The Rialto was home to the earliest settlement in what is now known as Venice.

It once housed the most important institutions of the city such as the palazzo pubblico, the main courts, the court of claims and the warehouses in which the most valuable goods were stored.

The Rialto then became the principal trading area of the city, evolving into the great market in which commerce was conducted with the Orient. Nearly everything that arrived in - or left from - Europe passed through the Rialto: from spices to silk, from gold to glass.

One of the most important public trading banks in the world was based here, and today you can visit one of the oldest churches in the city, San Giacometto.

Today, the Rialto continues its commercial vocation. From Monday to Saturday there are the fruit, vegetable and fish markets which are visited (timidly) by tourists and frequented by real Venetians. Naranzaria makes good use of these adjacent markets, preparing exquisite dishes from the freshest fish and vegetables.