Latest news with #PovegliaPerTutti
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Inside plans to transform derelict island for Venice residents
Venetian activists from the group Poveglia per Tutti have received permission to transform part of the abandoned island of Poveglia into a public lagoon park. The park, set to open from 1 August, aims to provide a space for locals to escape the millions of tourists visiting Venice annually. This initiative is a response to overtourism in Venice, which has led to a decline in the city 's resident population and strain on infrastructure. Poveglia, historically used as a quarantine site and later a mental hospital, has been abandoned since 1968. Poveglia per Tutti has secured €300,000 for the initial phase and plans further fundraising, partnering with the University of Verona to study the project's social impact.
CNN
4 days ago
- Business
- CNN
‘Haunted' Venice island to become a locals-only haven where tourists are banned
The abandoned Venetian island of Poveglia — site of a plague pit and former asylum — is about to take on a happier new identity. On August 1, a group of Venetians will take possession of the supposedly haunted island under a 99-year lease from the Italian state and embark on a project to turn it into an urban park open only to residents of the Italian city. The locals fought off stiff competition from property developers to ensure Poveglia remained a public asset. In 2014, the island, which is around 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) in size and sits in the southern part of the Venice lagoon, was put on an auction list by the Italian State Property Agency, opening it up to developers tempted by its peaceful but convenient location just three miles from St. Mark's Square. Several consortia raised money to buy it, including one tied to Luigi Brugnaro, the current mayor of Venice, whose group raised 513,000 euros ($600,000) but failed to gain approval from the state. Horrified at the prospect of the island being sold to a private buyer, Patrizia Veclani formed a group, Poveglia per Tutti (Poveglia For Everyone), to try to save the island and others like it that are on the government's auction list. The group, which has more than 4,500 members, managed to raise 460,000 euros ($539,000) and secure the lease. 'It wasn't just outrage, it was psychologically traumatic to realize that the city could be broken up and sold to the highest bidder, without a starting price, without even a plan. It's as if Rome were to decide to sell the Trevi Fountain. Venice and its Lagoon are one, inseparable,' Veclani said at a public forum last month, before the winning bid was announced. Veclani told CNN on Friday that her group sees this as a small victory in reclaiming Venice from overtourism, a longstanding problem. An estimated 30 million tourists visit the city every year, dwarfing the local population, which has now dwindled to less than 50,000, despite authorities' efforts to limit visitor numbers through measures such as a 2021 ban on cruise ships and a 5 euro ($5.86) charge for day-trippers introduced last year. 'The island would never have been as popular as other places,' Veclani said, 'but keeping this small space just for Venetians is a victory.' An overgrown woodland, a military fortress, 15 dilapidated hospital buildings and a rather large colony of rabbits are all that remain on the island, the group says. Poveglia's spooky history goes back to an outbreak of the bubonic plague in the 18th century, brought to Venice by fleas on merchant ships during a period when the city was an international trading hub. As the plague spread, the island was converted into a maritime quarantine dock for merchant ships arriving from abroad and for people with symptoms. Before that, it was inhabited by farmers and fishermen, having been founded as a Roman military base in 421 CE. The island's farm buildings and military barracks were transformed into dormitories, where the sick lived together and were subjected to primitive treatments, like bloodletting. As the plague spread, the dead were buried in mass graves. Venetian historians estimate that more than 160,000 people were buried on the island between the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 19th century, Poveglia became an asylum for mentally ill people, who were often restrained and subject to experimental treatments. The asylum closed in 1968, and the island has been uninhabited ever since. Poveglia's sad history led some to believe that it was haunted. Modern ghost-hunters, including US television series 'Ghost Adventures,' have visited the island over the years, spreading the myths further. 'The island was made famous by foreigners who were looking for something to exploit,' Massimo Pera, a patron of the group, told CNN. 'The memories of the island are steeped in pain, but we will transform it into a place of joy.' The renovation of the island, which lacks electricity and running water, is being guided by the APsyM laboratory at the University of Verona's department of human sciences. Jack Guy contributed to this report.
