The island of Giudecca may only be a 10-minute vaporetto (waterbus) ride from Saint Mark’s Square, but might as well be in another country, so rarely is it visited by the hordes of the tourists that historically crowded the piazzas and alleys around the Doge’s Palace. For those who do make the short trip from the San Zaccaria ferry stop, Giudecca is a revelation – tranquil, dotted with secret gardens, artisan’s workshops, shipyards, grocer’s shops, bakeries and laundries, reflecting the real life of a neighbourhood, not one performed for visitors.
The Giudecca, as it is known, is a curve of eight islets connected by canals, with expansive views of Venice back across the channel. Its elegant 1.7km waterfront promenade, or , is dotted and crossed by narrow canals. It’s lined with Gothic villas, Renaissance and Baroque houses, old convents, warehouses, and churches, the most striking being , built by architect Palladio as a plea to God to end the devastating plague of 1575-77.
