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Reaching Pellestrina by car



• Reaching Pellestrina from Venice / Piazzale Roma

Whichever direction you arrive from, all directions for Venice lead to Piazzale Roma (the furthest point that can be reached by car).
Once in Piazzale Roma, park the car in one of the many pay parking areas and then take one of the Vaporettos (water boats) that head to the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop (very frequent).
Get off at the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop and take the ACTV no. 11 bus. Continue to remain on the bus, as it boards the ferry and travels around the entire island of Pellestrina.
Get off at the "Scuole" stop.

• Reaching Pellestrina from Venice / Tronchetto

Compared to Piazzale Roma, a less-expensive alternative is to park in the Parcheggio del Tronchetto located on the right after crossing the long bridge that connects the mainland to Venice, approximately 500 metres before Piazzale Roma.
From Tronchetto take one of the Vaporettos (water boats) to the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop. Get off at the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop and take the ACTV no. 11 bus. Continue to remain on the bus, as it boards the ferry and travels around the entire island of Pellestrina.
Get off at the "Scuole" stop.
Alternatively, from Tronchetto you can take the Ferry boat, but this arrives at the Lido S.Nicolò stop, approximately 500 metres from Lido S.Maria Elisabetta from where the ACTV no. 11 bus leaves.

• Reaching Pellestrina from Chioggia

If travelling by car, you can park in the multi-storey car park and several outdoor parking areas located in Chioggia at via Isola Saloni.
On foot reach the station at Piazzetta Vigo where the no. 11 Vaporetto (water boat) to Pellestrina/Cimitero leaves.
The Venetia Domus building is located approximately 300 metres from the Vaporetto (water boat) stop and is easy to reach on foot.
It is also possible to take the no. 11 bus that connects with the Vaporetto (water boat) and which goes as far as Lido di Venezia. Get off at the second stop (Scuole)

Reaching Pellestrina by car
Travelling by car on the island of Pellestrina is currently allowed, and if required, it is possible to board the car on the Ferry boat, which leaves from the Island of Tronchetto and arrives at the Lido S. Nicolò stop. By car: drive through the island to the Alberoni and board a second Ferry boat that connects the Lido of Venice with the Island of Pellestrina.

Train

For those arriving by train, the Vaporetto (water boat) stop is located just outside the train station of Saint Lucia.
Take any line that reaches the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop (very frequent).
Get off at the Lido S. Maria Elisabetta stop and take the ACTV no. 11 bus. Continue to remain on the bus as it boards the ferry and travels around the entire island of Pellestrina.
Get off at the "Scuole" stop.

Plane

From Marco Polo International Airport, walk to the cruise terminal.
Take the Vaporetto (water boat) towards Lido.
Take the No. 11 direct bus service to Pellestrina.

Bus

A bus service for the Chioggia-Lido route runs along the entire length of the island of Pellestrina.

Ferry boat

The Island of Pellestrina can be reached by ferry (only from the Venice side).
Cars can board at Tronchetto stop station in Venice. Get off at Lido, drive across the island and board the car on the ferry boat to Pellestrina.

Vaporetto (water boat)


Several lines are available:

Marco Polo Airport - Lido S. M. Elisabetta
Piazzale Roma - Lido S. M. Elisabetta
Santa Lucia Station - Lido S. M. Elisabetta
Tronchetto Car Park - Lido S.M. Elisabetta
Arriving from Chioggia – at the Piazzetta Vigo stop, in direction Pellestrina, take the Vaporetto water boat (only passengers) to reach the Island of Pellestrina.

Personal water taxi

The island of Pellestrina is equipped with comfortable boarding areas located on the lagoon side. Venice and Chioggia are easily reached via the lagoon.




History

The building: Ancient Monastero dell’Apparizione [Monastery of the Apparition]

The Ancient Monastero dell’Apparizione [Monastery of the Apparition], today Venetia Domus, was commissioned by the Venetian Government and the Episcopate of Chioggia after the canonisation of the Marian apparition in August 1717. The project was assigned to the architect Andrea Tiralli, a follower of Andrea Palladio and considered to be a precursor of neoclassicism. He is also the author of other important projects in Venice, such as Palazzo Diedo at S.Sofia, Palazzo Priuli, La Scala di Palazzo Sagredo at S. Sofia and the facade of the Church of Tolentini. Since its first monastic mission ended in the late 19th century, the building became the first hotel in Venice to offer sea-bathing treatments and treat tuberculosis.
During World War II the former monastery was transformed into an orphanage called "Centro di Arti e Mestieri" with the function of hosting and granting diplomas to young people from all over Italy. The property was later requisitioned and used as a military command structure. Neglected for decades, the building was partly renovated in 2003, the aim being to transform it into a modern hotel and spa. This project failed and the estate was taken over by new owners who finely restored the building and created 35 apartment units.

Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Apparizione [Our Lady of the Apparition]

The Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Apparizione in Pellestrina was built in July 1717, a year after the appearance of the Madonna on the island. The event of August 1716 was in fact confirmed true by canonical process: a young boy from Pellestrina met a woman who advised him to tell the parish priest to celebrate Mass and to pray for the salvation of Venice, which at that time was besieged by the Turks. The following day, at the same hour of the Apparition, the Venetians won the Battle of Petrovaradin against the Turks.
Throughout the entire year the Sanctuary is a destination for many pilgrims and devotees in search of grace, and even today, on the 4th August in Pellestrina, the Madonna dell’Apparizione and the victory of Venice is celebrated over three days.


The miraculous image of Madonna del Carmine [Our Lady of Carmine] is kept in the Sanctuary of the Apparition in Pellestrina.

Pellestrina – Brief history

The island of Pellestrina has a thin coastline that stretches for approximately 11 km between the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. This area includes the ports of Malamocco and Chioggia, which are located at the two extremities. Pellestrina had its origins during the barbaric invasions, which drove the inland populations to seek refuge on the Lagoon islands; it was with the invasion of the Longobards in 568 that the population truly began to settle on the Island. Initially ruled by tribunes and public officials belonging to families of landowners that had settled permanently on the Island, between the late 7th and early 8th centuries, in conjunction with the foundation of the Venetian Republic, it was governed by a Doge and related officials until 1339. With the War of Chioggia in 1379, caused by the conflict between Genoa and Venice, Pellestrina was assigned to Chioggia and this led to fierce protests by the inhabitants. This conflict was extremely tough and lasted for a year: Pellestrina was razed to the ground and its inhabitants dispersed. In 1380, Venice forced Genoa to surrender and a period of reconstruction was commissioned by the families that lent their names to the districts of Pellestrina.
Busetto, Scarpa, Vianello and Zennaro. Even today these are the most common surnames on the Island, indicating the homogeneous nature of the community of Pellestrina and its ancient traditions.
During the French occupation and up until the end of the Republic, Pellestrina continued to be part of Chioggia and was only declared an autonomous municipality in 1806. In 1848, when Venice rose against the Austrians, Pellestrina and many of its young locals joined the fight, and in 1866, the year in which Venice was reunited with Italy, the first local elections for the formation of the first Municipal Council were held also in Pellestrina.
The annexation of Pellestrina to the Municipality of Venice, under a form of administration that is still practiced today, was expressed by the people on several occasions from the beginning of the 20th century and was approved in 1921.

The Murazzi [Venetian dykes]

Throughout the course of its history Pellestrina strove to protect itself from the tides. Strengthening banks and building breakwaters are permanent activities on the Island. A stable solution was only found in 1716 when Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, a Franciscan friar and cosmographer, designed the Murazzo structure, a stone wall that would replace the vulnerable ‘Palade’ (stone-filled wooden piles). Since then, the Murazzo - a symbol of defence - protects the lagoon and Venice from violent sea storms. Breakwater panels were recently integrated into the structure. These panels were placed perpendicular to the main structure to stimulate the formation of shoals and shore sections (waves would otherwise erode these latter).

The population

The approximately 4000 residents form a homogeneous community and possess the typical cultural characteristics of island populations with roots dating far back in time, as is demonstrated by the continuous practice of ancient activities, especially fishing and agriculture. The small squares and courtyards alternating with narrow streets are still experienced as centres of village life and the houses are painted in a range of vibrant colours. When arriving on the Island from the Lagoon, visitors can enjoy an amazing and unique scene: the houses and boats are arranged in two neat parallel rows. The atmosphere that reigns in Pellestrina is in fact that of a fishing village and boatmen with its nets stretched out in the sun, low-style houses and vegetable gardens. The inhabitants of Pellestrina have been defined as the "custodians of a Venetian identity that elsewhere is fading."




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