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Welcome to the special section “BAM 35 Years.” We are presenting “cult” articles from the Motor Boats archive, starting in 1990. A journey through time among stories unobtainable today, even in the great sea of the internet! A dive into the world of epic moments in motor boating. Here is one of the stories we were most passionate about.
From Boats to Motor 2002, no. 2, March, pp. 56-64.
Sail unhurriedly along the canals of the Venetian Lagoon aboard a comfortable house boat, to forget stress and rediscover the pleasure of taking it easy.
Noise, traffic, smog, in short, the normal stress of everyday life; and now close your eyes and imagine yourself sailing in silence, in calm waters, stopping wherever you want, in the midst of greenery or along the shores of an island that holds art treasures. Stop, don’t rush to book the plane, there is no need to reach distant exotic destinations: a vacation in absolute relaxation is at hand, along the large and small canals that like a spider’s web mark the waterways of the Venetian Lagoon, between Venice and the many islands and islets that cicond it, as well-known as Murano and Torcello or as almost unknown as the Vignole.
The best means of visiting them is aboard one of those comfortable flatboats that the British call house boats and the French penichettes. Refined derivations of the large cabin barges once used for commercial shipping and the transport of lumber coal or gravel, today these boats are built exclusively for recreation. Widespread mainly in France and throughout Northern Europe, house boats have been available for charter in Italy for the past few years.
Very easy to carry-a boat license is not necessary-to navigate the waters of the lagoon simply familiarize yourself with the briccole, the wooden poles that mark the entrance to the canals and the route to follow. Take along your bicycle or the book you never have time to read and. for once, forget about speed and rediscover the pleasure of taking it easy.
Chioggia, positioned on the extreme southern edge, is the gateway to the lagoon. The ancient seafaring edge, like
Local dishes, which you absolutely must try to get in tune with the spirit of Chioggio, are also fish-based: these include bibarasse in cassopipa (clams in a pan) or risotto alla ciosota (rice with fried fish). There are numerous interesting monuments, such as the Bridge and Column of Vigo and the beautiful church of San Domenico, home to works by Tintoretto. The long beaches of Sottomarina and Isola Verde are of recent formation and are due to the construction of the dams that harnessed debris from the Brenta River. A good time to visit
From the nautical base in Sottomarina di Chioggia, it takes about 3 hours of sailing to reach Venice. Following the canal marked by briccole, you will skirt the islands of Pellestrina, Alberoni, a nature oasis, and Lido, the beach of the Venetians, with the Grand Hotel Excelsior, the Casino and the palace where the Film Festival is held every year. You can stop and visit the little island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, still run by the Mechitarist Armenian Fathers who will guide you through the church, cloister and convent and the famous library containing thousands of ancient manuscripts. And now get ready for an unforgettable thrill: arriving in Venice from the lagoon is a breathtaking sight. Invisible the calli crowded with bars and vociferous tourists with built-in cameras, St. Mark’s Square welcomes you with all the charm of the ancient Serenissima. Impossible to enter the city by boat; you can moor at the dock onSan Giorgio Island or at the Sailing Club in Sant’Elena. We recommend, however, that you continue to theisland of le Vignole, on the east side of Venice, where you can leave your boat at the private mooring for Crown Blue Line boats. To get there, cross the San Nicolò canal; the mouth of the canal is between the fortress of Sant’Andrea andCertosa Island. A regular vaporetto service to Murano-Venice departs from le Vignole. After a day spent in the hustle and bustle of Venice, it will be a pleasure to return to your quiet mooring in the small canal amidst the greenery, between a small church with a fountain and a small wooden bridge. The Vignole, along with nearby San Erasmo, where we recommend a walk or bicycle ride, are known as “the vegetable gardens of Venice.” In fact, among other things, delicious artichokes are grown here, only for local needs, which you can enjoy in the island’s two small restaurants. After devoting at least a couple of days to the beauty of Venice, resume sailing to visit the three most famous islands in the lagoon: Murano, Burano and Torcello.
From le Vignole continue along the Bissa canal and skirt Sant’Erasmo until you get near Burano. First, however, you can stop at San Francesco del Deserto: quiet and romantic, it is still home to an ancient Franciscan convent. In Burano the private mooring is near the wooden bridge that joins it to Mazzorbo. Historically a fishing island, in Renaissance times it became famous for its lace industry.
The Lace School, established in 1872, is now home to the museum of the same name. The most striking feature of the village is the color schemes of its houses: each family paints its home in intense colors to distinguish it from the others; the same property, divided into several properties, may be painted in different colors, depending on the fancy of the people living there. The most interesting monuments are on the main square: the 16th-century Church of San Martino with theOratory of Santa Barbara and the characteristic leaning bell tower. Joined to Burano by a thin wooden bridge is the island of Mazzorbo, with the Church of Santa Caterina. Resuming sailing north, you arrive at Torcello. To moor choose the Torcello Channel north/east of the island.
An archaeological jewel enclosed in melancholic solitude, it was once a very important port and had autonomous government with Podestà and Council and was an episcopal see until 1689. Today few monuments remain to testify to the flourishing past: the splendid monumental complex consisting of the Cathedral, founded in 639, with a large mosaic on the wall of the main door, the Baptistery and the Church of St. Fosca, as well as the remains of the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist and Attila’s Throne, a marble chair used by the island’s tribunes during the administration of justice. And after the culture… stop at the famous “Locanda Cipriani.”
To reach Murano you must descend back toward Venice following the San Giacomo, Scomenzera and Bisatto canals and enter the Faro canal, slowly and keeping to the right: moor before the bridge. Similar in shape to Venice, Murano stands on a system of nine islands connected by wooden and masonry bridges and is also traversed in the middle by a Grand Canal. As vestiges of ancient splendor, three churches remain today: the Basilica of San Donato, San Pietro Martire and Santa Maria degli Angeli. Of interest are the Palazzo della Mula and Palazzo Giustiniani, the former seat of the bishops of Torcello, built in 1689. Murano is also universally known as the home of glassmaking, an art that dates back to the 7th century. It is impossible to miss a visit to a furnace with enclosed demonstration of glassmaking; everywhere stores and small stores display masterpieces made by authentic masters of the art, as well as little objects to take home as souvenirs of this cruise. At this point it is time to get back on course to return to Chioggia; follow the canal briccole: like Thumbelina’s crumbs they will take you straight home.
by Metella Ronconi
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