Masks are popular souvenirs, from cheap plastic ones to diamond-studded works of art.

"The organizers of the medieval Republic of Venice were very clever," says Michel Thoulouze, a French expat and winemaker who has long enjoyed the city and has lived here since 2010.

"Each island had a purpose. On Murano, it was glass. On Burano, which started as a fishing village, they also make lace and linen. One island was for the women's asylum; another for the men's asylum.

"Here on the island of San Erasmo, people grew fruits and vegetables for markets, which has continued even to today."

There are various wineries in the area, though Thoulouze says his Orto winery is the only one with onsite production from grape-growing all the way to bottling.

His premium label is literally aged in the nearby lagoon, where he tucks bottles into a sunken boat and lets them mature underwater in the cool darkness.

Tours and top hotels offer day-trips to vineyards in the area, some with restaurants or boutique hotels attached. These aren't legacies from ancient times, however.

"By the 17th century, there were less and less invasions, and they stopped making wine on the islands," says Thoulouze.

"It was easy to get wine from the mainland and use the land for other crops."