Torcello

13 Monday May 2024

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Travel, Travel tips

Tags

Daytrips from Venezia, Locanda Cipriani, Risotto di go', Torcellum, Venetian lagoon, Veneto, Venice

The first time I visited tiny Torcello was with my family in 1984. We were staying with family friends in Mestre and their daughter had just gotten married there. One look at her wedding photos and all 9 of us set off on the vaporetto to Torcello for lunch the next morning!

The Romans called it ‘Torcellum’ meaning tower to the sky. Torcello was the first of the Venetian lagoon islands to be populated in 452 after the fall of the Roman Empire, by refugees from Altino fleeing the mainland from Hun invasions. They brought the relics of their patron saint, San Heliodorus with them. Torcello had a cathedral and Bishop before San Marco was even built. Santa Maria Assunta built in 638 is the oldest parish in the lagoon and was the Bishop’s official seat for over 1000 years.

Pre medieval Torcello was a more powerful trade center than Venezia, having close trade ties with Constantinople and Ravenna. In the 10^th century, the population was >10,000. Hard to imagine on 441 m², but it sounds like there was more available land at that time. Commercial activity included fishing, glass making, and export of salt, fruit, wine and even cucumbers.

As Venezia’s prosperity increased in the 15^th century, silting and swamping of Torcello made navigating the ‘laguna morta’ impossible. This led to malaria and depopulation. It was slowly abandoned for Murano, Burano and Venezia-even the bishop was moved to Murano. Most of the 12 churches, cloisters, a monastery and palazzi were looted over time for building materials. The full-time population of Torcello is now 11, including the parish priest.

Torcello is a lovely sanctuary from the crowds, and an opportunity to see the original Venezia. Strada della Rosina connects the pier to the main piazza along a canal. On the right is Ponte del Diavolo, a bridge without parapets (railings). There are several versions of a legend about the ponte, regarding a young couple in love, a witch and the devil. You will pass all the restaurants on the way to Piazza Santa Fosca. The Basilica Santa Fosca is an 11^th century Byzantine church in the form of a Greek cross. Byzantine architecture is one of my favourites, and this one is a gem with a gorgeous interior. It was built to house the remains of Santa Fosca da Ravenna.

Next door is Santa Maria Assunta which was rebuilt in 1008 and has incredible Venetian Byzantine mosaics. The 11^th century Campanile is open 10-17:30 for views over Torcello, Burano, and the lagoon. Admission to the campanile is €6. The Torcello museo is in the former council chambers, admission €3.

Venetian Byzantine mosaics Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello

Aironi and fenicotteri rosa (herons and pink flamingos) can be seen in the marshes from March to September at Casa Museo Andrich-an artist home, museum, nature reserve and educational farm garden. Admission €12. To get there, when getting off the vaporetto, instead of going straight to Strada della Rosina, turn left. I have not been here, but it sounds nice if you have the time.

Torcello is a great place to eat! Local specialties include risotto di gò, made with a small local fish-also called risotto alla Buranella, moeche-a soft shell crab, baccalà mantecato, and carciofi Sant’Erasmo in spring. The first place after the pier is the informal Taverna Tipica Veneziana, a shack in a field with picnic tables serving a limited but yummy local menu.

At Osteria al Ponte del Diavolo (closed Monday), I had a simple radicchio and balsamico salad here with an amazing glass of vino bianco, Torcellum from the golden Dorona grape, which was almost extinct. Unfortunately, the island only produces enough grapes to supply the local restaurants with wine.

Ristorante Villa ‘600 (closed Wednesday) an old 17^th century farmhouse and gardens. This is where my family had seafood risotto in 1984! I still have the receipt!

Ristorante Al Trono d’ Attila (closed Monday) I believe this is where the 1984 wedding reception was held!

The Locanda Cipriani (the same Cipriani as in Harry’s Bar) is a five room upscale resort and restaurant on Torcello since 1935. In 1948, Ernest Hemingway wrote ‘Across the River and into the Trees’ here. Celebrities and royalty have been known to stay here. The restaurant is not as pricey as one would expect.Do not miss the last vaporetto, as there are only 2 places to stay on Torcello- Locanda Cipriani and Bed and Breakfast Ca’ Torcello! There are also 2 places to stay on Burano and 1 on Mazzorbo-which is connected to Burano by a bridge. On the weekends, restaurants can be open till 2300, which is after vaporetto hours. Water taxi back to Venezia is very expensive. Oh and in case you are wondering, there is no shopping on Torcello!

