The lagoon surrounding the city of Venice dates back to more than six thousand years ago. It extends for fifty kilometres in length and eleven in width.
Sixty-seven per cent of the lagoon is covered with water, twenty-five per cent is occupied by sandbanks and eight per cent by islands.
Sandbanks have different shapes and are submerged by ordinary and exceptional high tides depending on their level. A rich vegetation including flowers such as ‘salicornia’ , which turns violet in autumn, typical of the salt marshes not attacked by erosion and which predominates in clayey soils strongly soaked in brackish water.
The fishing valleys occupy 15% of the total area of the lagoon. They are pools of water artificially dammed by man who governs the flow of water.
In the valleys, eels, mullets, sea bass, sea bream are bred, all species that can tolerate wide variations in salinity.
There is a rich fauna that lives in the lagoon, there are also many birds but also goats. According to recent research, the diet on Torcello included meat and fish, but also fruit and vegetables. (cucumbers, peaches and grapes).. Goats and sheep were kept alive for a long time, in order to exploit their milk and their woollen fleece for weaving.