Quarto d'Altino
Quarto d'Altino lies in the eastern Veneto, between the northern lagoon of Venice and the course of the Sile River, in territory t...
Updated 11 July 2026
The story
The story of Quarto d'Altino
History: Altinum, the mother of Venice
In what is now the hamlet of Altino stood Altinum, an important Venetic and later Roman centre active between the eighth century BC and the fifth century AD, located on the northern edge of the lagoon that would become Venice. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, tradition holds that the inhabitants of Altino were among the first to take refuge on the lagoon islands to escape barbarian invasions, bringing with them customs, cults and even the names of some future Venetian districts: for this reason Altino is often called the mother city of Venice.
The National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum of Altino, located in the hamlet of the same name, holds more than forty thousand artefacts from excavations of the Roman city: grave goods, glassware, pottery and evidence of daily life in one of ancient Veneto's leading trading centres. Since 4 July 2015 the museum has occupied a new facility of about 1,800 square metres across three levels, which combines a nineteenth-century former rice mill, a barchessa and a modern building designed by architect Stefano Filippi, complete with an observation tower overlooking the surrounding countryside and lagoon.
The archaeological area and the Via Annia
Beside the museum extends the archaeological area of Altinum, crossed by the ancient Via Annia, the Roman road that linked Adria to Aquileia passing through this very lagoon settlement. Excavations have brought to light stretches of walls, public buildings and necropolises, and the whole site is now part of the UNESCO recognition dedicated to Venice and its lagoon.
The Sile and the lagoon
The municipal territory of Quarto d'Altino is shaped by the Sile River, which here approaches its mouth and the northern Venice lagoon, in a landscape of canals, fish farms and open countryside that offers cycling routes and boat trips toward the lagoon city.
Local life and economy
Alongside cultural tourism linked to the museum and the archaeological area, Quarto d'Altino's economy rests on farming in the low Venetian plain and on small commercial and craft businesses, helped by its strategic position along the routes connecting Venice to the eastern Veneto.
How to get there
Quarto d'Altino lies about twenty kilometres from Venice, along the state road toward Trieste, and is well connected thanks to its proximity to the motorway exit and Marco Polo Airport. The Quarto d'Altino railway station, on the Venice-Trieste line, provides easy connections to Venice and the north-eastern coast.
Experiences not to miss
- Visit the National Archaeological Museum and its finds from ancient Altinum
- Walk the archaeological area along the ancient Via Annia
- Climb the museum's panoramic tower for a view over the lagoon
- Cycle along the Sile toward the northern Venice lagoon
- Discover the historical link between Altino and the birth of Venice
To see
What to see in Quarto d'Altino
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Quarto d'Altino
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