Pellestrina Island

The Venetian Lagoon is a fragile environment separated from the Adriatic Sea by three long islands. The central one is the island of Pellestrina which is over 11 km (7 miles) long, and it’s by far the narrowest, with a maximum wideness of 1.2 km (0.7 miles) and a minimum of just 23 m (75 feet).

Pellestrina has been inhabited since the Barbarian invasions during the latter stages of the Western Roman Empire, initially by fishermen and, after the 6th century, by people escaped from the cities inland. The eastern side of the island, the seaward side, has been reinforced by large embankments since the 18th century, but during the exceptional 1966 Venice flood most of the island was flooded anyway.

Now more than 4,000 people live on the four main villages of island, mostly in the town of Pellestrina, which are known for their colorfully-painted houses. Part of the island constitues a nature reserve. Lace making, fishing and tourism are the most important industries of the island.