Sant'Elena (island) Island

Address: Isola di Sant’Elena, Venice, Veneto, Italy

Hours: Accessible year-round (via vaporetto)

Admission: Free to visit (public island/park areas)

Sant’Elena is an island at the eastern end of the main island group of Venice, Italy, forming the city’s easternmost tip. It is known for its public gardens and a more residential, park-like character compared with central Venice.

The island’s character developed as the city expanded and adapted its island clusters for residential and recreational use; many of the current green spaces and buildings postdate the medieval core of Venice. It has been integrated into the city’s transport and urban fabric.

Sant’Elena sits at the far east of the Venetian islands, separated from the Lido and adjacent to the eastern approaches to the city centre.

• Quiet gardens and waterfront: Located at the eastern tip of the main cluster of Venetian islands, it offers quieter streets, public gardens and waterfront views away from central Venice’s busiest areas.

Sant’Elena is the eastern tip of Venice’s main islands, just beyond the Giardini. You can walk from St. Mark’s Square across the Castello district and the public gardens in roughly 15-25 minutes, or use Venice vaporetto services that stop at Sant’Elena (short walk from the stop into the island).

• Take the vaporetto to the Sant'Elena stop (served by Line 1) rather than walking from the main tourist hubs to arrive quickly and avoid canal-side crowds.
• Visit early morning or evening when the island's park and waterfront promenade are quiet and you get unobstructed views back across the basin to Venice's skyline.
• Explore the green park and waterfront paths-many visitors pass through Sant'Elena en route elsewhere and miss its relaxed seaside atmosphere and good photo viewpoints.