The northern lagoon islands a vaporetto ride from Fondamente Nove. Torcello (Locanda Cipriani since 1934), Burano (Trattoria al Gatto Nero) and Mazzorbo (Venissa, 1 star).
Trattoria al Gatto Nero on Burano is the 1965-founded Bovo family room run by Massimiliano Bovo, the canonical lagoon-fish lunch on the colourful fishing.
OrderRisotto di go, bigoli al nero di seppia, the mixed grilled fish from the lagoon.
TipBook two weeks ahead online. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 45 minutes. Closed Mondays.
Locanda Cipriani on Torcello is the 1934-founded Cipriani-family lagoon outpost that Hemingway used for lunch, the canonical garden-restaurant on the silent.
OrderRisotto alla torcellana, carpaccio Cipriani, the daily fish baked in the garden's wood oven.
TipClosed Tuesdays and the whole of January. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove, 45 minutes. Book outdoor garden tables when you reserve.
Trattoria al Gatto Nero on Burano is the 1965 Bovo family room now run by Massimiliano Bovo, the canonical lagoon-fish lunch on the colourful fishing island.
OrderRisotto di go, bigoli al nero di seppia, the mixed grilled fish.
TipBook two weeks ahead. Ferry 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 45 minutes. Closed Mondays.
Sant'Erasmo presses its September grapes on the first Sunday of October and pours the mosto beside a market of the island's violet artichoke, preserved vegetables and lagoon cooking.
TipLine 13 from Fondamente Nove is the only way in; stalls open after the morning blessing of the farm carts and the regatta closes the day.
Nine days in the park behind the Sant'Antonio church on Pellestrina, where the gastronomic stand serves the island's own fish dishes, with takeaway, alongside live music and a lottery.
TipThe stand opens at 19.30 and only on five of the nine nights, so check the programme before crossing the lagoon.
The fishing village of San Pietro in Volta gives over the turn of July to its patron saint, with a fish stand, a cross country race, comedies and open air dancing on the lagoon front.
TipThe stand serves dinner from the Thursday and both lunch and dinner over the closing weekend; the 11 bus runs down from the Lido.
Malamocco's July week, held since 1801, fills Piazza Maggiore with food stands and dancing around a night boat procession from Poveglia and the old rite of dressing the Madonna.
TipStands open at 19.30 each evening; plan the trip around the Wednesday night boat procession from Poveglia.
Pellestrina's late July week on Piazzale Zendrini runs a kitchen of typical island dishes beside orchestras and dancing, the Regata di Pellestrina, a lottery and closing fireworks.
TipConcerts run nightly on Piazzale Zendrini, and the Regata di Pellestrina is the fixture that anchors the whole week.
Alberoni at the southern tip of the Lido spends late August on the mussel, serving pastasciutta coi peoci and saltada de peoci beside a regatta, a market and a cross country race.
TipTake the 11 bus from Santa Maria Elisabetta; the regatta and the closing concert both fall on the final weekend.
On Epiphany afternoon Malamocco burns the panevin, a wooden pyre seven metres high, and passes vin brule, bagigi and sweets round it while the Befana hands candy to the children.
TipThe pyre is lit in the afternoon of 6 January; dress for the lagoon wind and get there before dusk for a place near it.
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