A private island less than 5 miles from Venice is on sale for $7.5 million. The Island of Crevan, located in the Venice lagoon, includes a Napoleonic fort that has been converted into a small villa with vegetable gardens. The property offers views of Venice as well as the islands of Torcello, Murano, and Burano, and it is accessible by air or water via an internal canal and two private boat moorings.
The fort was built in 1806 as part of the defensive system protecting the Venetian Lagoon during Napoleonic rule. It was later enlarged and reinforced under Austrian rule, and in 1866 the island became part of the Kingdom of Italy along with the rest of the Veneto region. The military function continued until after World War I, after which the island passed into private ownership and was converted for residential use. A restoration in 1996 produced four principal rooms and two bathrooms, and new owners could consolidate the caretaker's quarters to create a larger, more contemporary home.
Dimitri Corti, founder and CEO of Lionard Luxury Real Estate, said that in ultra-prime real estate a private island represents "one of the purest expressions of ownership" because its boundary is "not a wall, but the horizon." He added that Crevan offers "the privilege of withdrawing from the world without leaving behind the universal allure of Venice," and that what is acquired is not simply a residence and land but "space, privacy and an entire landscape to preserve."
The listing does not specify annual maintenance costs, renovation expenses, or any regulatory restrictions tied to the island's historic military structures or lagoon environment. The source also does not identify the current owner or provide comparable sales data for private islands in the Venice lagoon, leaving the pricing rationale and potential transaction timeline unclear.