By Judy Kiel. 

When most tourists go to Venice, they want to see certain things. The Piazza San Marco, the Doges' Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Rialto Bridge all fill boxes on their “must-see” checklist.  Those places are certainly worth seeing, but many people come away feeling rather unfulfilled. They return home and tell their friends that they've "seen Venice" and don't need to return. If only they knew what they were missing! They haven't even scratched the surface of this lovely, mysterious city with a flair for hiding its finest gems. After all, Venice did not remain a world power for a thousand years by giving away its secrets.

San Michele Angel

San Michael Doorway

One of those secrets is the island of San Michele. People on their way to Murano, to see how Venetian glass is blown, will travel past this walled island; most will probably never give it a second thought. J. G. Links even writes in Venice For Pleasure, that you are unlikely to visit the island. If, however, you are searching for a shady, quiet corner of Venice, full of history but not tourists, take the vaporetto to the San Michele or Cimitero stop. A totally different world awaits: nothing like the Venice full of people, motorboats, ferries, street vendors, and cheap souvenirs.

San Michele Door Detail