Before I actually saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I had imagined it to be standing all alone. (Never mind the pictures I must have seen before, with all the buildings surrounding. Our memory and imagination are more powerful than the bare facts;-)) When you approach the area with the Tower, you encounter a wall surrounding what is called Piazza dei Miracoli. And it is by no mistake that Piazza dei Miracoli bears this very name.

When preparing for the trip from Venice to Torcello take into account the time needed for the trip itself (about 1 hour from Fondamente Nuove to Torcello, changing the vaporetto on Burano), the opening hours of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with the bell tower, the Santa Fosca Church and the archaeological museum. A vaporetto gives you an opportunity to reach Torcello while experiencing breathtaking views of the lagoon of Venice and some aspects of the life of the local inhabitants.