Rick Steves - Rick Steves Tour: Venices Lagoon

Rick Steves Walks and Tours eBooks are straightforward, self-guided walking tours throughsome of Europes most popular destinations, designed for easy reference on your mobile deviceor eReader. Tours and Walks are available for must-see locations throughout London, Paris,Rome, Florence, Venice, Amsterdam, Budapest, Vienna, Athens, and Istanbul.

Rick Steves Tour: British Library, London

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Rick Steves Tour: Venices Lagoon

Rick Steves Walk: Three Walks in Venice

Rick Steves Tour: Accademia, Florence

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San Michele, Murano, Burano, and Torcello

Interesting islands hide out in Venices lagoon, a calm section of the Adriatic protected from wind and waves by the natural breakwater of the Lido. The brackish marsha mix of fresh water and silt from the mainlands rivers, plus the tide-driven saltwater of the Adriaticis set among a maze of sandbars. The lagoon is big (212 square miles) and so shallow that you could walk across most of it without getting your hair wet. Centuries ago, the shallow water and treacherous sandbars made the Isle of Venice safe from attack by land or sea. Venice is the only great medieval city that never needed a wall.

Cradled by the lagoon, north of the city, are four islands easily laced together in a half-day trip, a nice escape from the hubbub of Venice. Murano is known for glass, Burano for lace and photogenic pastel houses, and tranquil Torcello for its church. San Michele is the cemetery island, the last stop for its residents, but the first stop for the vaporetto from Venice. The lagoon is home to many more islands, but these four are the most worthwhile for visitors.

Well sail first from Venice to Murano (stopping at San Michele on the way), and then to Burano, from where well make a side-trip to Torcello before returning to Venice.

(See map)

Transportation: Well travel by vaporetto, but there are other options (see sidebar in this chapter). Since single vaporetto tickets (6.50) expire after one hour, using a vaporetto pass for this lagoon excursion makes more sense (e.g., a 12-hour pass for 16).

Sightseeing Costs: Muranos Glass Museum costs 6.50, Buranos Lace Museum is 5.50, and all of Torcellos sights together cost 12, including the audioguide (3-5 for individual sights). The Museum Pass covers the glass and lace museums; you can also choose to use the Doges Palace/Correr Museum combo-ticket here.