Glass is on display everywhere in Murano, one of the many Venetian islands worth visiting.

The city of Venice is made up of 117 of islands interwoven with charming canals both wide and narrow, connected by thousands of bridges and countless boats.  And though this northern city is one of the most visited in Italy, there are many other islands, both artificial and natural, off of fish-shaped Venice that are worth exploring too.  Each with its own identity and charm, the islands of the Venetian Lagoon are easily accessible, full of history, and (perhaps) even more magical than Venice proper.  Here are some favorites:

Murano is probably the most famous of the Venetian islands, known for its deeply rooted glass-making culture.  Full of glass factories, shops, and even a museum, the island’s exquisite pieces of artwork are readily on display.  Spend an afternoon strolling along Murano’s canals, having a gelato at a sidewalk café, and enjoying the unique local culture.

Known for its intricate lacework that impressed even Leonardo da Vinci during his visit, Burano is also home to bright, colorful houses that line picturesque canals.  This classic fishing village turned artist haven is made up of four islands which house a lace museum and an impressive cathedral.  If you’re looking to buy lace in Burano, Chioggia, or Pellestrina, make sure you’re getting locally handmade lace, not something mass-produced.

For a break from bustling Venice, head to Torcello, a quiet retreat that houses a nature reserve, the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell’Assunta, impressive Byzantine mosaics, and a handful of 14^th Century palaces which merely echo the glory days the island once saw.

If Torcello was the place of glitz and glam in the past, the Lido is today’s.  Home to the Venice Film Festival and exclusive hotels, the Lido is a sandbar, so beachgoing is divine—even better now that the government has ruled that certain private beaches must be open to all of the public.  From a casino to a golf course to shops and restaurants along the Gran Viale Santa Maria Elizabetta, the Golden Island truly glitters.

Closer to Venice’s center are Giudecca and San Giorgio Maggiore—the islands you see from Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace.  Full of palaces, gardens, and towering churches, these two tranquil islands are a mix of residential and commercial with an open-air theater and a great spot to get a different view of Venice.

Tags: beaches, burano, ciao italy, giudecca, Italian Beaches, italy and travel, italy florence, italy travel, italy travel deals, italy travel guide, italy traveling, Lido, murano, rome travel, san giorgio maggiore, torcello, tours italy, travel for italy, travel in italy, travel italy, travel to italy, Venice, venice islands

This entry was posted on Friday, July 8th, 2011 at 2:03 pm and is filed under Italian Beaches, Italian History, Italy Travel Tips, Veneto, Venice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.