//
Island in Northern Italy
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
The Massimiliana tower is a circular plan structure built between 1843 and 1844 on the extreme southern tip of the island of Sant'Erasmo, above the foundations of an earlier French fort. Surrounded by a moat and an irregular polygonal bank, it was placed in defense of the port mouth of Lido. It was built on the order the Archduke Maximilian of Austria. It is the only example of this type of tower still existing in Italy. It was used during the Second World War as an anti-aircraft battery, and occupied by German troops in 1943. In April 1945 the retreating Germans seriously damaged it in an attempt to blow it up. It was used in the post-war period as a precarious housing by the displaced, and later used as an agricultural warehouse. In the late 1990s, it fell into a state of total abandonment. It was restored in 2004, and hosts art and photography exhibitions and cultural events.
The church was consecrated in 1929, shortly after the establishment of the parish of Sant'Erasmo (1926). Designed by Brenno Del Giudice, it has three naves. Worthy of note is the façade that slopes from the center to the sides according to vertical segments marked by pilasters and moved in the upper part by curvilinear elements. Inside there is a Martyrdom of Sant'Erasmo, from the school of Tintoretto.
Old Franciscan convent in one of the most beautiful islands in the Venice lagoon.
The only hotel on the island. All prices includes breakfast. There is also a little nice restaurant and it is possible to have meals with natural and local products for smart prices. Bicycle hire available.
It can be reached, with hourly connections day and night, from Venice (Fondamente Nuove), Murano and from Cavallino Treporti with line 13 of the ACTV steamboats (about 30 min).
Read in the guideIt is one of the few islands where cars pass by. Internal canal at via de le Motte. Crops of castraure along via de le Motte.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Venezia (VE) · International · VCE
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Sant'Erasmo and Italy.
Travel tipsUnderstand travel insurance for a Schengen visa in 2026. Learn mandatory €30,000 medical coverage, zero deductible rules, and embassy-approved policies.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind out how much does a trip to Italy cost in 2026. Compare realistic daily budgets for hotels, food, trains, and museum entry across three travel styles.
8 min read
Travel tipsEstimate your Europe trip cost for 2 weeks in 2026. Compare realistic budgets for lodging, Eurail trains, dining, and sightseeing across three styles.
8 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.