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Many of the smallest islands of the Venetian Lagoon (now deserted) a few  years ago were wide urban agglomerations inhabited by lagoon population...

A lot of these island (mainly those of the northern part of the lagoon) are now part of a rebuilding process (partly private and partly public).

Lazzareto Nuovo has been used as quarantine for sick persons and suspect goods arriving in Venice. Now more then 10.000 people visit the island, where you can find archaeological sites, scholastic excursions and many many events.

Located at the entrance of the lagoon, three km NE from Venice City, was born probably as a strategic surveillance area. Archaeological finds are testimonials of the human presence starting from the Bronze Era, and the first written document is from 1015: an official document where the Island is called “Vigna Murada”.

During the medieval period it has been property of the San Giorgio Maggiore’s Monks, who built a Church in the honour of San Bartolomeo.

In 1468, by decision of the Serenissima Government, the island started to be used as a quarantine area. The name “Nuovo” (new) came from this era, it was used to distinguish the Island from the other Lazzareto already existing in Lido.

During the XVIII Century the island has been progressively deserted and during the Napoleon’s Domain it was used for military purposes (there where a lot of “Fortificazioni” trhough the Lagoon).

This Island is easily reachable with the public boat leaving from Fondamenta Nuove, line 13 (it stops on request).

The island of San Servolo is the only one of the Venetian Lagoon restored by a local board. It’s it’s a cultural place used also by the Venice International Univesisty.

You can reach the Island in ten minutes from San Zaccaria (Saint Mark) public boat stop, line 20.

San Lazzaro degli Armeni is a small island on the West side of Lido di Venezia. It’s occupied by a Monastry, the main centre of the Mekhitari’s Order. The island is  one of the most important centre of the Armeninan’s Culture.

The Island has been used in the past (XII Century) as leper hospital (Lazzareto), due to his dinstance to the other islands.

The Church of San Lazzaro degli Armeni hide a very big bibliotheque (more than 200.000 books!!!) and a museum with more than 4000 Armenian handwritings and many arab, Indian and Egypt pieces of art. You will find also the mummy of Nehmeket from 1000 a.C.!!!

The Monastry can be reached from San Zaccaria’s pubic boat stop, line 20.