Discovering...
Keeping faith with the Association’s constituent objectives, namely defense of the territory and its historical and traditional connotations, visits and research are undertaken each year both in the islands and in the Venetian hinterland.
A documented rediscovery of hidden or ignored or even forgotten treasures, relating especially to monasteries, vegetable gardens, wineries and craft productions, without forgetting to taste seasonal foods perhaps accompanied by local wines.
May 20, 2026
Visit to St. Erasmus
On Wednesday, May 20, the members met at 8:45 a.m. at the Fondamenta Nove stop to board the Line 13 boat, which took us to the S. Erasmo Chiesa stop in about 20 minutes. There, our member Anna Bellani was waiting for us with her “Ape,” the most common mode of transportation on the island, which people took advantage of if not feeling up for walking long distances.
President Renzo De Antonia briefly outlined the island’s history for us, and afterward we visited the nearby church, where a large painting depicting the martyrdom of St. Erasmus, from the school of Tintoretto, is prominently displayed on the rear facade.
After a short, pleasant walk, we arrived at the “Osti in Orto” farm, where we met our partner Cesare. Cesare explained the farm’s origins and its goals, the main crops, the crop rotation system, and “sovescio/green manure” (a practice involving the cultivation of herbaceous plants that are buried in the soil while still fresh to improve its fertility and structure), and finally the various environmental and climate-related challenges.
We continued our walk, surrounded by lush nature, until we reached the home of Anna and Chris Wayman, who warmly welcomed us with a generous savoury snack, accompanied by fine wine, in their beautiful garden overlooking the lagoon.
Walking along the “Bacan” beach, we arrived at the Torre Massimiliana, a notable historical monument on the island. It is a circular structure built during the Habsburg era on the southernmost tip of the island of Sant’Erasmo, on the foundations of a former French fort.
The tower housed a military garrison stationed to defend the entrance to the Lido harbour. Guided by the kind Ms. Cosetta Enzo, we admired the architectural features and, upon reaching the terrace, the beautiful view of the island.
From there, after a short walk, we arrived at the restaurant “Il lato azzurro,” where we enjoyed a pleasant lunch together and bought the famous artichokes, supplied by a local farm.
Our final stop took us to the Sant’Erasmo Capannone water-bus stop, where we boarded the water-bus for the return trip.
A pleasant and interesting experience: it felt like being out in the countryside just a stone’s throw from Venice.
Thanks to our organisers, Vanna and Cristina, and to Anna Bellani and Chris Wayman for their hospitality.
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2025
April 6, 2025
Guided tour of the Murazzi
On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, a guided tour was organized by Piero Scarpa at Lido-Alberoni: Malamocco harbor mouth, Sea defenses
The walking itinerary allowed us to visit some historical artifacts:
- ancient wall
- murazzo Zendrini (1738-1740)
- dromo
- Alberoni fort (17th cent.)
- cippus of the Provosts at the shores (1502)
- margin no. 22 of the Lagoon Con termination (1791)
- Rocchetta dam (18th cent., 2 halves)
- guardian pier no. 66 (17th cent.)
- Paleocapa Dam (1840-1845)
It was possible to trace the stages of development and evolution, over time, of the coastal defences put in place by the Most Serene Republic and the French and Austrian governments that succeeded it, right up to the construction of the imposing northern breakwater, and to understand the profound impact that these interventions as a whole have had on the local environment, shaping its current appearance.
The visit lasted 3 hours
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2024
March 16
Torcolato Festival in Breganze
On Saturday, March 16, we participated in the Torcolato Festival organized by our Canevisti friends from Breganze.
This year was the 10th anniversary of the“Ultima del torcolato,” the feast that expresses the convivial spirit of canevisti “passionate vintners, skilled winemakers, wise drinkers.”
The feast was held in the court of “Perossi” in Fara Vicentino.
During lunch we enjoyed the delicacies of traditional cuisine and excellent canevisti wines.
The day passed cheerfully among people who share the same values: respect for the environment, recovery of the area’s vineyards and historic grape varieties, wines made following artisanal and traditional practices, and above all the pleasure of sharing the wine produced.
