Attractions and Places To See around Cona - Top 20

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta represents the monumental heart of Chioggia, located at the southern end of Corso del Popolo. Rebuilt in the 17th century based on a design by Baldassarre Longhena after a fire destroyed the medieval building, the church features an imposing and sober facade, while the interior is a celebration of Venetian Baroque. The internal space is marked by wide naves housing pictorial masterpieces by artists such as Palma il Giovane and Pietro Liberi. Next to the cathedral stands the 64-meter-high Romanesque bell tower, on top of which is a lantern that historically served as a reference point for sailors. This complex is not just a religious center, but an architectural symbol that blends the solemnity of faith with the maritime history of the city.

The Porta di Santa Maria Assunta is also popularly known as Porta Garibaldi. The historic city gate was originally built around 1520 and was part of the city fortifications. It is located at the southern end of the main street, the Corso del Popolo, and today serves as a freestanding gate around which road traffic flows. On the side facing the mainland, there is a marble relief of the Lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of Venice's former rule over the city.

The Porta di Santa Maria is the ancient monumental gateway that marks the entrance to the historic center of Chioggia for those coming from the mainland. Located at the southern end of the Corso del Popolo, the gate was built in 1530 to a design attributed to Michele Sanmicheli, replacing a previous medieval structure for the city's defense. The elegant and austere architecture served as a customs and military barrier in an era when Chioggia was a strategic stronghold of the Serenissima. Today, the gate represents the starting point of the main city promenade, welcoming visitors with its Istrian stone structure that introduces the Venetian atmosphere of the village, amidst canals and historic palaces.

The Canal Vena is the most picturesque and vital waterway of Chioggia, often described as the city's "Grand Canal". What makes it unique are its nine bridges, each with its own history and physiognomy, connecting the side foundations and allowing passage between the alleys. The most majestic is undoubtedly the Ponte di Vigo, located at the northern end of the canal, towards the lagoon. Built of marble in 1685, it represents the monumental gateway to the city: with its imposing staircase and elegant decorations, it offers a spectacular view stretching from the canal to the nearby island of Pellestrina. The other eight bridges, such as the Ponte di San Giacomo or the Ponte Caneva, follow one another along the route, offering postcard-perfect glimpses between moored boats and historic markets. These crossings are not just architectural structures, but the beating heart of Chioggia life, where the Venetian atmosphere blends with the authenticity of the fishing village.

Boschettona Beach—also known as Paduan Beach—is a stretch of lagoon located in the municipality of Codevigo, and is the only stretch of coast still suitable for swimming in the province of Padua.

Chioggia, an island that was once under Venetian rule, is beautiful despite the potential – in my humble opinion – for its appearance to be improved.

Many embankments and roads with little traffic

Chioggia Cathedral The bishop's see, which had been located in Malamocco since 1100 after massive coastal erosion and a tsunami rendered the area uninhabitable, was moved to Chioggia. Next to the ancient Porta di Santa Maria, the first cathedral in the Clodiense region was built. Dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, it was, according to some legends, erected on the foundations of an old pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Concordia. With the establishment of the bishop's see, in 1264, by order of Bishop Enrico Grancarolo and with the approval of the Doge, the relics of Saints Felice and Fortunato were transferred to this new cathedral, and an altar was dedicated to them. The church remained undamaged even after the Chioggia War and, during that same war, served as a deposit for goods and booty divided among the victors. The building was destroyed by fire at Christmas 1623; only the saints' relics and a few other objects were saved. On the north side of the cathedral, four high reliefs remain, which certainly belong to the medieval church: two made of Istrian stone: the first depicts a warrior martyr saint (S. Felice or S. Fortunato), the second a Madonna and Child, set in a trefoil niche dating from the mid-14th century. Two more from the same period, made of Greek marble and set in a smooth, profiled frame, depict the Virgin of the Annunciation and the Archangel Gabriel. Text / Source: Municipality of Chioggia https://www.comune.chioggia.ve.it/vivere-il-comune/luoghi/cattedrale-santa-maria-assunta/