The largest island in the northern lagoon, Sant’Erasmo is a well-kept secret with a tiny population that contents itself with growing most of the vegetables eaten in La Serenissima (on Rialto market stalls, the sign ‘San Rasmo’ is a mark of quality). Venetians refer to the islanders of Sant’Erasmo as i matti (‘the crazies’) because of their shallow gene pool – everybody seems to be called Vignotto or Zanella.
There are also some restaurants, and a fishermen’s bar-trattoria – Ai Tedeschi – but the main attraction of the island lies in the beautiful country landscapes and lovely walks past traditional Veneto farmhouses, through vineyards and fields of artichokes and asparagus – a breath of fresh air after all the urban crowding of Venice.