In città EN

At the entrance of the lagoon, among stretches of emerged shoals and canals, in the North-east area of Venice, there is the island of the Lazzaretto Nuovo, in front of Sant’Erasmo shore. The island bears the name of the leper hospital, which was founded in 1468 by the Serenissima government in order to prevent contagion. The Leper Hospital was called  New – to distinguish it from the Old one near the Lido of Venice, reserved to the evident cases of plague. The island, then, became the site where the goods and the crews of the merchant ships, suspected of plague, stopped for a period of precautionary isolation before being able to enter into the city, thus arriving to host thousands of people during the worst plagues.
It is possible to visit the island on Saturdays and Sundays from April to October,  with a guided tour,  which includes a historical and archeological itinerary inside the walls and an external naturalistic walk along the emerged shoals.

Birdwatchers, in the northern part of the Lazzaretto Nuovo, may enjoy a panoramic tower to admire the lagoon species, inhabiting the emerged shoals. These are lands above sea level, slightly appearing on the surface level of the lagoon, which are periodically submerged by the tides. They host herbaceous and shrub-like plants that resist to high saltiness, among which saltwort, artemisia and the limonium or sea lavender, whose late-summer blooming paints the lagoon with purple spots.

From “DeTourism”

If you want to do something different on mid-August, we suggest a visit to Torcello where the Feast of the Assumption in the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta takes place.
An occasion to remember the two hundred years since the suppression of the diocese of Torcello occurred on May 1, 1818 with the bull of Pope Pius VII De Salute Dominici Gregis, with which the ecclesiastical circumscriptions belonging once to the Serenissima Republic of Venice were reorganized. Founded in the early Middle Ages, the episcopate of Torcello extended from the island of San Michele di Murano to the whole northern lagoon of Venice up to the lagoon of Altino and then also of Jesolo and Eraclea. As a diocese, Torcello lived its period of maximum splendor in the 11th century with the reconstruction of the cathedral in the current architectural forms. Following the shift of commercial traffic to Venice, the unhealthiness of the air and finally the fall of Venice in 1797, as well as the Napoleonic decrees of suppression of religious orders of 1806 and 1810 that deprived the places even of that minimum of religious vitality remained, made the territory completely poor and abandoned. Consequence of the suppression was the unification of the Patriarchate of Venice.
We suggest a visit to the Museum of Torcello, that will be open from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm with free admission, whose Archaeological section hosts greek-romanan finds and artefacts. The Medieval and modern section records the history of the island and its relations with the area of Altino, the Byzantine culture and the city of Venice. Some mosaic works and the altar of the 13th cent. were brought from the Basilica and the paintings, attributed to the workshop of Veronese, from the ruined church of Sant’Antonio.
Discover the program of the day here, including the guided tour in the Basilica and in the Museum : “The Assunta and Torcello. On the occasion of the two hundred years from the Lagoon diocese suppression” (at 12.30 pm and 2:45 p.m), booking required by email: torcello.eventi@cittametropolitana.ve.it

From “DeTourism”

If you want to celebrate like the locals do, be sure to take part to these traditional festivals in your summer visit to Venice.
Featuring someting for everyone, in an almost country atmosphere – whether you’re into stories, music, theatre, video, cinema, food, charity and lotteries, religious functions, regattas, activities for children –  here’s our month-by-month guide to some of the best experiences coming in the summer to live the city’s water soul, like Venetians do.
Here are the upcoming events:

August

• The Feast of the Madonna dell’Apparizione. Pellestrina Island until August 5 when the Pellestrina Regatta will take place.
• The St.Stephan’s Festival in Portosecco, Pellestrina Island, August 10-15 and September 9
• The Feast of the Assumption in Torcello Island on August 15
• The San Rocco Feast at the Church and Scuola Grande di San Rocco on  August 16.
• The Festival of the Peocio (sauteed mussels) at Alberoni, Lido of Venice, August 23-26

September

• The ” Festa de Mosto” (Festival of the must, freshly pressed grape juice), Sant’Erasmo Island, on September 30. There will be entertainment activities for kids , the pressing demonstration, the famous Venetian rowing regatta “mixed” (where the crew, unlike any other rowing competition, are composed of a man and a woman) and the band.

From “DeTourism”

Lace, masks, glasses, pearls, gondolas: Venezia is known in the world not only for its museums but also for the refinement and sophistication of its  traditional craftsmanship.
Do not miss the opportunity to visit the artisan shops of the ancient crafts that still exist in Venice: you can watch artisans at work! 

The ‘artisan’ Venice historically depended on its fame for quality production, and which today, still offers the visitor a vision of authentic daily life, only a short distance from the more “frenetic” tourist spots.

From “DeTourism”

In summer Venice can be very hot, so why not visit the city in the colder hours and choose the most refreshing itineraries? During heatwave,  we suggest you visit the museums (on Friday and Saturday night Doge’s Palace is open until 11 pm) and the Chorus Churches or take a walk to the WWF Oasis Dune degli Alberoni or to the Ca Roman Natural reserve or spend a day at the beaches of Lido di Venezia, one of Venetians’  favorite destinations during summer. Its beaches are a place of great charm and elegance, the seabed gently sloping allows even younger children to bathe without problems, thanks to the protection of the two dikes of San Nicolò and Alberoni.

Like every summer Venezia Jazz Festival  returns with new concerts in diffrent locations of the Metropolitan City until July 28th.

And you have numerous events to choose from:

The 46th International Theater Festival will take place from July 20th to August 5th at Arsenale, while the  Architecture Biennale – FreeSpace continues until November 25th. On the mainland, we suggest you to visit FreeSpace – Forte Marghera in a luxuriant landscape where you have the opportunity to discover how are built the Venetian forts  and the exhibition organized by the Civic Museums of Venice MOTOCICLETTA. The architecture of speed.

As every summer, Venice Jazz Festival is back with concerts in the Metropolitan City until July 28th.
The Feast of Our Lady of the Apparition at the end of July-early August and the Fair of Portosecco, from August 10th to15th in the island of Pellestrina which deserves a visit for discovering a lesser-known spot of the lagoon.