Sant'Erasmo

Sant'Erasmo is an island in the Venetian Lagoon lying north of the Lido and northeast of Venice. Its population has declined to about 725 in 2011.

History
The first record of the island appears in the first half of the tenth century in the administrative records of Constantine VII of the Byzantine Empire. The island was a port in the Duchy of Venice attached to Murano. At the end of the 16th century it was described as an island full of vegetable gardens and vineyards that supplied to the city vegetables and fruits "in abundance and perfect". It is now known for market gardening. A typical product is castraure, artichokes picked early.

Ruined fortifications, including the so-called Torre Massimiliana (Tower of Maximilian), ring the isle. Forts existed in the island as early as the 16th century. After the fall of the Republic of Venice, the French built here a stronghold in 1811-1814. After Napoleon's defeat, the Austrian Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este had a tower built here in 1843-1844, and also found here refuge during a revolt. The tower has a polygonal base of 25 m and is surrounded by a ditch. On the upper floor up to 13 cannons could be housed. It was used by the Italian Army as late as World War I.

Get in
It can be reached, with hourly connections day and night, from Venice (Fondamente Nuove), Murano and from Cavallino Treporti with line 13 of the ACTV steamboats (about 30 min).



Get around
It is one of the few islands where cars pass by. Internal canal at via de le Motte. Crops of castraure along via de le Motte.

See

 * An annual boat race takes place during the summer.
 * Sant'Erasmo is also known for the waders on sandbanks in the lagoon surrounding it.
 * Sant'Erasmo is also known for the waders on sandbanks in the lagoon surrounding it.

Do
During the village festivals, Sant'Erasmo loses his quiet and secluded character to become a lively lagoon village that attracts many visitors. The visit of the island includes pleasant walks through fields and vineyards with a final destination at the Church square where horticultural specialties are offered for tasting and sale. The party program is always very rich in cultural, sporting and musical events.


 * Festa del must takes place on the first or second Sunday of October. It is an event dedicated to the must, the freshly crushed juice used in making wine. It is actually "torbolino", a wine made from white grapes, not totally fermented, turbid, slightly sparkling and lovable.
 * Feast of Christ the King, patron saint, the first Sunday of June, at the village square.
 * Befana (6 January), in which at 05:00 a "berolon" (bonfire) is erected a few steps from the square; they offer pancakes, sweets and mulled wine.
 * Festa del carciofo violetto (Festival of violet artichoke), founded in 2007, offers tasting and sale of local products and demonstrations of different ways of cooking artichoke. It takes place on the second Sunday of May at the Torre Massimiliana.

Buy
There are no shops, even to buy water.

Eat and drink

 * Bar Tedeschi
 * Restaurant at Il lato azzurro hotel - Mediterranean cooking, with vegetarian options using vegetables fresh from the island. 12:00-15:00, 20:00-22:00.

Sleep
Look for Airbnb rentals on the island.