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Tiny Italian island set to be ‘turned into oasis' to escape hoards of tourists
A TINY Italian island could be turned into an 'oasis' for locals to be able to find somewhere quieter, away from holidaymakers. A group of local activists have raised around €460,000 (£401,000) in funds to win the lease for Poveglia - a tiny uninhabited island just off of Venice. 5 5 The activist group Poveglia per Tutti (Poveglia for Everyone) will take over the island next month and intend to turn the island into a small haven. This includes regenerating the northern part of the island "transforming it into a lagoon urban park open to citizens and respectful of the ecosystem and the landscape elements that characterise the lagoon", the University of Verona said, according to The Times. However, there will be some challenges in transforming the island, as it currently has no electrical or water supply. And there is also no pier with access for boats either. One of the main parts of the island is the kitchen garden, which used to grow a variety of peaches, but has now been left to run wild. One of the founders of Poveglia for Everyone, Patrizia Veclani, told The Times: "Nature has reclaimed it. But with the advice of botanists we are considering what appropriate plants can be reinstated." She added that it is important that the island is returning to the city, "rather than becoming the umpteenth luxury hotel". The group will pay just over €1,000 (£871) a year for the island on a six-year lease. The island itself is split by two canals and according to National Geographic, over 1,000 people died on the island over the centuries and were buried in plague pits. Later, it was turned into a mental hospital that eventually closed in 1968 - with the island being vacant since. 7 TOURIST DESTINATIONS - EVERGREEN LISTICLE Few buildings remain on the island, and even fewer fully intact. A church still stands, as does the hospital, asylum, a bell-tower, housing and some administrative buildings. The bell-tower is the most visible and dates back to the 12th century. It used to belong to the church of San Vitale - which was demolished under Napoleon's orders in 1806. The tower was then re-used as a lighthouse. As a result of this extensive history, the island is often featured on paranormal shows as well. The island was then first put up for lease over a decade ago when the Italian state auctioned a 99-year lease of Poveglia. 5 5 The island was to remain as state property, to raise revenue and the hope was that the buyer would transform the hospital into a luxury hotel. At the time, the highest bid came from Italian businessman Luigi Brugnaro for €513,000 (£447,000). Initially, the businessman planned to invest €20million (£17.4million) in a restoration plan but the lease did not go ahead as his project did not meet all the conditions for the island. Whilst Brugnaro decided to fight the cancellation of the lease, he eventually dropped this and all intentions for developing the island when he became Mayor of Venice. Then in 2015, Poveglia for Everyone emerged and hoped to raise €25-30million (£21.8-£26.1million) to develop the island to include a public park, a marina, a restaurant, a hostel and a study centre. Around 30million people visit Venice each year and a €5 (£4.36) charge was introduced last year to deter visitors. Cruise ships were also banned in 2021, and now dock on the mainland at Marghera or at Ravenna. Expedia's top 10 holiday islands across the globe HERE are 10 top islands to consider for your next getaway, according to Expedia's 'Hot List'. Paros, Greece: A Greek paradise praised for its beautiful beaches, traditional villages, and buzzing nightlife, also offering delicious seafood and party boats. Sardinia, Italy: This large Italian island boasts a rugged coastline, charming hilltop villages, and over 1,000 miles of beaches, including Spiaggia di Piscinas, nicknamed 'Little Sahara of Italy'. Aruba, Caribbean: Known as 'One Happy Island', Aruba is celebrated for its white sand beaches, including Flamingo Beach where you can see pink flamingos, and is considered one of the safest islands in the Caribbean. Koh Samui, Thailand: Thailand's second-largest island offers incredible beaches, impressive temples, and vibrant nightlife, gaining further popularity from the TV series White Lotus. Jersey, UK: This Channel Island is experiencing a rising interest, particularly among British travelers. Crete, Greece: A popular Greek island with a growing appeal to visitors. Malta: This Mediterranean island nation is seeing increased interest from travelers. Madeira, Portugal: This Portuguese island is a rising star on the travel scene, particularly for Brits. Naxos, Greece: Part of the Cyclades Islands, close to Paros, and a destination worth exploring. Milos, Greece: Another beautiful island in the Cyclades chain, known for its unique landscapes. There is also an Italian town set to be the new Amalfi thanks to new British Airways flights. Plus, the little-known Italian town dubbed the 'city of ice cream' has sandy beach and £15 UK flights. 5
