A creepy island surrounded by mystery and ghostly myths is just 10 miles from an insatiably popular tourist destination – but visitors are strictly banned from visiting it
A spooky island enveloped by its own grim history and ghostly tales has long prohibited tourists from visiting.
Last year, a whopping 30 million visitors flocked to the canal-divided city of Venice, lured in by its enchanting romance, beautiful architecture and delicious food. The influx resulted in Italian officials extending its tourist tax, which can be as steep as €10 for day-trippers, into 2025 – but even that hasn’t stopped the insane crowds that queue up for attractions such as Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica.
However, just 10 miles away from the chaos lies an abandoned island that has been left to rot for decades. Poveglia, which is technically a cluster of three tiny islands in the Venetian Lagoon, was once a ‘peaceful little community’ that first welcomed inhabitants back in the 7th century. Throughout the years, it managed to avoid invasions occurring on the mainland, and benefited from trading with the nearby island of Pellestrina.
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However, in the 14th century it is believed the Battle of Chioggia near Venice resulted in residents fleeing the island. Many relocated to Giudecca, a popular island now saturated with tourists.
“It wasn’t until the 18th century that it was put to use again as a storage location for the Republic of Venice,” states Walks of Italy. “Subsequently, in 1776, it came under the jurisdiction of the local Public Health Office.”
But, in 1793 two ships that stopped for a check were believed to have several cases of the plague, which saw the island rapidly transform itself into a plague quarantine site. Legend has it that the island is now made up of 50 per cent ash due to thousands of victims who were left to die in so-called ‘plague pits’.
“In the 20th century, the island transformed into the site of a psychiatric hospital,” Walks of Italy added. “Another version of the story says that the asylum’s director went crazy and jumped off the clock tower. But according to legend, it wasn’t the jump that caused his death—it was a mysterious fog. This doctor was known for being a bit ‘mad’ and for doing experiments on patients, including performing several lobotomies.”
Poveglia, which is now owned by the government, has long banned tourists from visiting. This is likely due to safety concerns around the hospital, psychiatric ward, prison, and San Vitale Church, which have all been left to crumble.
According to reports, you can seek special permission from the Municipality to visit. However, this tends to be for film crews or researchers, not tourists. However, if you head down to Lido di Venezia near Malamocco – you can catch a glimpse of the island and its ancient church on a clear day.
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