This Lion of Saint Mark (also known as the winged lion of Venice) - a symbol of the Republic of Venice is guarding one of the entrances into the town of Chioggia. Even today the lion can still be seen all over the Mediterranean.
As I mentioned few posts ago, the cute little Italian port town of Chioggia might seem a bit empty and uneventful at the first glance. There is a very good chance you will also see it like that if you arrive directly from its usually overcrowded neighbor - Venice.
When I was there I started appreciating that relaxed feel to it soon enough. The pedestrian only town center (mainly Corso del Popolo) was quite busy even during early afternoon hours but other parts of town were pretty empty.
Moments after sunset I noticed an obvious change. Cars started queuing at the old city center entrance and everybody seemed to be heading for the streets. All cafes were full in a blink of an eye and everybody was waiting for a glass of obviously very popular Aperol Spritz. If you are not familiar with it Aperol is a bitter, bright orange alcoholic drink, somewhat similar to Campari. They mix it with prosecco (sweet) wine, champagne or sometimes even some soda to get a fresh sparkling effect. It is usually served with a couple of ice cubes and a slice of orange.
I could not figure out if this drink popularity was a seasonal thing or it had something to do with the Veneto region or perhaps it was just another trendy thing.
I can only wonder how late into night this thing lasted, but the crowd looked like it was still warming up when we left the scene. At first this seemed a bit strange since it was Sunday evening but then I remembered Monday in Italy is the day of the week when most of places stay closed or at least have a late start.
There are a few reasons for visiting the cute little Italian fishing port of Chioggia on a Sunday.
The first one I already mentioned in one of my previous posts and has something to do with museum opening hours - the old clock tower with a clock museum is only opened on Sundays and holidays. The second reason is the flee market taking place on Corso del Popolo.
At the first look the flee market seemed like an unattractive pile of junk - many piles of junk to be exact. Since I am usually not interested in those kind of items, it took me a while to actually stop at one of the stands.
After a closer inspection I realized there were actually a few interesting items for sale. A potential buyer could browse among various coins, cheap jewelery, old LP records, African masks, wooden and ceramic decorations and much more.
Some vendors were offering local items but also many things on display were (probably) of eastern origin, like for instance some old Soviet Union army gas masks and helmets. Quite a few things had a cheap, made-in-China feel to them but obviously everything was not junk.
Either that, or people had no idea what they were looking at and buying. I must say people were showing quite some interest in the displayed goods.
It may come as a surprise to you but at the end of the day I walked away empty handed. I guess this was because I just could not decide between a miniature Vespa and a gilded wooden angel statue...
If you are thinking I should have simply bought both of them, you must definitely plan your visit on a Sunday and check out the market yourself.
If you are a regular visitor of this blog you have probably noticed, I took some nice photos during my day in a charming Italian town of Chioggia (click the link to check out my other posts about it).
Also if you are not a follower yet, you are very welcome to become one - just choose your favorite platform through which you wish to stay in touch and you will be reminded of my new posts.
This time I decided to publish a few more photos of this lovely fishing port and add a little twist to them. Welcome to Chioggia in Vintage Style!
I hope you like the photos. You should click on the photos to enjoy them in larger resolution. I would love to hear your feedback on which one you like best and I also appreciate some constructive criticism.
The town of Chioggia or Little Venice, as it is often referred to, is a small fishing port 50 kilometers from Venice. As a more popular neighbor, Venice takes larger share of tourists and obviously at some times also gets way too crowded. Even though Chioggia can hardly compete with Venice, it makes a great base to explore the nearby famous world class attractions and can be a convenient getaway from the crowds.
During our last visit to the area M. and I stayed at a nice and affordable Bed&Breakfast between the two and spent a day exploring each. Venice frankly deserves more attention, but since we have visited it quite a few times before, we were also happy to discover something interesting nearby. Obviously we chose Chioggia.
If you are planning a stay around these parts, are looking for an affordable place to spend a night and are travelling by a car you should check out Alloggi Balabuska (Via Romea, 8 Km 97 SS 309 I 35020 Codevigo). It is located by the main road (look for a blue colored house across from a gas station), so you shouldn't expect much of a view from your bedroom window.
We stayed in a double room for EUR 35.00 per night without a breakfast. We usually do not care much about breakfasts when travelling around Italy since a typical Italian breakfast usually only includes a simple (not too tasty) croissant with a cup of coffee. We prefer to find some local cheese or a piece of pizza by ourselves.
With a couple of canals and colorful Venetian style buildings next to them, Chioggia really looks like a miniature version of Venice. It might look a bit run down and somewhat neglected, but definitely has some charm of its own.
There is not all that much to see in the old town - apart from many cute little piazzas, bridges and random colorful old buildings (click on Chioggia label to see some more color). There is however an interesting clock tower with a clock museum on Corso del Popolo. Supposedly it is the second oldest tower clock in the world. Besides the clock mechanism there is also a great view you can admire from the top for a small fee. You should keep in mind it can only be visited on Sundays and holidays.
There is also the Duomo (cathedral), situated at the opposite end of Corso del Popolo from the port. It became a cathedral in 1110 but was rebuilt in 1623. Today it houses some great 16th century paintings and various 17th century sculptures by Bartolomeo Cavalieri.
If you are an early bird you can observe fisherman bringing in catch in the early morning hours. There is also a large fish market set up every weekday morning worth checking out.
When you check out all of the above, there is always Corso del Popolo, where you can take a relaxed stroll through the historic center, do some shopping or simply enjoy a drink at an outdoor table and watch people walk by.
As it is a fishing port you can find many great options for an excellent seafood meal there. You can get it for a much more affordable price compared to Venice - in fact much of local daily catch ends up on Venetian menus. It is hard to eat bad seafood in Chioggia but as everywhere else, also here some places are better than others. From what I have seen Osteria da Nicola on Fondamenta S. Domenico 874 by the San Domenico Canal offers top quality and is also not too expensive. Main dishes start at around EUR 12.
