Villa

The cluster sits inside the Venetian Lagoon, a coastal lagoon on the Northern Adriatic; the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea are both within the local landscape. The city centre and much of the lagoon are listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Venice and its Lagoon.” The immediate environment is an urban fabric of islands and canals together with the adjacent mainland district of Mestre; passenger ferries (vaporetto), private boats and commercial traffic are the normal local transport. The Porto Marghera industrial and port area, with petrochemical and logistics facilities, lies on the mainland side of the lagoon. Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) at Tessera is on the mainland inside the 15 km area and provides scheduled and low-cost flights. Several inhabited lagoon islands are within reach and notable for local crafts and activities: Murano (glassmaking), Burano (lace and fishing), and Torcello (early medieval remains). The lagoon contains salt marshes, managed valli da pesca and wetland habitats, and parts of that environment are under protection or conservation regimes. The area is regularly affected by high tides (acqua alta); the MOSE movable barriers have been installed at the lagoon inlets. There are no mountains or ski lifts within 15 km.