From monasteries and quarantine stations to fishing villages, forgotten forts and cultural spaces: discover how the lagoon’s islands changed over centuries.
Venice is not only its historic centre. Across the lagoon, smaller islands tell the story of how the city protected its health, produced food, welcomed religious communities and defended its waterways. Some were once bustling places; others now preserve just a handful of buildings, gardens or traces of their past.
This collection explores each island through three simple questions: what happened here, what was the island used for, and what is it like today? We distinguish documented history from local legends, and explain when access is limited or only views from the water are possible.
Start with three islands whose transformations reveal unexpected chapters of Venetian history.
Once used by religious communities and later by the military, the island has reopened as a place for contemporary art and research.
A former gateway for maritime quarantine, now an ecomuseum with a remarkable connection between archaeology, public health and lagoon ecology.
The island where Venice established a plague hospital in 1423, with surviving buildings that reveal the beginnings of organised disease control.
The islands are grouped here by the roles they played over time. Some belong to more than one story: their purpose changed as Venice itself evolved.
Lazzaretto Vecchio · hospital for plague victims
Lazzaretto Nuovo · quarantine for ships and goods
San Servolo · monastic and healthcare history
San Clemente · religion, care and reuse
San Lazzaro degli Armeni · Armenian cultural heritage
San Francesco del Deserto · Franciscan history
Torcello · early lagoon settlements
San Giorgio Maggiore · monastery and culture
San Michele · Venice’s cemetery island
Sant’Ariano · monastery and memory
Murano · glassmaking
Burano · fishing and lace
Mazzorbo · monastic past and vineyards
Sant’Erasmo · the lagoon’s agricultural landscape
Le Vignole · kitchen gardens and rural life
Pellestrina · fishing communities and coastal defences
San Giacomo in Paludo · art after military use
Certosa · from monastery to nautical life
Poveglia · complex history and recovery
Sant’Andrea · lagoon fortifications
Santo Spirito · religious and military traces
Sacca Sessola · from healthcare to hospitality
San Secondo, Santa Cristina, Madonna del Monte · lesser-known islands
Explore our collection of 26 island histories, from their origins and historic uses to their place in the lagoon today.
Explore our existing features on Poveglia and its legends, the island of Certosa and San Francesco del Deserto. These travel-oriented stories complement the historical articles in this new collection.
The islands’ stories add depth to a journey on the water. Explore our private boat itineraries and tell us what interests you. Routes and stops can be tailored to the conditions and access rules of each island.
