Chioggia is charming, colourful and like a little Venice, as well as being just an hour by car from Venice, Italy’s great Floating City.
Nine bridges span its main canalThe picturesque old town has romantic bridges, handsome houses and churches and, of course, canals; indeed nine bridges span its main waterway the Canal Vena. The 14th-century Torre dell’Orologio clock tower is a museum, and from the top there are great views of the city, the lagoon and Venice, as well as of the nearby beach resort of Sottomarina. Chioggia's Cathedral, or Duomo, at one end of the Corso is grandiose and was designed by Baldassare Longhena, who also designed the Church of the Salute in Venice. The Church of San Domenico, just off the main street, sits on its own little island and can boast one of Chioggia's greatest treasures: Vittore Carpaccio's St. Paul, as well as works by Tintoretto.
The pace of life is more relaxed than in Venice
Chioggia is an island and the one wide central street, the Corso del Popolo, that runs the length of the island becomes a pedestrian area in the evenings, attracting locals and visitors to admire its handsome architecture and enjoy its many bars, cafes and seafood restaurants. The men of Chioggia have been fishermen for generations and the lively morning fish-market is well worth a visit. The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art will appeal to culture lovers for its collection of paintings, and the Museum of the South Lagoon will attract nature lovers for its array of artefacts, pictures and documentation relating to the southern part of the Venetian Lagoon.
Sottomarina is a popular beach resort town
The resort town of Sottomarina is easy to reach, even on foot, from Chioggia across the Translagunare Bridge. With its six-kilometre andy beach Sottomarina attracts sailors and surfers and is equipped with water scooters, bicycles and other kinds of sports equipment. The many hotels and holiday rentals along the seafront make this resort town an interesting alternative to staying in Venice. Which is a perfect day-trip both from Sottomarina and from Chioggia.
