One can never come to the end of Venice, fascinating even in its decline. Although St. Mark’s Square and the Lido may be jammed with tourists, one can discover the workday city just a few blocks from these matrices. Once in the various campi, one will hear snatches of opera (wafting either from the phonograph or the radio), sniff delectable aromas of home cooking and see housewives hanging out the family laundry strung across a facade or over a canal.

Although I have visited the city many times over, this summer I stumbled on a tour of the chief islands that help comprise the Venetian lagoon. These were Burano, Murano and Torcello, respectively celebrated for glass blowing, lace making, and a superb church. Reachable by motorboat, that bane to the gondoliers who strongly protest the damage such craft does to the foundations of the city, these islands have contributed to the economic health of Venice for centuries.

Indeed, since the 15th century the total values of exports has increased materially. The principal wares to be exported are damasks of surpasssing beauty, glass and lace, whereas the city has imported wheat, coal, cotton, petroleum, wood, lime and cement, products that were often siphoned off to other parts of Italy and to Europe. Not only these, but also Oriental carpets, wall hangings and other textiles have been imported, partly for Venetian use, partly for export throughout Europe, a fact that substantively demonstrates what successful merchants the Venetians were and why Venice in the old days was such a powerful city-state.

On holidays even now, the bridges, balconies, the gondolas and even the facades of the great palaces are decorated with rich Eastern carpets and patterned textiles in gold and colored silk.

Murano, about 1 1/2 miles north of Venice, was a huge source of wealth to the republic. Just steps away from the boat landing are factories where the visitor is cordially invited to watch the blowing of small figures of animals, paper weights and the like. As I watched, two men deftly rolled molten glass on the end of a pole snatched from a searing oven into a basic form and by clipping, twisting and adding bits of color fashioned a handsome bird. In the adjacent showrooms is a staggering variety of objects for sale, from magnificent chandeliers, electric lamps and mirrors to ash trays, mosaics and sheerly useless ornaments, some decorated with enamel painting. The variety of forms in fresh amalgams is bewildering. From the 14th century on, these items have been produced prolifically in what are now traditional methods that are both artistic and technically demanding.

Glass blowing, such as is now practiced in Murano, was originally imported from Moslem countries, a fact that reminds one that Venice, after all, was a highly important crossroads where Eastern commodities were available. Curiously, however, the art of stained glass was never practiced here as demonstrated by the many churches whose windows are generally bereft of color. These days, Venetian beads are extremely popular as hordes of women besieging the counters where necklaces and such are displayed and sold graphically show.

On the sister island of Burano I lingered (and drooled over) the stunning displays of laces. Scattered about were women painstakingly tatting the objects that would eventually go on sale: baby booties, bureau scarves, handkerchiefs, collars for dresses and scores of tablecloths with matching napkins. As each motorboat discharged its eager passengers, the shops would be inundated by mere onlookers and those intent on buying these commodities. Besides lace and linens, the avid lover of textiles can also find brocades, velvets and cloths of silver and gold. I was forcibly reminded of the wealth of textiles imported by the Vanderbilts for their Newport, R.I., cottage, The Breakers, back in 1894, these still in excellent condition.

For a time, the art of lace making was thought to be lost, but it was revived when an old woman in Choggia was discovered who knew the craft and was subsequently installed as head of a lace school. Indeed, at one point the school here employed 500 girls. The factories at Burano and Palestrina adopted her methods. Today lace making is a highly profitable enterprise contributing saliently to the economy of Venice.

Although not involved in any manufactures (though there are plenty of hawkers for locally manufactured goods), Torcello is a magnet for tourists because of its ancient church, the mosaics of which have been splendidly preserved over the centuries. In Romanesque style, the basilica and its campanile date from 639 A.D. The Last Judgment and Resurrection on the west wall show definite Byzantine influence.

To reach Venice, one has the options of flying, driving or going by train. Once there, he or she will find several offices on or just off St. Mark’s Square where he or she can book a tour of these islands. It is a worthwhile expenditure of time and money.

Robert H. Newall of Hampden is a free-lance writer.