W canevism and freedom! (canevista motto)
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2023
April 15
Visit to the vineyards of the Canevisti, Breganze
On Saturday, April 15, 2023, the association reciprocated the visit that the Breganze Canevisti group had made to Laguna in the Glass in May 2022.
From the square in Breganze we moved to a villa not far from the center. Here we visited the vineyards recovered by some producers, with ancient species.
Then we arrived, after a short climb, at the top of a hill (Montegoggio) and listened to the story of the Roccolo vineyard, so called because the building that still exists today, overlooked and served a “roccolo,” that is, a circular structure apt to catch birds of passage.
The vineyard consists of ancient species but “marinated” with other plants. They produce both red and white wine. We then had a “snack” tasting two white and two red wines, accompanied by excellent local salami and bread.
We then moved to Fara Vicentino, for lunch at the charming “Perossi” court, owned by the family of our guide Luca. Great reception, great food; great wine!
Particularly successful was Torcolato, a dried wine accompanied by delicious desserts.
Finally, we took a walk to the Red Tower Vineyard and the Canevisti History Vineyard. Both are made up of only native varieties of the area with evocative and suggestive names, such as: Vespaiola, Gruaja, Pedevenda, Groppella, Rabiosa, Ottocai. etc.
Other varieties such as Cavrara, Corbina, Negrara, are not present in the History vineyard but belong to the native varieties of the area. Some specimens are found at the Roccolo vineyard.
I return to Venice with the memory of a beautiful experience and the frank welcome of kind and generous people.
2022
May 15
Little Lio
Piero Santostefano, a scholar of local history, told us about Lio Piccolo from its origins to the present day. We visited the small church of Santa Maria della Neve and the permanent exhibition “Fragments of the Lagoon” at the former nursery school.
Then, after a nice walk among the salt marshes, we arrived at the Agriturismo “Le Saline” where we visited the vineyard and tasted the wine produced.
Final lunch all about the prized “Violet Artichoke of Sant’Erasmo,” grown on site.
2021
June 11,
Punta Sabbioni
To Punta Sabbioni, to visit Orlando Enzo’s vineyard and taste the wine he produces. Then Piero Santostefano told us the story of the “Amalfi Battery” and illustrated the system of fortifications of the Cavallino coastline during the Great War.
Final lunch at the Locanda Scarpa farmhouse
Some of our previous explorations
- In Mazzorbo, to visit the Venissa vineyard (former Scarpa Volo estate) and the garden of the elderly, eating game “Alla Maddalena.”
- In Murano, in search of forgotten crops ending up “Ai Vetrai” to taste their traditional “bisato sull’ara.”
- In Sant’Erasmo, discovering the vegetable gardens of Carlo Finottelloe and the vineyards of Michel Thoulouze and Dariella and Gastone Vio. Then ending the day at Lazzaretto Novo, guests of Gerolamo Fazzini of the Ekos club to enjoy the traditional castradina, singing with Gualtiero Bertelli.
- At the Venice Lido, among the hidden vegetable gardens of Terre perse and Malamocco’s cultivations, cichetting at “Scarso” with Lele Vianello, Luciano Menetto, Guido Fuga and Venexiana Stevenson; then visiting Dino Pilan’s vegetable garden and vineyard with a final lunch at Salvatore’s “Le Garzette” farmhouse with its “organic” vegetables and wine and peoci from Alberoni.
- At the Vignole, from farmer friends Lupo and Francesca, tasting Bepi Cattarin’s wines, ending in glory at the “Zangrando” farmhouse.
- In Rauscedo (PN) at the vineyards of Founding Partner Flavio Lovisa’s “La Ganga” farm.
- At Giudecca, exploring olive groves, vineyards and vegetable gardens with a final lunch at the Giudecca Remiera.
- In Trissino (VI) to visit our valued collaborator and natural wine producer Marco Margoni Dalle Ore.
All of this is often enlivened by our poet Giampaolo Simonetti and the songs of Veronica Canale.