🧭 Introduction
San Giorgio in Alga is a small, silent island located south of Venice and west of the Giudecca. Once home to a powerful Benedictine monastery, it later became a strategic military base and today remains abandoned and inaccessible. Surrounded by calm lagoon waters, the island is visible from the Giudecca Canal and offers a fascinating glimpse into Venice’s lesser-known history.
In this guide, you’ll learn about its origins, how to see the island from the water, and why it cannot be visited today.
🏰 History of San Giorgio in Alga
This island has one of the most intriguing histories among Venice’s lesser-known islands.
The island’s name comes from “alga”, meaning seaweed, which once surrounded its shores.
From the 10th century, it hosted a Benedictine monastery that grew in wealth and influence.
Over the centuries it became a spiritual retreat and a center of religious studies.
By the 1500s, the monastery began to decline.
In the 1600s the religious complex was abandoned and slowly fell into ruin.
During World War I and World War II, the island was converted into a strategic military outpost.
Bunkers, warehouses, and protective structures replaced most of the monastic buildings.
After the war, the island was completely abandoned.
Today, only fragments of the military structures and traces of the old monastery remain.
🚫 Can You Visit San Giorgio in Alga?
Unfortunately, no.
The Island is:
- Inaccessible to the public
- Privately owned
- Unsafe due to abandoned military structures
However, you can easily see it from the water while traveling around the lagoon.
🚤 How to See San Giorgio in Alga
You cannot land on the island, but you can admire it from several points:
🛥️ 1. Vaporetto Along the Giudecca Canal
While traveling between Zattere – Giudecca – Palanca – Zitelle, you can spot the island to the south.
⛵ 2. Private Boat Tours
Many lagoon tours include views of the lesser-known southern islands.
You can request the captain to pass near San Giorgio in Alga.
🌅 3. From Giudecca
In some spots along the southern promenade of Giudecca, the island is visible across the lagoon.
🌿 What You’ll See from the Outside
From the water, San Giorgio in Alga appears mysterious and atmospheric:
- Low vegetation covering most of the island
- Remains of military bunkers
- Foundations of the former monastery
- Stone walls partially hidden by greenery
Its abandoned appearance makes it one of the most evocative “ghost islands” of Venice.
📍 Location
San Giorgio in Alga lies:
South of Giudecca
West of Sacca Sessola (Isola delle Rose)
North of the ship channel toward Fusina
It forms part of the chain of small islands that once protected Venice’s southern lagoon.
🔗 Nearby Islands to Explore
You can combine a view of San Giorgio in Alga with a visit to:
🏝️ Giudecca – The Island of Quiet Charm and Local Life
🌹 Sacca Sessola (Isola delle Rose) — Venice’s Private Island of Silence & Luxury
(👻 Poveglia Venice – The Forbidden Island of the Venetian Lagoon
📚 San Servolo – The Island of Mystery and Memory
Lazzarett🏥 Lazzaretto Vecchio – Venice’s Ancient Plague Island
These islands form the southern “mystery arc” of the lagoon.
📘 Conclusion
San Giorgio in Alga is a small, abandoned island full of history—once a monastery, later a military base, and today a forgotten corner of the Venetian lagoon. Although you cannot visit it, seeing it from the water adds an atmospheric touch to your exploration of Venice’s lesser-known islands.
🌊 Explore the lagoon like a local
If you want to reach nearby islands, avoid crowds and explore the lagoon at your own rhythm, renting a small boat is the best option.