Unusual Places to Visit in Venice

Written on : 08 April 2021
By : Laura Wendy Harders López

Venice boasts myriad beautiful attractions, but also very touristy ones. If you're in Venice and want to escape the tourist crowds that throng around places such as St. Mark's Basilica, Piazza San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs, then one should start exploring Venice's lovely narrow streets and nearby islands. Venice lays claim to various hidden gems, which are well worth visiting, and will make a lasting impression on one's memory.

Read on and find out which are the most unusual and unique places to visit in Venice.

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San Giorgio Maggiore

With endless queues in St. Mark's Square to climb up its tower, why waste many hours there when you can reward yourself with one of the best views of Venice off-the-tourist-radar? That's in San Giorgio Maggiore. This wonderful Basilica is perched on a small island that bears its name, in the middle of a magnificent lagoon. Constructed in Renaissance style, this impressive church of 60 metres of height also holds the works of artist Tintoretto of the "last supper". Once you reach the top of the tower, you will witness the breathtaking panoramic views of the Venetian lagoon and islands, as well as the Basilica and Palazzo Ducale.

Torcello

Torcello is a Venetian island located in the northern part of the Venice lagoon. It was once one of the most populated islands in the region until Venice started gaining importance, and consequently lost its power. Between the 5th and 15th centuries, the island boasted its highest number of inhabitants as people would find Torcello as a safe refuge from barbarian raids. Today, its population is merely consisting of 11 permanent residents. The main tourist attractions here are its two religious buildings-- the Church of Santa Fosca and the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell'Assunta. This island makes the perfect haven of peace to escape the hustle and bustle of the touristy areas. What's more, its exuding peace and tranquillity inspired Ernest Hemingway and would often come here to write his novels. To reach the island, one can catch the ferry from Venice to Burano.

Libreria Acqua Alta

For the bookworms or those who love visiting eccentric libraries, Libreria Acqua Alta is for you. This bookshop has taken the flooding problems Venice usually faces to its advantage, and its solution has become a unique attraction. When Venice's lagoon surges during the autumn and winter months due to heavy rainfall, streets and shops experience major floodings. However, this bookstore's owner Luigi found the solution to this problem and has placed his books into boats, gondolas and bathtubs. This way, when the water rises, the books are protected and stay afloat. Libreria Acqua Alta is definitely an unusual place worth visiting.

Campo Santa Margherita Market

Campo Santa Margherita is a unique flea and antique market with myriad unusual things to browse or buy. Bursting in cafes, restaurants, food, antiques and vintage clothes stalls, exploring this market makes for a great visit. It's off-the-tourist track and where one can witness the local scene in its purest essence. You can spend your afternoon wandering around and sampling delicious local foods here, as well as purchase some unique souvenirs to take home with you. Once you end your thrift-shopping session, you can top it off with some delicious ice cream from the market's sweet parlour.

San Servolo Insane Asylum Museum

San Servolo Insane Asylum is exactly what you read. This mental hospital was founded in 1725 and was famously known as the Venice asylum, operating for more than 250 years with more than 200,000 patients. It's located on a small island that bears its name. It closed in 1975, and only recently, in 2006, reopened as a museum. Now you can book a guided tour so you can learn all about this quirky asylum-island's history and countless legends and stories.

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