Elite Traveler Summer 2021

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ISOLA SANTA CRISTINA VENICE, ITALY

It’s so whimsical, charming and utterly romantic that it’s hard to believe Isola Santa Cristina is just a 30-minute boat ride from the busy streets of Venice. The island is one of the largest in the Venetian Lagoon and dates back to the fifth century; today, it is the only island of the original Ammiana archipelago to survive. Originally home to a monastery, it has long been in the hands of the Swarovski family and is now looked after by magnate Gernot Langes-Swarovski’s stepson, René Deutsch, and his wife Sandra. On the island’s 75 acres, you’ll find vineyards that produce some 10,000 bottles of wine a year, apricot and fig orchards, olive groves, a red-brick chapel, and free-roaming peacocks and pheasants. At the island’s center is Villa Ammiana, the only accommodation on the island. The nine-bedroom abode can sleep up to 16 guests and is in a classic Italian farmhouse style — think soothing, neutral tones, working fireplaces, beamed wooden ceilings, Art Deco-style library, and a Venetian-tiled kitchen complete with a wood-burning pizza oven. There is a swimming pool, two outdoor terraces (one with a fireplace) and one traditional altana rooftop terrace that has the most spellbinding views over the lagoon. There is also an eco-friendly fish farm and the island is in the process of becoming fully self-sustainable with its own fresh water source and produce farming. Exclusive use from $30,000 per week. Contact info@veniceprivateisland.com, +43 664 822 5080, veniceprivateisland.com

Photos De Waal Rautenbach, Andrea Ferrari Photo Design