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Locals in popular Italian destination buy 'Island of Death' to escape tourists
Locals in Venice have taken some very decisive action against over-tourism in the Lagoon City, by purchasing an island that's only for them - with just one catch, it has a very creepy past. Poveglia, a speck of land between Venice and its Lido in the Venetian Lagoon, is set to become an idyll for those who live in the popular Italian city break need their own break from the 30 million tourists who pour in annually. Next month will see an activist group Poveglia per Tutti (Poveglia for Everyone) start to transform a section of the island into an island playground for Venetians. With a six-year lease in place, the group says it will prevent development on Poveglia, preserving it for Venetiaans. The island has a dark backstory though; it was known as the 'Island of Death' thanks to the role it played as a quarantine station for people suffering from the plague in the 1700s. It's thought that around 160,000 people lost their lives on the tiny isle as the Black Death ravaged Italy in the 18th century. Venice's population has dwindled in recent years with factors such as an ageing demographic and locals leaving the city contributing to the falling residency - there are currently just over 48,000 people who call the city their permanent home. The city introduced its tourist tax last year, charging tourists five euros per person to visit the fragile lagoon city during peak times - and cruise ships can no longer dock close to the city, with passengers now docked miles away and bussed in. Poveglia is made up of three islands, one of the three is given over to nature, one was used as a fort to defend the island and the main island houses Poveglia's creepy abandoned buildings. There's a deserted hospital and a prison which many believe are haunted. These derelict buildings are the reason why tourists have been forbidden from visiting Poveglia as their decrepit state makes them dangerous to explore. A few exceptions on the ban have been granted for filmmakers. Although Poveglia was once home to a small community, it was first abandoned in the 14th century due to conflict. And a few centuries later, it was to become hell on earth. In the late 1700s, those showing any symptoms of the deadly Black Death were taken there, often against their will. It wasn't long before the 18-acre island became a mass grave site and it's thought that 160,000 plague victims were buried there. Many people believe that as much as 50 per cent of the island's soil today is made up of ash and the decomposed bodies of those who died there. Legend says that the island is haunted by those who passed away in Poveglia. The island later housed an asylum before being completed deserted. Despite the ban, British explorers Matt Nadin and Andy Thompson managed to travel to the island in 2020, and shared what they found on their YouTube channel, Finders Beepers History Seekers. Matt told viewers: 'The island is so full of dark, dark history, a hell of a lot of people died there and you really get a sense of the horrors that took place there while you're walking around. 'They burnt all the bodies and left them where they lay. The island has never really been cleared properly or anything so everything has just been left. 'Later on, when it was turned into an asylum, and because people were shoved there out of the way of prying eyes, they started to do experiments on them, horrible, horrible stuff.' Despite its dark past, Matt said it was still possible to tell from the site's tiles and archways that it would once have been a 'beautiful building'. And the pair added that it was easy to tell that no one had visited Poveglia in years, as there was no graffiti on the island, just 'natural decay'. Matt revealed that the pair 'heard the bell toll' while they were there and adds 'that did actually freak me out a little bit'. But Poveglia is far from the world's only abandoned island. The world might know the Maldives for its picture-postcard villas, turquoise waters, and once-in-a-lifetime luxury escapes. But one island in the middle of this tropical paradise tells a completely different story - one of decay, mystery and ambitious plans left abandoned. In a video uploaded to YouTube in 2023, Australian filmmaker and surfer Kale Brock explained that while on the retreat in the Maldives, he and his group had spotted a 'mysterious' island in the distance and convinced their guide to take them there. What they discovered was straight out of a movie - more Jurassic Park than five-star luxury getaway.
