Shielded lagoon luxury

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The first feelings of happiness bubble up even before landing at Venice Airport. An enchanted water landscape glistens in the depths. Tattered islets seem to stretch out in all directions, tideways meander through reeds and green dams form geometric ornaments around aquacultures. Our destination is Isola Santa Christina, an exclusive hideaway in the northern part of the lagoon. The private boat transfer from the airport takes us there in half an hour. The 30-hectare island is owned by Austrians Sandra and René Deutsch. It is the only spot in the 100-kilometre-long amphibious world that can be rented as a whole.

You have to rent it, because the terrain is otherwise off-limits to non-guests, day-trippers and explorers. For paparazzi anyway, which is why celebrities and their entourages like to spread out here undisturbed and out of sight behind tamarisk-covered banks. All guests stay together in the pretty Villa Aminia. There are nine bedrooms with bathrooms, as well as a living and dining room, kitchen and reading lounge. Comfortable sofas tempt you to lounge around. The interior designer has shown a fine hand with modern designer furniture to create a country house feel. Contemporary objets d'art and valuable Asian pieces from the owners' art collection add to the luxurious atmosphere. Only the crystal chandelier from the Swarovski studios hints at the family background of the friendly hosts. When the air temperature allows, i.e. when it is not too hot or too cool, guests meet at the dining table in the loggia. The large fireplace also functions as a barbecue. Guests don't have to get their fingers dirty. On request, head chef Iwan Garlassi will spoil guests with products from the lagoon, prepared in the Venetian style and with great finesse. If you feel like it, you can look over his shoulder at the stove or get stuck in. And learn that pasta is not simply boiled in salted water. Instead, he lets the pasta soak in cold salted water and then drains it before adding it to the pan. Garlic, tomatoes, sea asparagus, ricotta and fish are all added, and it tastes delicious.

During the day, René is most likely to be found somewhere in the island's green spaces. As a passionate nature lover, he took over Santa Christina from his father in 2014 and brought it up to date according to old, organic standards. Vines, olives, fruit and vegetables grow and flourish on every square meter. More than half of the property are fish ponds. In them, sea bream, mullet and sea bass feed themselves to marketable weight without being pumped full of growth-promoting fuel from pellets. This type of aquaculture dates back to Roman times. Some of the fresh catch ends up in Chef Iwan's kitchen. The rest goes to restaurants in the Serenissima. Or to Burano, Torcello and Murano. The latter can be reached by motorboat in around 15 minutes.

The trip to Venice takes half an hour. When you return from the tourist hustle and bustle to the quiet island, where only birdsong fills the air, you enjoy the privacy all the more.

www.veniceprivateisland.com


Text: Kiki Baron