Chiesa di San Giovanni Elemosinario

You could easily stride right past this Renaissance brick church, built by Scarpagnino (aka Antonio Abbondi) after a disastrous fire in 1514 destroyed much of the Rialto area. The church and its separate bell tower are camouflaged by surrounding houses and tucked behind kiosks selling T-shirts with ‘Venezia’ spelled out in rhinestones, so their sober, soaring presence comes as a surprise – but a Titian of the namesake St John the Almsgiver (freshly restored and returned from the Accademia) and a Mannerist altarpiece and recently restored dome frescoes by Pordenone are brilliant finds.