Venezia Certosa Marina, on Certosa island in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon, is a perfect base from which to explore Venice.

Despite being in an enviable location, just 10 minutes from St Mark’s Square and the lively heart of Venice, Venezia Certosa Marina is an oasis of calm, a 24-hectare area with masses of beautiful parkland.

Since the marina opened Certosa island has undergone a regeneration that has created beautiful public parkland areas, nature trails and footpaths, all protecting the island’s unique natural heritage.

From the marina, which was built in 2004, visitors can explore the Lagoon and visit the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, as well as the lesser-known islands in the Northern Lagoon. Certosa island itself also offers sailors a boat yard and a hotel and restaurant.

FACILITIES

The on site boat yard is available for maintenance (anti-fouling, lifting and so on), refits and repairs.

Berth holders and visitors benefit from:

  • 24/7 security
  • WiFi
  • Water and electricity
  • WC and showers
  • Laundry & dry cleaning service
  • Bar & restaurant with terrace overlooking landscaped gardens
  • Free night shuttle to the city (on request)
  • Chandlery
  • Boat lifting and storage ashore (indoor & outdoor)
  • On site boat yard for maintenance, refits and repairs
  • Hotel
  • Sailing school
  • Kayak excursions
  • Space to hold events

BERTHING & STORAGE

Venezia Certosa Marina has 300 berths and can accommodation craft up to 60m in length and with a draft of up to 7m, making it suitable for everything from cruising yachts to deep-draft megayachts.

Moorings are on floating, numbered pontoons, protected by a 4m wide floating breakwater. Moorings are all oriented towards the direction of the prevailing wind and are sheltered by both the surrounding islands and the breakwater.

The marina can accommodate liveaboards, even if people just live there for a few months rather than all year long. The only thing that is not possible is people sleeping on board their boats when they are on land due to Italian law.

ACCESS

By sea: Venezia Certosa Marina is easy to reach from the sea thanks to deep access channels that are fully navigable in all weather, sea and tide conditions.

Entering from the Lido port entrance, keep to the left at San Nicolò and pass between the island of Lido and the fort of Sant’ Andrea.

The marina can be reached by Canale delle Vignole, keeping to the right and passing between the island of Certosa and the fort of Sant’ Andrea, or from the southern side by Canale di St. Elena, keeping to the left and skirting the island of Certosa until you reach the entrance of the marina.

As you are approaching the marina, call the Sailor (VHF 72 / tel. +39 3202392172) for further instructions and for mooring assistance.

By land: There are regular scheduled flights to Marco Polo airport from across the UK. From the airport, you can reach the marina via public transport.

CRUISING

For weekend and longer cruise destinations, the lively Italian city of Trieste and the picturesque Croatian port of Rovinj are both around 50nm away. Split, Croatia’s second largest city, with its blend of ancient and modern, is 200nm away and beautiful Dubrovnik is 310nm away.

Tide is variable, which must be taken into account when exploring Venice. The best idea is to explore Venice in a dinghy or a small wooden boat (the traditional Venetian ‘topetta’ is a perfect way to explore the Lagoon because it has no draft).

Circulation of the Canal Grande is forbidden; small vessels with an engine of more than 10hp need a special licence plate to travel in the Lagoon and in the city centre.

For day cruises and weekends, exploring the Lagoon is a must. You can explore on your own boat for days and days without returning to the same places twice, sailing on calm and enchanting waters. Enjoy the nature, the wildlife, the variety of its many islands – inhabited or not.

Within the Lagoon, the islands of Murano (famous for its glasswork), Burano (famous for its lace) and Torcello (which boasts impressive churches and a cathedral) are all well-known.

Lesser-known, however, is Lazzaretto Nuovo, historically intriguing as this was originally where a plague hospital was established in 1423. Or there is the island of San Francesco del Deserto, which is still run by Franciscan monks, or Sant’ Erasmo island, which can be explored by bike, and is known for its agriculture (most of Venice’s fresh produce is grown here). It is famous for its purple artichokes and for the ‘Orto’ white wine made on site by Michel Thoulouze’s vineyard.

LOCAL EATERIES

The island is only 10 minutes from the Castello area, a popular and active area of the city with supermarkets, markets, bars, restaurants and all services. It is also close to Lido Island, which is particularly nice to visit in the spring and summer because of its beautiful beaches.

Venezia Certosa Marina staff will be happy to recommend the best restaurants and ‘bacari’ (where you can eat the typical Venetian tapas called ‘cicchetti’) and the best museums and cultural attractions to visit.

THINGS TO DO

Locally, catching one of the cultural events on offer in Venice adds to any visit. These include the Festa della Sensa in May, which celebrates the marriage of Venice with the sea with an impressive water parade and traditional ceremony followed by rowing regattas.

The Vogalonga, in June, is a rowing regatta that is open to everyone and has one of the largest numbers of participants in the world. July’s Redentore is a day when all of Venice gets afloat, culminating in a spectacular firework display which lights up the spires and domes of the city.

Find out more about these events at www.veneziaunica.it/en.

Hiring a kayak and exploring Venice’s canal network is also a must. www.venicekayak.com organises excursions and is based on Certosa island. You can even go on an evening kayak excursion, see the sunset and enjoy moonlit paddling.

The marina itself has hosted a range of artistic happenings and is the ideal base from which to visit the Venice Biennale (May – November, www.labiennale.org/en) and also the renowned Venice Film Festival (early September). For those who enjoy racing or running, the marina hosts several sporting events including the Dragons in Venice Invitational and trail running events.

LOCAL TRANSPORT

The heart of Venice is just 10 minutes away by public transport from Venezia Certosa Marina with regular water bus services to the city, the airport, Saint Mark’s square, the Lido and so on.

During the night, when public transport services stop, the marina offers guests a free shuttle service on request from/to the S. Elena area (the nearest part of the city).

More information on public transport can be found here marina.ventodivenezia.it/en/how-arrive

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Bruno Troublé, founder of the Louis Vuitton Cup, a veteran of the French Olympic Sailing team keeps his FARR 54 in the marina.

“What a discovery! Peace and quiet, no tourists, only a few hundred metres from the centre… a wonderful place to make the most of Venice and the Adriatic Sea… A very accessible jewel waiting to be discovered.”

Jean Marie Gerbeaux – Wauquiez 47

“A magical marina! A haven of peace, a harbour in the countryside, 10 minutes away from Piazza San Marco… Incredibly charming! An unforgettable view of the Serenissima… And, contrary to what many think, it is very easy to navigate the Lagoon…”

Sébastien Leber – Swann 55 FLO

“The marina in La Certosa is a haven of tranquillity compared to the agitation of historical Venice.”

Jean François Bentz – Whimsy 24m S/Y

“For those who have come to Venice by sea (always a magical experience)… La Certosa is a small paradise… five minutes away from the Arsenale in your tender! Sunset over Venice with the Lagoon in the foreground is an amazing sight! In La Certosa, one feels like a Venetian, not a tourist.”

Jean Luc Chaboud – Waimiti, 45m S/Y

“La Certosa is a dream… we sail all year round all over the world. For me, La Certosa is one of the best stopovers, and certainly the best in Venice.”

 

MORE INFORMATION

Certosa Island
30141, Venice – Italy
Tel:+39 041 5208588
Shuttle service: +39 3206583454
Location: 45° 26′ 3.4728″ N, 12° 22′ 24.3768″ E
VHF: ch. 72
Facebook: facebook/ventodivenezia
Twitter: VdvMarina
Marina – marina@ventodivenezia.it

 

 

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