From the Venetian lagoon to the sparkling Med, these island getaways offer a welcome change of pace just a short hop from the mainland From the Venetian lagoon to the sparkling Med, these island getaways offer a welcome change of pace just a short hop from the mainland Connected to the German mainland by a single rail causeway, Sylt is just over three hours from Hamburg by direct train. The largest of the North Frisian islands, it slices through the North Sea and the Wadden Sea, with salt