Among Veneto's many places of artistic interest, the three most famous islands in the Venice lagoon are surely worth a visit: Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Murano is famous for its glasswork, a tradition which has been passed down through the generations since the 13th century. Today, the artisans of Murano still employ these centuries-old techniques, crafting everything with their own hands. Burano, with its multicolored fisherman's houses, is renowned for the art of lace making. The colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development, therefore an authorization is needed when new houses have to be painted. Finally, Ernest Hemingway's beloved Torcello is immersed in an unspoilt, natural landscape, and indeed the American writer is not the only artist who have decided to spend some time on this "extraordinary quite refuge".

Follow @castaritaHK / Courtesy of the Italian State Tourist Board