L'isola dei percatoti (Fishermen's Island)

Isola dei pescatori is a small island that can be reached on foot or by bike, following Map 1. The cries of the animals, the natural owners of these centuries-old swamps, echo through this fairytale environment: wild ducks, herons, coots and cranes... all immersed in the typical Mediterranean scrubland. Fishermen live in the numerous casoni (typical dwellings) on the island. During the normal fishing season, when the fishermen came home on Saturday, the house was occupied only by them, but at certain times of the year they stayed almost three months. This is the so-called "fraima", which lasted from September to Christmas. This is an extremely favourable period for fishing in the lagoon, because it is linked to the phenomenon of the Autumn rains that disturb the fish, and the migration of the "bisati" (eels) to the sea. As the fisherman had to stay for a long time in these dwellings, they brought their whole family with them – wives children and everything they needed, like provisions and clothing (all collected up into bundles, known as "fagoti") were brought across in their boats. They departed on 8th September, the day on which the Virgin’s Birthday was celebrated and a day that has been called the day of the "Madonna dei Fagoti” in Caorle ever since. On fishermen’s island you can visit a characteristic dwelling and discover the ancient love for the sea and the secrets of the lives of Caorle fishermen, still here today to tell you stories of days gone by and, if you’re lucky, to offer you a dish of "broeto" (fish stew) accompanied by a glass of good red wine.