A Guide to Venice's Outer Islands

As the largest of the outer islands of Venice, Lido attracts throngs of celebrities at the end ofAugust and beginning of September each year, as it is the venue of the famous Venice Film estival. During normal times, this long and narrow island is very quiet and covered with green trees. There are few scenic spots on Lido Island, but you can experience the beach and cycling that you can't experience anywhere else in Venice.

The beach is covered in beach chairs and awnings, and you can find a cornucopia of shells in the fine sand. At sunset, the beach is quiet, elegant and romantic. This is the only bay with sand in Venice. Compared with the inland beaches, you don’t feel a sense of hustle bustle, but instead can enjoy a quiet and comfortable day.

Burano is an island on the lagoon of Venice, about 7 kilometers from the main island. It is famous for its lace products. But the colorful waterfront houses on the island have completely overshadowed the elegant lace handicrafts. Even the name of Burano comes from the houses.

Burano is an absolute paradise for photography lovers. There are bright houses with lots of flowers in front of each window and front door. The small yard behind the door is also decorated with love. During the day, all the residents of the island go to work on the main island or inland. It is not crowded and very suitable for people to stroll in its alleys. You may come across cats basking on windowsills. Every little detail will make you fall in love with the place.

Murano is about 25 minutes from Venice's main island by boat. The island is famous for its colorful Murano glassware, especially the brushed thermoplastic. At present, there are more than 100 glass workshops on the island, with small shops in the front and glass workshops in the back. You can enjoy the full set of glass making techniques here.

There are glass factories and museums on the island to visit. You can visit the glass factories to see the entire process of glass making, while the glass museum shows the development history of glass technology, as well as glass crafts of various times. There are quiet traditional local communities, and not so many tourists. There is also a special aquatic vegetable market. It seems that the water shadows on colorful fruits and vegetables better promotes people’s appetite.

San Michele is located between the main island and Murano. Also known as St. Michel Island, it is a cemetery island with an area of 0.18 square kilometers on the lagoon of Venice. Although it is very close to the main island, it is very quiet with few tourists.

The cemeteries on the island (Cimitero) are divided into Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox and Christian zones. There is no gloomy atmosphere in the cemetery. Locals go there to read and rest. In addition, European tombstones often have their own characteristics. Many of them can be viewed as sculptures in their own right. If you know the local language, you can read many stories on the tombstones.

Torcello is located in the lagoon of Venice. The island is full of vineyards and wild flowers, and is inhabited by about 30 families. The desolate island is actually one of the birthplaces of Venice's historical civilization. From the churches left on the island, you can also vaguely feel the prosperous scenes of the past. Hemingway, a famous American writer, lived on the island in 1948.

There are two main attractions here, Santa Maria Assunta and Santa Fosca. Santa Maria Assunta is the oldest church in Venice, while Santa Fosca is a Romanesque building integrating the late Byzantine and Venetian styles. The colonnade surrounding the church building is a rare octagon shape.