Chioggia, often called Little Venice, is a city located on an island in the Venetian Lagoon. Its historic part is crossed by a network of canals, and there are also wide, sandy beaches in the vicinity.
Chioggia's origins go back to ancient times. According to legend, it was founded by one of the soldiers returning from Troy, Clodio. During the rule of the Romans, there was a famous brine bath here, which was destroyed by the invasions of barbarian peoples. Founded in the Middle Ages, Chioggia changed its superiors many times, until it fell under the influence of the Venetian Republic, which included it until the unification of Italy.
The historic center of Chioggia is located on an island crossed by 4 main canals connecting the city squares. Narrow streets run across them, and the whole structure resembles a fish skeleton. In the past, the city was largely inhabited by fishermen who used the canals to reach their homes. Today, motorboats and small boats moor at the banks of the canals, which are used by residents for communication.
Most of Chioggia's attractions are concentrated in the historic center. Its landscape is created by bridges over the canals, tenement houses with high facades and numerous churches, including the most important of them the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, with a belfry with one of the oldest mechanical clocks in the world.
The Venetian Lagoon, whose waters surround Chioggia, is a famous vacation spot. The famous sandy beaches of Sottomarina and Isolaverde are close to the town. There is also the Bosco Nordico Nature Reserve with a Mediterranean forest.
