1. TPDL 2027
  2. Venice and the lagoon

Venue

Venice and the lagoon

The city, the islands of the lagoon and the Veneto, for the days before and after the conference.

Venice

A city built on wood

The area of Venice used to be a swamp.

The palaces of Venice rest on indirect foundations. Builders drove millions of wooden piles through the soft soil until they reached a compact layer of clay more than ten metres below the surface. A layer of wood on top of the piles carries the usual stone foundations.

Venice also has a long history with the written record. The Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana grew from the manuscripts that Cardinal Bessarion gave to the Republic in 1468. In the 1490s Aldus Manutius opened in the city the press that introduced italic type and pocket editions of the classics.

Gondola in front of the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
Canal in Venice at dusk

The lagoon

Islands and beaches

Venice sits in the middle of its lagoon. Water buses reach the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and San Francesco del Deserto, the beaches of the Lido and Pellestrina, and several areas of naturalistic interest.

Coloured houses in Burano
BuranoColoured houses and lace
Glass being shaped in a Murano furnace
MuranoGlass furnaces
Churches of Torcello
TorcelloA cathedral founded in 639
Aerial view of Torcello and the lagoon
The northern lagoonCanals, marshes and fields
Town walls in the Veneto countryside
Rialto bridge at night

The Veneto

Beyond the lagoon

  • Historic cities with Roman and medieval remains, such as Verona, Padua, Treviso, Conegliano and Cittadella
  • The Euganean Hills, former volcanoes with thermal spas
  • The Dolomites
  • Lake Garda

Padua, home of the University of Padua, is about 30 minutes from Venice by train.

Social programme

Cruise and dinner

A social cruise on the lagoon and the conference dinner are in preparation. Details will follow.

Ideas for your free time

  • Theatres. La Fenice, Goldoni and Malibran in Venice. The Arena di Verona is easy to reach by train.
  • Museums and exhibitions. Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Grassi, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Biennale Architettura 2027. Padua and Treviso have several museums too.
  • Nature. The Dolomites, water sports on Lake Garda, kayaking in the lagoon, rafting and kayaking on the Brenta and Adige rivers, and guided tours of the lagoon.
A boat on the lagoon