A distinctive wooden bridge -called the 'Ponte lungo' or ‘Long Bridge' by the inhabitants- connects the island to the more widely known Burano. Situated in the northern Venetian Lagoon, Mazzorbo boasts colourful villages and vegetable gardens planted with "castraure", the delicious early-ripening artichokes.
The island of Mazzorbo has an ancient history and, according to tradition, it was here that the first inhabitants of Altino found refuge when fleeing from the barbarians. During medieval times, the island, along with Burano and Torcello, offered a safe haven from attacks from the mainland.
The Church of Saint Catherine remains as a testament to Mazzorbo's past. Built between 1283 and 1291, the church houses the oldest bell in the whole Lagoon, dating back to the early 1300s.
When the city of Venice started to be more attractive than the surrounding islands, Mazzorbo was gradually abandoned, until only a handful of farmers still lived there. In the 1980s, however, the island began to be repopulated thanks to public housing projects and now there are about 350 residents.
Today, Mazzorbo has accommodation facilities, trattorias and restaurants, which are perfectly integrated into their surroundings and offer visitors, who can easily reach the island via neighbouring Burano, the chance to have a relaxing and authentic experience of the Lagoon.
