After you have visited all of the mandatory sites in Venice, you may want to spend some time in a more laid-back, peaceful atmosphere. Torcello is a small island in the North Lagoon of Venice, just beyond Burano and Murano, and it has a rich history. Torcello is where the city of Venice began more than 1,500 years ago.

Once heavily populated, with over 20,000 residents, the island now has only a handful of full-time residents. The primary sites include a Byzantine-Italian cathedral, the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, which dates back to about 639 AD, and an adjacent church and Campanile (bell tower) that, with an easy climb, offers a great view of the entire area.