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On no account miss this unusual church. Founded in the 9th century, its Latin-cross shape boasts a marvellous 15th-century wood-beamed ceiling and a forest of colourful granite and black limestone columns from the Middle East, several of them loot from the Crusades. The floor merits close scrutiny for its multitude of fossils, while memorable paintings include Palma il Giovane’s Descent of Manna (1580–81), left of the main altar, and a painted crucifix (1350) attributed to Paolo Veneziano.

Set in a peaceful square, this church is a bit of a hotchpotch after undergoing numerous architectural modifications before it was suppressed under Napoleon. An oratory and a paupers’ hospital, it was founded in the 14th-century, with funding from Doge Cristoforo Moro and decorations by Pietro Lombardo. Superb altarpieces by Giovanni Bellini and Vittorio Carpaccio now hang in the Accademia Galleries (see Accademia Galleries), but still here are a 1445 triptych by Vivarini in the sacristy and a lovely Nativity (1540) by Girolamo Savoldo.

Opening on to a lovely square next to the Grand Canal, this church is a further example of Venetian Baroque extravagance. Commissioned by the Barbaro family, its façade exalts their generations of maritime and political triumphs, with crests, galleys and statues. Relief maps along the lower plinth depict Zara, Candia, Padua, Rome, Corfu and Spalato, the fortified cities where many family members had served. Works of art inside the church include Venice’s only canvas by the Flemish artist Rubens, depicting a curvaceous Madonna and child. Tintoretto’s contributions are the Evangelists adorning the doors of the organ.

Original printed Venice T-shirts and cloth bags are on sale in an old bakery re-used as an internet point and art gallery.

Set on its own glorious island, the famed Cipriani is a matter of minutes across the water by exclusive launch to Piazza San Marco. It has a private garden with a salt-water pool, and a top class restaurant (see Hotel Cipriani).