Barbana is a small island in the lagoon, 3.5 km north-east of Grado, occupied by a Franciscan monastery and the Marian sanctuary of Santuario di Barbana. According to tradition the sanctuary was founded in the 6th century after a storm cast a statue of the Virgin ashore here; the present buildings are mostly 20th-century reconstructions on the foundations of medieval predecessors.
The island is reached by motoscafo from Grado harbour in roughly 30 minutes, with regular crossings in summer and a reduced schedule out of season. There is a small cafe, a candle shop, and quiet walking paths through the trees — Barbana is a place of pilgrimage and contemplation rather than entertainment, but the boat ride alone is worth the trip.