Vicinities
Venice is only one of several island-and-canal cities in the Veneto lagoons. The historic center of Venice's millennia-old glass trade is the island of Murano, while the rather more distant island of Burano is famed for its lace-making, a spin-off of its more prosaic tradition of weaving fish nets. Venice's most rural neighbor island is Torcello, covered with farms and forests. Here, too, is the earliest church in the area, founded in 1008, and filled with Byzantine mosaics.Out toward the open sea is the long sand spit called the Lido, famed for it's belle époque hotels, casino, and beaches. This is where Venetians have for centuries adjourned to relax, catch some fresh air, and dally in the surf.
Although not part of the lagoon, Padua is linked to Venice by the Brenta Canal, along which wealthy Venetians built summer homes in the 16th century. A trip up the canal, along with lunch and tours of the old villas, makes for a nice day out from Venice.