Lunch in an island garden

Torcello's Santa Fosca Church, seen from the garden at Locando Cipriani

Torcello Island in the lagoon north of the city of Venice could really be considered the mother of Venice herself.

In the 6th century, residents of a small Roman town named Altinum, tired of being raided by the Lombards and Franks, retreated to this little marshy island and rebuilt their city, even using some of the stones salvaged from their sacked home on the mainland.

Porch of the Church of Saint Fosca

Torcello became a prosperous town - in the 10th century, some 10,000 people lived on the little island. They rebuilt their first little church into a much grander structure, decorated with fine mosaics of gilt glass tiles.

But poor environmental management took its toll - by the 12th century, the wetlands had become polluted and choked with silt, breeding malaria and sickness. Everyone left and went to the newer city being built on the island of Rivoalto, periodically coming back to Torcello to scavenge building materials. Today all that remains of Torcello's medieval history is the fine Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the neighboring Church of Santa Fosca.

Leaving Venice by boat

 We took a vaporetto from the Fondamenta Nuove, which crossed the lagoon, stopping at the island of Murano, home to the famous glassmakers, and then at Burano, where we got out and caught the boat to Torcello.

The landing at Torcello

 After disembarking, you follow a long, wide brick walkway alongside a brackish canal, rustic fields overgrown with brambles on either side until you approach the old churches, where souvenir and refreshment stands are arrayed.

One peculiarity you notice is that along the way among the weeds and brambles are small houses, shelters for cats.

Cat houses

By the time we arrived at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, we were flushed with heat. An odd note amid the mellow brick and quiet bird-song surrounding the crumbling medieval buildings was the array of souvenir stands selling tacky carnival masks and tee shirts - and behind them along the fence, more cat houses.

Souvernir stands, cat houses and the campanile under scaffolding.

 The beautiful campanile was shrouded in scaffolding, under renovation. We took a guided tour of the building.

Church of Santa Fosca

 Our guide, a young woman with a background in art history, provided a fascinating in-depth explanation of the iconography in the amazing 12th century mosaics that depict the last judgement and the weighing of souls, the river of fire and the seven stages of hell. No cameras allowed, but if you want to see some pictures of the mosaic, you can go HERE.

Meanwhile, the heat rose and the sweat poured off our bodies - it was so hot it was almost surreal. Alas, even the contrasting vision of paradise was roasting!  What we needed was refreshment!

So much for the salvation of our souls. Torcello is also home to a noted inn and restaurant, the Locanda Cipriani. Founded in 1934, it became known after Ernest Hemingway hung out there to write "Across the River and Into the Trees." 

Our lunch reservation was at noon. We were seated in the shady garden, and served the signature apertif, a mixture of prosecco and white peach juice called a bellini.

After contemplating hell's river of fire, the idea of cool gazpacho appealed to me, and it was indeed heavenly. Bursting with bright vegetal flavor, garnished with diced cucumber, peppers and herbs, it was virtuously refreshing.

Our table overlooked a broad lawn and garden where a wedding party was taking place. Bees buzzed in the lavender while small children ran across the grass, and the families toasted one another with glasses of prosecco. They took their dinner beneath the shady arbor. [The Man I Love] had a first course of squid-ink gnocchi in a sauce of shellfish.  His second was a perfectly grilled branzino, while I had vitello al tonnato, garnished with piquant cornichons and capers.

Cool kitty!

 Nothing could have been a more perfect finish to the meal than the dessert - ripe strawberries dosed in balsamic vinegar, topped with whipped cream. [The Man I Love] went for a cool dish of pear sorbet.

Way to keep cool on a hot day!