Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi is notable both for what it has and what it doesn’t: it’s the rare spot in Venice with lots of trees and few crowds.

This quiet, shaded promenade, tucked away in the Sestiere Castello section of the city, feels worlds away from the bustle and oppressive summertime heat of Piazza San Marco and its ilk—if you’re feeling a bit overdosed and overwhelmed from the riches of Venice and ready to trade piazzas for parkland, this is the place to come.

Sit on one of the many benches, eat some gelato, read a book, and listen to that rarest (and therefore most enchanting) of sounds in all of Venice: the rustle of leaves in the languid breezes off the lagoon.

Photo credits: Kevin H, milky.way, jovike