Venice: San Michele Cemetery Island Guided Tour｜Italy

Meet your guide in Venice and walk a short distance to the Fondamente Nove vaporetto stop. Board the boat to San Michele Island, Venice’s peaceful cemetery island nestled between Venice and Murano.

Begin your guided walk at the grand cemetery of San Michele. Surrounded by cypress trees and lagoon waters, this tranquil island offers a reflective escape from Venice’s busy pace. Along the way, uncover fascinating stories and symbolic inscriptions that adorn its historic tombs.

Pass by San Michele in Isola, considered Venice’s first Renaissance church, built by Mauro Codussi. While access may be restricted, explore the adjoining former monastery, now integrated into the cemetery complex.

In the Anglican section, pay your respects at the grave of Joseph Brodsky, Nobel laureate in Literature (1987), who lived as an exile in Venice and chose to be buried here, calling San Michele his personal “version of Paradise.”

Continue to the tomb of Ezra Pound, a foundational figure in modernist poetry whose work remains influential despite controversy. His resting place is a place for contemplation and memory.

Visit the grave of Helenio Herrera, legendary manager behind the famed Grande Inter, affectionately known as “Il Mago” for his tactical prowess and charismatic leadership. See how the Queen of England solved some bureaucratic issues related to the tumulation of this famous Argentine football player and manager, best remembered for his success with the Italian soccer team Inter in the 1960s.

In the Orthodox section, discover the modest graves of Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Diaghilev, cultural giants whose artistic collaborations helped shape modern music and dance.