited, others not.

Some of these islands are beautiful, while others are just small islets of mud. Almost all are steeped in history and many with true artistic gems. Next, we suggest you take a walk through the Veneta lagoon to discover its great charms.

Venice, the epicenter of the Venetian lagoon

The city of Venice, its monuments, cafes, traditions and even its famous carnivals has been talked about on numerous occasions. However, this time we are only going to name the mythical city of the canals as a starting point to start a walk through the Veneta lagoon.

It is a route that, as you can imagine, is aquatic. So you can take the vaporetti from Venice or different transports that take you to other islands. Another alternative is to hire an excursion that offers you this fantastic tour.

Characteristics of the Veneta lagoon

Before embarking, we are going to give a brushstroke on the whole of the Venetian lagoon. Its dimensions are more or less than 50 kilometers long by 15 kilometers wide.

In it, the more than 100 existing islands rarely exceed two meters in height, and hence the significant incidence of the phenomenon of tides and acqua alta that, from time to time, practically flood them. Now that we have a global vision of this piece of Italy, let’s travel to its most charismatic islands …

Murano

Let’s start with one of the most famous, the small island of Murano. Because she is famous? For its famous glasses. Murano glassware is recognized throughout the world and is one of the typical souvenirs of a trip through the Venetian lagoon. In fact, if you visit one of the usual blowing workshops on this island, it is impossible not to buy some of these delicate objects.

Burano

The name of this other island in the Venetian lagoon is almost identical to the previous one, but Murano and Burano should not be confused. When you visit Burano, you quickly understand why it is so distinctive.

And it is a very picturesque set, in which the intense colors of its houses draw attention. These, according to legend, were painted like this so that fishermen could identify them on days with the most intense fog.

Torcello

Torcello is considered one of the first islands to be inhabited by the Veneta lagoon. Such antiquity is attested by its extraordinary historical and artistic heritage.

Don’t miss the Byzantine mosaics in the Basilica of Santa Maria Asunta or the one known as the Throne of Attila. If you are looking for a quiet meal, Torcello is a good place to savor the local gastronomy with a glass of Italian wine.

Lido

Now we go to one of the most extreme points of the Venetian lagoon, the great island of Lido. It acts as a barrier to the Adriatic and has many elements that give it a unique personality.

For example, it is the only one that has roads. In addition, the famous Venice Film Festival is held here. If there is a good place in the area to take a bath, it is on the beach.

San giorgio maggiore

We are returning to the vicinity of Venice. There the small island of San Giorgio Maggiore awaits us , whose church is well visible from Saint Mark’s Square itself.

Up to here you always have to take a walk, even if it is by vaporetto , in order to have incredible views of the whole of the Venetian lagoon and the city of the canals.

Giudecca

We finish the itinerary on the island of Giudecca. Here the heritage is splendid, and if we only had to name a site, we would have to stay with the exquisite construction of Christ the Redeemer, designed by one of the great Italian architects of all time: Andrea Palladio.

However, he is not the only illustrious artist associated with this island in the Venetian lagoon. Did you know that the great Michelangelo lived here for several years?

The Venetian lagoon promises a wonderful trip

In short, if you are planning a trip to Venice, we recommend that you save one day —or better two— to calmly explore the Venetian lagoon. It has an endless number of very special corners, and it will also give you the best perspective of this unforgettable city.