 | Venice Torcello Reviews | 1 - 10 of 17 |  |
 A view from Torcello's
campanile by Librex
The main church holds one of the most impressive mosaic work I've seen and the view from the top of the bell tower is superb. If you are a bit tired, dont worry, the climb up the tower is not that bad (it's a sloped walkway with very few stairs). There are some restaurants/cafes too on the island and they are less crowded than the ones on Burano (but I have no idea about the quality as I did not eat there).
According to historians, Torcello is thought to have been one of the most populated island of the lagoon, even surpassing Venice. But a series of conflicts with its next door rival as well as plague and malaria stopped Torcello on its path to adriatic glory... Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting Venice?
Read reviews about Venice Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
It was still early in the morning when we took the boat from Burano to Torcello. It's only a ride of about ten minutes and you can see the bell tower of Torcello coming closer.
This island is really small.In March 2007 construction work was going on and we couldn't go straight ahead to the village. We were being redirected on a path around, through gardens and very close to the water. It was very quiet and seemed ages away from San Marco's.
There is an old Romanesque church in Torcello, free of charge and interesting to see. In the front of it there are stones , showing coat-of -arms of (I think) families from Torcello. You can see the winged Venetian lion and a very pretty one with three dolphins.
Next to this church there is the Basilica di Santa Maria dell'Assunta. Here you have to pay an entrance fee, either for the basilica alone, or in combination with the bell tower or the museum. We chose the basilica and the bell tower and paid 5,50 Euro each, for each of us I mean, not for each of the buildings.
It's absolutely worth it! The basilica is beautiful inside, with one of the largest mosaics I have ever seen. Showing the last judgement, set against a golden background, it is simply overwhelming. I later learned that it is one the most beautiful Byzantine mosaics in Italy and I certainly believe that. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 by MahieuLeave a Comment
|
A few minutes far from Burano (Torcello is close enough to see from Burano), is situated Torcello, known its beautiful churches and for its millennial history. Its small museum contains the historical traces of the island.
Torcello has only 100 inhabitants, but around the 5th century it was a very important place and had a population of 20,000!!. There are a couple of outstanding churches to visit - Church of Santa Maria Assunta and the Church of Santa Fosca. The Church of Santa Maria Assunta has one of the walls completely covered with a wonderful Byzantine mosaic. Leave a Comment
|
When the bell tower was built, nobody thought of tourists going up there for fun. The staircase is quite narrow and when people are walking up and down at the same time, you may have some problems. Yet another reason to be there early, before the crowds.
I had a wonderful view from the tower. The lagoon was spread out all around, the snow-covered mountains could be seen on the horizon, the towers of Venice appeared, it was a spectacular view.
If the weather is nice, this is a "climb" which I would certainly recommend. Leave a Comment
|
Visiting Venice?
Read reviews about Venice Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
One of the earlier settlements in the lagoon, Torcello still retains its rustic and undeveloped beauty. Upon approach on the No. 12 vaporetto, the campanile of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta rises above all. The cathedral was founded in the 7th century with most of the current structure built in the 9th and 11th centuries. The highlights are the huge mosaics. The graphic Last Judgement covers the entire back wall opposite the apses. And the beautiful Madonna in the central apse. Leave a Comment
|
From the bell tower we had seen a footpath, going along the water. Since we had enough time - it's great not being pressured for time when on vacation! - we decided to follow this path for a while. It was so narrow, that we had to walk behind each other. We passed some goats, enjoying their lunch, saw some butterflies, but no other people.
When we turned around, we had a great view of the bell tower and the two churches.
The footpath starts behind the bell tower, there is water right and left to it.It must be very muddy when it's raining.You can see the path on the second picture, in the lower right corner. Leave a Comment
|
 The bell tower of Torcello by effeti
So Torcello became an import town (and so you can explain the 2 romanesque churches of Santa Maria Assunta and Santa Fosca --- see the roof and bell tower in the picture).
Later on, people started moving from the wooden homes of Torcello to another place... Fisrt to Malamocco and then.. Rialto (rivus altus.-deep river -. along the ancient river that is now the Grand Canal).
The actual Venice was born.
Now, apart the churches, Torcello is famous for the restaurants... 3 of them and 1 famous and pricey... La Locanda Cipriani. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 by ImbiLeave a Comment
|
 Torcello by TRimerLeave a Comment
|
 | 1 | 2 |  |
|
- Ai Santi Apostoli
Cannaregio - Strada Nuova, 4391, Venice - Ca del Borgo
Piazza delle Erbe 8 Malamocco, Venice - Locanda Novo
Calle dei Preti 4529 Cannaregio, Venice - Hotel Cipriani Palazzo Vendrami
Giudecca 10, Venice - Hotel CA' Formenta
Castello 1650 Via Garibaldi, Venice - Residenza Ca' San Marco
San Marco 4868 Calle delle Balote, Venice - Hotel Piccola Fenice
San Marco 3614, Venice - The Westin Europa And Regina
San Marco 2159, Venice - AI DUE LEONI
Cannaregio 565, Venice - Belle Arti Hotel Venice
912 / A Dorsoduro Rio Terra Foscarini, Venice - Locanda Herion
Cannareggio 1704, Venice - Hotel Giardinetto
Piazza le Santa Maria Elisabetta 3, Venice - La Residenza
Campo Bandiera e Moro, 3608, Venice - Hotel Palazzo Abadessa
Calle Priuli, Cannaregio 4011, Venice - Residenza Grandi Vedute
Molino Stucky, Fondmenta San Biaggio 812/814 Isola della Giudecca, Venice
|
