Venice's Giudecca Island

La Giudecca is the largest of the Venetian islands, though it is actually made up of eight small isles connected by bridges and passageways. It was once home to a sizable Jewish population, from which the name derives, before the Republic of Venice forcibly moved them to the Jewish Ghetto. (In fact, the term "ghetto" comes from Venice and the grievous decision to confine the Jewish population to a closed district in the 1500s. They were moved to the Cannaregio quarter, which at the time had the foundries, called getto. ​The word was used to describe the neighborhood, which then became "ghetto".) But La Giudecca wasn't closed off, and had been a flourishing district with two synagogues (now no longer in existence). There were also some posts uncovered with Hebrew inscriptions.

In the mid to late 1500s the Giudecca became an exclusive district for wealthy and noble Venetians. It sits across the canal from Venice, offering nice views of the city's skyline. You'll find some beautiful churches here, like the famous Chiesa delle Zitelle, which was started in 1582 based on designs by Palladio. It was finished in 1586. The complex was a home for orphaned and poor girls, which educated them and housed them until they could marry. They were especially trained in music, and the church has excellent acoustics. The Church of the Redentore (redeemer) was built in the 16th century and is a destination for art lovers, as it holds works by Tintoretto, Veronese and Vivarini, among other Venetian artists. Sant'Eufemia is from the 10th century and is built in Byzantine style, interesting to see for its interesting and unusual architecture.

The Giudecca of the late 1800s and early 1900s had been a bit down-trodden and had become a place for light industry. There were workshops and small factories here. One interesting workshop that still exists, though, is the Fortuny Fabrics, which produce luscious textiles. (Visit the Fortuny Museum first to understand the artist and his work.) The gowns Fortuny designed and produced are still gorgeously stylish. The district has undergone a resurgence and is now home to some swanky hotels, nice restaurants and art galleries. (Elton John has a home tucked away in La Giudecca.)

Take a ferry across the canal to enjoy a different view and interesting atmosphere of the separated district.