The sun was still high in the sky when we left Burano and we crossed “Ponte Longo”, a wooden bridge that leads to the Island of Mazzorbo. During this short walk we were able to admire the spectacular view of the Lagoon, its islands and the old bell tower of Santa Caterina Church, built between 1283 and 1291.

Mazzorbo and Burano, together with Torcello – our first stop during this tour – are the core of what is called Native Venice, namely the first urban settlement of the Venetian Lagoon, an area full of art, colors, nature and flavors.

Since 640 A.D. various rich palaces and churches have been built on the island of Mazzorbo, which unfortunately no longer exist.
I personally know this island very well thanks to Venissa, an old “walled vineyard” recovered by the Bisol family, so I decided to show my fellow teammates this little piece of heaven.
As soon as we entered, both Adriana and Lara were struck by a feeling of peace and tranquillity that was very familiar to me.

The vineyard covers the manor almost entirely, and it immediately surrounded us in a relaxing atmosphere that recalled the typical quiet afternoon on the hills. Adriana and Lara were very surprised that the access to the vineyard was unrestricted, so that anyone could walk undisturbed among the rows and see the bunches of grapes soon to be harvested.

The idea of bringing the old Doges’ vineyard back to life came about in Torcello, where our tour started: the “Dorona di Venezia” was found in one of the buildings in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta.
A little more than 4000 bottles of wine are produced every year from the grapes harvested in this vineyard. This wine is unique, sought by enthusiasts, and it recalls the Lagoon and its scents thanks to the slight salty hits.
A bottle that reminds the glorious past of Venice and actually fuses wine, gold and glass together.

Entering the manor, on the left it is possible to see the vegetable gardens that are grown carefully by the elderly in Burano. These products, together with other local ingredients, can be found in the dishes of the Michelin-rated restaurant and the Osteria Contemporanea of Venissa.
A new line of thinking about gastronomy characterizes the restaurant: great attention is given to local ingredients and lagoon herbs, but the cooking style is on the cutting edge, with great harmony and sensitivity.

Our trip discovering the Lagoon was over with a final dive into the scents and the colors of an elegant place that shelters great historical and local traditions.
Our way home was guided by the setting sun, the perfect goodbye greeting for this inspiring day.