 Durant
& Cheryl Imboden'sVenice for Visitors veniceforvisitors.com |
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Venice Islands TourPage 6
ABOVE: Looking down on the 12th Century Church of Santa Fosca from the bell tower. INSET BELOW: Torcello's skyline as seen from Burano; channels in the island's tidal flats. (The name "Torcello" means "Tower and Sky.") TorcelloThere was a time, nearly 1,500 years ago, when Torcello was the largest and most important settlement in the Venetian Lagoon. Those days are long gone: As silt from rivers on the mainland filled up the shallow waters around Torcello, trade became more difficult and malarial mosquitoes bred. The 20,000 or so inhabitants gradually made their way to Venice, and today only a few dozen innkeepers, farmers, and other hardy souls live on the largely abandoned island.
Allow 45 minutes or an hour to visit the religious buildings around the central piazza, which is a short walk along a canal from the Actv pier. Tickets are sold individually for the Basilica, the Bell Tower, and the small Archaeological Museum, but the best deal is a combination ticket that includes all three plus the use of an audioguide in the Basilica (still called the "Cathedral" by many, and still in use for weddings and religious festivals).
If your exertions leave you hungry or thirsty, head for one of the indoor-outdoor restaurants around the piazza or along the path to the boat dock. (A kiosk also sells bottled drinks and other refreshments.) How to reach Torcello: From the Actv pier on Burano, take the T boat to Torcello. The large vaporetto-style boat runs twice an hour and takes only five minutes to cross the narrow strip of water between the islands. Next page: Return options
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Still,
it's obvious even from the Burano waterfront that Torcello is worth a visit: A
magnificent Byzantine-Italian cathedral dating back to 639 A.D., the Basilica
of Santa Maria Assunta, looms over the island with the Bell Tower and
Church of Santa Fosca alongside.
Don't
let claustrophobia or a fear of steep stairs keep you from ascending the Bell
Tower: The climb is easy, via a series of gentle well-lit ramps, and from the
top you'll get a fine view of the church buildings, the island, and the Lagoon.