Torcello 1984

Torcello is 10km away from Venezia and accessible from Burano via a 10 minute vaporetto ride daily from 0800-2000. Let me know if any of you have been to Torcello!

Burano

11 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Photography, Travel

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Daytrips from Venezia, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Venetian lagoon, Veneto, Venezia

Burano, an island in the north end of the Venetian lagoon, is one of the most colourful places in the world. It is known for merletto (lace) and houses painted in bright contrasting colours. Burano is only 210 m² with a population of 2,800. That is a lot of people for such a tiny place- 13,000 per km². Burano is actually made up of 4 islands separated by 3 canals and connected by bridges. The highest elevation is only 1m! There are no cars-not even for residents, since there are no roads! Burano is part of the city of Venezia, 7 km away.

Burano was settled in the 6^th century by residents of Altino fleeing invaders. They called the island Boreana because it faces north. In the 16^th Century, women on the island started making intricate lace with needles from Cyprus. The lace trade was booming until the 18^th Century, then revived in 1872 with the opening of the Scuola del Merletto (school of lacemaking). I remember when I first visited Burano in 1994, women sat outside their homes doing lacework. There are not many lacemakers now. It is extremely time consuming to make, and as a result, incredibly expensive. Many of the lace works, especially the larger pieces, are machine made imitations, many of them from China.

Emilia Burano, Via Galuppi 1994

For authentic Burano lace, try La Perla Gallery, or Emilia Burano Via San Martino Sinistro 376, and 205 just off Via Galuppi. Handmade monogrammed fazzoletti (handkerchiefs) start at €49.

Houses on Burano have been brightly painted since the 15^th Century. This was common in fishing communities so that fishermen out on the water could find their way home in the fog. Burano is still a working fishing island, although the primary economy is now tourism. An official government request must be sent in to paint a home on Burano as there is a system to the colour scheme. The response lists the colours allowed for that particular site! No 2 houses side by side can be the same colour.

Piazza Baldassare Galuppi is the only piazza on Burano. The church of San Martino Vescovo has a 53m high leaning campanile and a 1727 Crucifixion by Tiepolo. The piazza also has the Museo del Merletto, which has examples of 16^th and 17^th century lace as well as a 6^th Century Istrian stone well, shops, and the comune (town hall).Burano is a photographer’s dream with the rainbow houses, laundry hanging, fishing boats, canals and narrow streets. It is hard to take a bad shot! The wooden Tre Ponti bridge is a great selfie spot. My usual advice would be to just wander and get lost, but Burano is too small to even get lost on! A quick walk around the island only takes about half an hour.

Explore the quieter side streets, browse the shops and have lunch along one of the canals. Being a fishing island, the seafood is exceptional. Try take out fritto misto, assorted fried fish in a paper cone, or the family run Trattoria Al Gatto Nero. a reservation-even in October!

Visit Burano if you are in Venezia for more than 2 days, or if it is not your first visit. Burano and Torcello make a nice daytrip. The busiest time on Burano is from 11am-3pm. Not many visitors stay overnight, but apparently the sunset is gorgeous.

View of Burano from the campanile di Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello

With an ACTV Vaporetto (Venetian water bus) €25 day pass, you can go to 2 of the islands, then cruise around Venezia when you get back. Burano is 45 min by vaporetto #14 (SZ-Lido-Burano) from San Zaccaria, near Piazza San Marco, in front of Hotel Danieli. Vaporetto #12 from Fondamente Nove A goes to Murano and Burano. From Burano, the #9 vaporetto is a 10 minute ride to Torcello. There are also many organized daytrips to the lagoon islands.

For those of you who love this colourful island as much as I do, there is a 2022 trilogy of Hallmark movies about a Burano lace wedding veil bought by 3 friends at an antique store. In the second movie, one of them takes the veil to Burano to find out its history. The family run shop in the movie is based on Emilia Burano, the one in my 1994 photo!