Page 23 - EffettoItaly Presentation

Lace & Glass

Venice itself has a mighty pulling power, but the lagoon islands
are equally seductive. Venetians make quiet and secretive use
of their lagoon, a refuge from the city. When the visitors brave
the lagoon, they first reach Murano, which became famous
when Venice's glass furnaces were moved here in the 1291 as a
precaution against fire. Those with more time push on to Burano,
celebrated for its lace - the stitches evolved from the knots used
by fishermen to repair their nets - and brightly colored houses,
said to have been painted so that fisherman far out at sea
would be able to recognize their homes. Loveliest of all the
islands, is Torcello, Burano's near neighbor, the spot where 5th-
century mainland refugees first settled and is considered to be
Venice's birthplace. Want to run away from the crowds? Are you
up for a soft adventure, for a very special team building? The
lagoon islands are the place for it!