In the central loop of the Grand Canal lie the sestieri of San Polo and Santa Croce, a real tangle of little streets and canals that form the inner heart of Venice... It is the area where the traditional urban fabric is best preserved. In San Polo, the campi are dotted with superb churches and scuole. Right out east, a cheekier atmosphere reigns in Rialto, which is home to the city's thousand-year-old market. Santa Croce, set back from the main tourist drag, is the most traditional neighbourhood, with a decor that looks like it has been frozen in time.