A short hop across the canal lands you on a quiet, residential, almost gritty island with the best straight-on view of Dorsoduro's skyline, Palladio's Il Redentore church, and a former flour mill now a luxe hotel. It's where you go to feel a non-touristy Venice and breathe. The catch: there are few 'sights' beyond Redentore and the view, so it underwhelms anyone wanting things to tick off.
Il Redentore was built by Palladio as a thanksgiving for the end of the 1576 plague; the Festa del Redentore (July) brings a pontoon bridge and fireworks. · model-knowledge
Giudecca is markedly more residential and quieter than the historic centre opposite. · model-knowledge