The lagoon of Venice stretches from the river Sile in the north to the river Brenta in the south covering a total of 549 km2: it is 55 km long and between 4 and 10 km wide. A large part of the area is constantly underwater, 10% is covered only partially while 5% is represented by islands.
The lagoon is shaped like an arch sloping towards the mainland; it is separated from the Adriatic Sea by strips of land where the four beach areas are found: Cavallino, Lido, Pellestrina, Sottomarina. It has shallow, salty water and is populated by naturally occurring vegetation and small crustaceans. The sea waters regularly feed into it through the three lagoon inlets.
The fifty-plus islands around Venice are all part of the lagoon, they vary in shape, history and traditions. The principal islands, and the easiest to reach, are Murano,
Burano and Torcello, which are also the most densely populated. A large number of the smaller islands are uninhabited or abandoned, like Poveglia. Also worthy of note are the long island of Sant’Erasmo, divided into plots of land used to grow vegetables, and that of San Francesco del Deserto, a Franciscan oasis with a convent and cloister surrounded by cypress trees.
Fondazione Veneto Film Commission
Via Carducci, 32 – 30171 Venezia Mestre
Phone: +39 041 279 43 38
Email: info@venetofilmcommission.com
Sheet created in collaboration with the Venice Film Commission.
Cinema Desk - Venice Film Commission
Venice
Tel. +39 041 274 7928
E-mail: venicefilmcommission@comune.venezia.it
