Seen from above, Chioggia is a fish bone: a cluster of little islands at the southern end of the lagoon, cut by canals and stitched back together by bridges, with the Canal Vena running through under nine arches. They call it the Little Venice, but the likeness ends where life begins: here people live on real fishing, the fish market is among the most important in Italy, and at auction the catch is still sold by ear. Goldoni set his Baruffe chiozzotte here, and the temper has not changed.
Unlike Venice, almost the whole town can be driven through. The high water comes all the same, and without any fuss: when the tide floods St Mark's Square it floods Chioggia too, which has had to build its own Baby MOSE — mobile barriers at the two ends of the Canal Vena, able to hold back tides of up to a hundred and thirty centimetres. The Chioggia radicchio IGP comes out of the gardens between lagoon and sea; the comune reaches the mouths of the Brenta and of the Adige, which separates it from the Polesine. Sottomarina, over the bridge, lays out a very wide beach for families. Venice is an hour away by boat: here it costs less, and the dialect is blunter.
Basilica minore di San Giacomo Apostolo · cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta · chiesa di San Domenico and 5 more
24 places to stay · top rated: B&B Basta Bussare 9.9 · Casa Milena 9.4
Next up: Feast of Saints Felix and Fortunatus, Friday 11 June
Nearest airport: Venezia Marco Polo, 32 km away
Chioggia is part of 🏘️ Villages 🏖️ Seaside
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📅 Every year, on 11 June
On 11 June Chioggia celebrates Saints Felix and Fortunatus, who came to the town in 1110 with the bishop's seat and survived the fire that destroyed the cathedral on Christmas night 1623.
Basilica minore di San Giacomo Apostolo The basilica on Chioggia's square that keeps the relics of the Madonna della Navicella and fishermen's votive 
cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta Chioggia's cathedral, rebuilt by Longhena after the fire of 1623, with its Baroque pulpit and bell tower. 
chiesa di San Domenico The Dominican church of Chioggia, with the fishermen's great fourteenth-century crucifix and a Carpaccio of 15 
chiesa di San Giorgio Martire The parish church of Cavanella d'Adige, rebuilt in 1950, with a Saint George on horseback in wood and leather. 
chiesa di San Martino Vescovo The mother church of Sottomarina, reborn after the twelfth-century ruins were found, with the Navicella altar. 
chiesa di Sant'Anna e San Gaetano Thiene In Sant'Anna di Chioggia, a church of 1704 now also used for events, and a new one from the seventies. Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Chioggia, but an easy day trip away.
