Many lived at Mestre, on the mainland; others —particularly those who had mercantile dealings with Dalmatia—occupied the island of Spinalunga and were in fact responsible for its change of name to Giudecca.” However, the term "Giudecca" was not generally used to denote the Jewish quarters of towns in northern Italy.

It wasn't until 1516 that the first segregated Jewish quarter in Europe, called the New Foundry, or "Ghetto Nuovo," was established in the Cannaregio district in Venice.

The island was the home of a huge flour mill, the Molino Stucky, which has been converted into a luxury hotel and apartment complex.

At the other end of Giudecca is the famous five-star Cipriani hotel with large private gardens and salt-water pool.

Modern renovations of some antique architecture in Giudecca have bolstered the island's reputation as a vacation locale.