7 beautiful towns to visit near Venice
Veneto, one of the northeastern regions of Italy, is mostly known for Venice and Prosecco. Fair enough. But the northeast of Italy spans from the Adriatic Sea, to Lake Garda, to the Dolomites. In the shadow of La Serenissima are unique towns that are star-shaped; are much older than Venice and still inhabited; or simply offer sweeping views of the land.
1. Torcello and Burano
Sparsely-populated Torcello was an important port for centuries, benefiting from close ties with Byzantium. There’s even a Venetian-Byzantine-style Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in 639. The Basilica contains the earliest mosaics in the Venice area on top of being one of the most historic religious edifices in Veneto. On top of the recently restored bell-tower the view of the archipelago is unobstructed, the land virtually free of settlements except for the tiny yet eye-catching Burano.
Burano (not to be confused with the Murano) is the ferry stop before Torcello. Also of Roman founding, it is actually four tightly-packed islands connected by bridges. Burano is notable for two features: lace making by hand-and-needle, and the tiny houses’ brightly-colored patterns.
