Sior Rioba, a gent in an outsized turban, has been hanging out at the corner of Campo dei Mori since the Middle Ages. The square's name is a misnomer, as Rioba and his three buddies are believed to represent the Greek Mastelli family, 12th-century merchants from Morea. The Mastelli brothers became notorious for their eager participation in Doge Dandolo’s sacking of Constantinople and, according to legend, Mary Magdalene herself turned them into stone.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.85 MILES
With a profusion of domes and more than 8000 sq metres of luminous mosaics, Venice's cathedral is unforgettable. It was founded in the 9th century to…
0.91 MILES
Holding pride of place on the waterfront, this pretty Gothic confection may be an unlikely setting for the political and administrative seat of a great…
22.12 MILES
Padua's version of the Sistine Chapel, the Cappella degli Scrovegni houses one of Italy's great Renaissance masterpieces – a striking cycle of Giotto…
0.99 MILES
Venice's historic gallery traces the development of Venetian art from the 14th to 19th centuries, with works by all of the city's artistic superstars. The…
0.25 MILES
In medieval times this part of Cannaregio housed a getto (foundry), but it was as the designated Jewish quarter from the 16th to 19th centuries that the…
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
1.03 MILES
Baldassare Longhena's magnificent basilica is prominently positioned near the entrance to the Grand Canal, its white stones, exuberant statuary and high…
0.87 MILES
Baroque dreams come true at this Baldassare Longhena–designed Grand Canal palazzo (mansion), where a marble staircase leads to a vast gilded ballroom and…
1.01 MILES
After losing her father on the Titanic, heiress Peggy Guggenheim became one of the great collectors of the 20th century. Her palatial canalside home,…
Nearby Venice attractions
1. Chiesa della Madonna dell’Orto
0.07 MILES
This elegantly spare 1365 brick Gothic church remains one of Venice's best-kept secrets. It was the parish church of Venetian Renaissance painter…
0.11 MILES
Housed in one of Cannaregio's last remaining squeri (boatyards) is a fascinating collection of 50 historic boats and their endlessly varied trimmings,…
0.13 MILES
Created by architect and designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, this foundation aims to nurture the talent of young architects via a series of annual…
4. La Spezieria all’Ercole d’Oro
0.18 MILES
This perfectly preserved 17th-century spezieria (pharmacy) illustrates how Venetian medical advice was dispensed three centuries ago, with curatives in…
5. Scuola Grande della Misericordia
0.19 MILES
One of Venice’s seven grand confraternities, the Misericordia was the seat of the wealthy silk weavers guild that commissioned this enormous classical…
0.19 MILES
Don't be fooled by the bare brick exterior of this 1388 church, attached to an Augustinian convent. Inside it's a riot of colour, with extraordinary…
0.23 MILES
Richard Wagner survived the 20-year effort of composing his stormy Ring cycle only to expire in this gracious palazzo, now the casino, in 1883. His suite …
0.24 MILES
Housed in the 15th-century palazzo of the Papafava family, who bought their way into the Venetian nobility in 1652, this museum offers insight into…