Chioggia

Chioggia is a city with about 50.000 inhabitants in the southern lagoon of Venice. The old town on an island is beautiful. Like Venice, it is built on wooden piles in the water. Because of its canals and bridges, Chioggia is often called "Little Venice". The distance to Venice is 25 km by sea or about 50 km by road.

Chioggia (pronounced Kiodscha) is an interesting destination for a day trip. The old town is built on an island. It is connected to the mainland by bridges. A very long bridge connects Chioggia with the eastern part of Sottomarina. Here is a long sandy beach and hundreds of hotels for tourists.

In the old town centre of Chioggia runs a wide and long pedestrian zone with the beautiful street name "Corso del Popolo" (Way of the People), undoubtedly the most important street of the city. On the Corso del Popolo there are some good restaurants and street cafes. A sight of interest are the many palaces along the main street. A good weekday to visit Chioggia is Thursday. On this day, Corso del Popolo in Chioggia is one of the most beautiful weekly markets in the Venice region.

Most other alleys in Chioggia's city centre are also pedestrian zones. Cars are only available in the southern part of the city. One sees several canals and bridges that remind strongly of Venice. The nickname of Chioggia "Little Venice" is quite justified.

The top attraction: The fish market of Chioggia

Chioggia is famous in Italy for its fresh, high-quality fish. Chioggia is something like the fish capital of Italy. The fish market is often reported on Italian television. The big fish market in the middle of the old town is the biggest attraction of Chioggia for many tourists. It is the biggest fish market in Italy. Sometimes gourmets should come all the way from Rome to buy fish and seafood at the Chioggia Fish Market. In former times, the large fish market building served as a granary (Italian: Granaio). Since 1864, the former granary has housed the Chioggia Fish Market.

Other sights in Chioggia (Italy)

The central church of Chioggias is called Santa Maria Assunta (Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) and, with its bell tower over 60 metres high, it is the most striking building in the city (opening hours only in the mornings from 9:30 to 11:15). One finds the cathedral directly beside the main street Corso del Popolo described above.

A short walk along the Canal Canale Veno in the centre is worthwhile. Here Chioggia has the character of a real fishing town. The lagoon city is known for its colourful fishing boats. You can watch the fishermen unloading their catch.

Another interesting sight in Chioggia is the small island of Domenico is the north-eastern city center. One arrives over a bridge at the island with the church of the same name Domenico. Inside the Domenico church there are some famous works of art. One of them is the painting "Saint Paul with red overlay" by Vittore Capaccio (painted around 1500). Behind the entrance one sees four well-known pictures on the theme "Miracle of Saint Dominic".

Ferry from Chioggia to Venice

Many vacationers in Chioggia make a day trip to Venice, some Venice tourists an excursion to Chioggia. The most beautiful connection between the two lagoon cities is by bus and ferry across the islands Lido and Pellestrina.

Take one of the many water buses from Venice to Lido. From the ferry port of Lido (Santa Maria Elisabetta) there is a bus line 11 to the neighbouring island Pellestrina every hour during the day (in the high season a little more often). Between the islands Lido and Pellestrina the bus goes on a ferry. At the final stop in the southern part of the island of Pellestrina there is already another ferry waiting. This ferry brings passengers directly to the old town of Chioggia..

All the buses and ferries described above can be used free of charge if you have a ticket for local transport of Venice (day ticket or multi-day ticket from ACTV).

There is also a direct ferry connection (line 19) between Chioggia and Venice for day tourists in the morning and evening.

City Map

Direct buses between Chioggia and Venice

A direct bus from Chioggia to Venice is faster and cheaper (more than 1 hour drive). The fare is 6,40 Euro easy (summer 2018), the distance about 50 kilometres. Tickets have to be bought in advance, there are tickets in almost all tobacco shops in Chioggia. In the bus and at the bus stops there is no ticket sale. The buses to Venice (line 80E) start in Sottomarina and stop several times in the southern old town of Chioggia.

In the frame of a day trip to Venice you can take in one direction the long way with ferry and bus over Pellestrina and back the direct bus,

In Venice, buses to Chioggia depart from the central bus station at Piazzale Roma. There is a ticket office. Caution: Line 80 E does not stop at Mestre station.

Chioggia has no station or trains. Direct buses from Chioggia or Sottomarina to the airport Venezia Marco Polo do not run anymore. You have to change trains in Venice. But there are buses to other cities in the area like Padua.

From Chioggia to Sottomarina

The tourist resort of Sottomarina is only 20 minutes walk from Chioggia (centre to centre). Chioggia is something like the old town, Sottomarina the new town with hotels and above all a long, great beach with complete tourist infrastructure.   >>> More about Sottomaria