Here is the second part of our article about our favourite “secret islands” in the Venetian Lagoon. Here we go!
4. Chioggia
Chioggia is a small island at the very bottom south of the Venetian Lagoon, and here is where most fishermen live and work. That is why here you can find the biggest fish market within our lagoon, which is the main supplier for the Rialto Fish Market in Venice too. Chioggia is very unique because it looks like Venice, but it has cars and buses circulating all over it. Next to Chioggia you can find a famous maritime town called Sottomarina, which is only 10 minutes away and has a very famous beach among the native population. Here you can find a lot of bars, restaurants and beach parties during the summer season.
5. Poveglia
This small island is for the ghosts enthusiasts, as it is considered the most haunted island in the world. You can even find documentaries about this island around the web, but now we’ll give you the most interesting information about it.
Poveglia was used as a quarantine station for people with the plague from 1793 until 1814 and in 1922 it became a modern asylum for the mentally ill until its closure in 1968. Needles to say, thousands of people died on this island in the past centuries, so its reputation makes a lot of sense.
Nowadays the island is abandoned and it is “officially” illegal to visit it, because of its precarious buildings, but a lot of people still visit it with their own transportation (boats) and it is a real spooky experience.
6. Sant’Elena
You might be confused as to why we included this island on this list, because if you look at a map it looks like it is part of the main island of Venice. But Sant’Elena is actually an island of its own, attached by the main island by a couple of bridges. This is an island of only 0.34km2 located on the very eastern tip of Venice. We personally love Sant’Elena because of its green spaces, perfect for jogging or walking dogs, and its very different architecture compared to the rest of Venice. This is a relatively modern island and let’s not forget it is the home for Penzo Stadium, owned by the main football/soccer team in Venice called Venice Football Club.
If you want more tips about the secret islands of Venice contact us on Vidal Venice Tours, we will make your vacation in Venice memorable 😉