Most people are familiar with the port city of Venice. But there is another place on the Adriatic that was also built on wooden stilts: Chioggia. But the cities, which are only 25 kilometers apart by sea, are similar not only in their construction.
Venice is one of the most visited cities in general. That’s why it can get very crowded in the narrow streets, especially in the summer months. The Italian fishing town of Chioggia, which is also called “Little Venice” because of the similarity, offers a great alternative. Like Venice, Chioggia is divided by a canal, with several bridges crossing it. While there is no St. Mark’s Square or an impressive cathedral, tourists are treated to peace and quiet.
Chioggia also has three cathedrals, one from the 11th century, one from the 13th century and one from the 14th century. A city gate, the Porta di Santa Maria Assunta, can also be visited by visitors. The approximately 50,000 inhabitants are proud of their homeland, which is connected to the mainland by a stone bridge. There is also a wonderful view over the lagoon from the Vigo Bridge, which is located at the end of the main street. Among other things, the islands of Pellestrina and the Lido di Venezia can be spotted – but also the “real” Venice.
The fact that the main axis of the city, the Corso, is closed to traffic in the evening is nice. The Italian writer Curzio Malaparte once called this “Italy’s largest café terrace”. In the afternoon you can relax there with an espresso, in the evening a delicious Aperol Spritz tempts you. Those who are more enthusiastic about Italian cuisine should visit the weekly market on Thursdays. Here you can wander through the stalls and find plenty of local delicacies. Early risers can still visit the fish market. Chioggia is home to the largest fishing port on the Adriatic coast – which is why the seafood market is also one of the largest.
If you want to relax every now and then, you can do so on the eleven kilometer long sandy beach. This is located in the district of Sottomarina di Chioggia. If the fishing boats get too much for you, you can take the ferry to Venice. There are more gondolas here, but there are also significantly more tourists.
