This is my guide to Cannaregio Venice, one of the last unexplored areas of this stunning city. Cannaregio is one of my favourite areas of Venice to visit. Its architecture and canals are as beautiful as anywhere else in the city.
Cannaregio is one of the most rewarding neighborhoods in Venice to visit as you can savour the beauty of the city without the crowds that clog areas like San Marco and Rialto.
It’s an area to which I have returned many times over the course of my many visits to Venice, and a part of the city that always leaves me wanting more.
This Cannaregio guide is packed with suggestions of places to see in this fascinating sestiere, with tips on getting around the area and some fantastic places to stay. Enjoy!
Why Visit Cannaregio Venice
Once you’re away from the station, Cannaregio is one of the least-touristed areas of Venice, and one of few where Venetians outnumber visitors.
Cannaregio is just as beautiful as any other area in Venice, and one of the joys of visiting it is seeing it unspoilt, and small slices of Venetian life.
Cannaregio is home to some of the finest churches in Venice, including Madonna dell’Orto, where Tintoretto worshipped, and the magnificent marble Santa Maria dei Miracoli.
It is home to the Ghetto, the Jewish quarter in Venice and the first such city area in the world where Jews would be confined to live.
Cannaregio is much quieter than areas like San Marco because there are relatively few famous Venice landmarks around the district. There are some fascinating sights around the sestiere, but the best part of it is the unique gorgeous cityscape – and unlike large parts of the rest of the city – very few other people exploring it.
Things To See In Cannaregio Venice
The Trip along the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal Venice is one of the most beautiful streets in Europe and the world, and the first third of it runs along the southern edge of the Cannaregio district.
Vaporetto number 1 makes the regular journey from the bus station at Piazzale Roma to San Marco (St Mark’s). The journey as far as the Rialto Bridge passes along the southern boundary of Cannaregio, on your left-hand side as you travel towards San Marco.
It’s many people’s first experience of Venice, and before the first vaporetto stop I was completely hooked. You pass the churches of San Geremia and San Marcuola, and the splendour of the Venetian Gothic masterpiece Ca d’Oro, formerly the Palace of Gold. Cannaregio ends at Rialto, where the sestiere of San Marco begins.
Madonna dell’Orto Church
Madonna dell’Orto – named after a statue of the Virgin Mary in a garden or orchard – is one of the outstanding churches to visit in Venice.
It’s in a quiet corner of north-west Cannaregio, a short walk from the Orto vaporetto stop on the northern shore of the lagoon. Its elaborate brick Gothic façade hints at the treasures within – probably the second finest collection of the works of Venetian artist Tintoretto anywhere in the world.
Tintoretto – born Jacopo Robusti – was a parishioner of Madonna dell’Orto, and lived a short walk away at what is now the small Casa di Tintoretto museum on Campo dei Mori. Several of his major works are on display in the church, including the astonishing Last Judgment.
Getting there: Vaporetto to Madonna dell’Orto
Ca’ d’Oro
Ca’ d’Oro – the Palace of Gold – is one of the greatest achievements of Venetian Gothic architecture. To put this into perspective, the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace is one of the few building that I would say rivals it.
When I first visited the Ca’ d’Oro back in the early ‘00s, I was amazed to have the building almost to myself. It’s home to the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro, a fine but often overlooked collection including Andrea Mantegna’s superb St Sebastian and Tullio Lombardo’s Doppio Ritratto sculpture.
An important part of seeing and appreciating Ca’ d’Oro is stopping to admire it from the other (Santa Croce) side of the Grand Canal. It’s a magnificent building, even if its facade has long been stripped of its golden adornments.
Getting there: vaporetto to Ca’ d’Oro
Santa Maria dei Miracoli Church
This Cannaregio church was built by Pietro Lombardo between 1481 and 1489, a lavish home for a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.
It’s one of the earlier Renaissance churches in Venice, and much of it was constructed from marble. Inside and out, it’s one of the most ornate Venice churches, and it’s located in a gorgeous corner of Cannaregio close to the eastern ‘border’ with the sestiere of Castello.
Try to time your visit with opening hours as the interior is magical. The painted coffered ceiling is especially impressive, decorated with portraits of around 50 prophets.
Getting there: Vaporetto to Rialto or Fte Nove
The Venice Jewish Ghetto
The word ghetto – meaning a poor area of a city, often populated by people from a certain race or religion – is derived from the area where the Jews of Venice were confined in the 16th century.
We don’t really know the origins of the word – one theory is that it’s taken from the Venetian geto, meaning foundry. But we do know that Venetian Jews were discriminated against, greatly restricted in their lives, and limited in their movements around the city and beyond.
The Gheto Novo of Venice is on a small island in Cannaregio. You can easily tell it apart from the surrounding areas just by looking up at the buildings around you. Most Venetian buildings are five storeys high, and limited to a particular height. The buildings of the Venice Ghetto were also limited to the same height, but you’ll notice up to seven storeys crammed into buildings that should only have contained five.
The separation of the Ghetto in Venice was abolished by Napoleon Bonaparte when he conquered the city – and dissolved the Venetian Republic – in 1797.
Across the two islands that comprise the Ghetto, five synagogues survive, and there are also art galleries and a kosher restaurant.
Getting there: Vaporetto to Guglie
The Rooftop View From T Fondaco dei Tedeschi
If you happen to be visiting Venice in winter, the panoramic rooftop terrace of the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi department store is one of the best places to watch a sunset in Venice.
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was the headquarters of German traders based in Venice, and is located a couple of minutes’ walk north of Rialto. The fourth-floor terrace overlooks Rialto and the Grand Canal as it flows away towards the south-west.
Visiting the Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop is free, but you need to reserve your slot online via the link above. Each person gets 15 minutes on the terrace, and you can only book up to 21 days in advance. As you’d expect, sunset is the most popular time of day for visits. The terrace is open from 10.15 am until 6pm.
Getting there: vaporetto to Rialto
Hidden Rialto Viewpoint
Discover a corner of Venice off the beaten path from a secret vantage point in Cannaregio. Walk north from Rialto up Salizada San Giovanni Crisostomo, and on your left, close to the Burger King, you’ll see an old telephone sign on the wall. Turn left here, continuing down the alleyway and sottoportego (covered passage), then another alleyway.
You then emerge onto the Grand Canal, with a superb view of the north side of the Rialto Bridge. It’s an especially beautiful sight at dusk, and a welcome escape from the crowds too!
Getting there: Vaporetto to Rialto
Take A Trip Along The Cannaregio Canal
The second principal canal that flows through the Cannaregio district is the Cannaregio Canal. It runs north-west from the church of San Geremia and the Grand Canal to the lagoon, and you can catch a vaporetti (waterbuses) A, 3, 4.1 and 5.1 along this route.
The Cannaregio Canal is lined with some of the grandest palaces in Venice, including the Gothic Palazzo Testa and the remarkable marble Palazzo Savorgnan. Two of the most famous bridges in Venice, Ponte delle Guglie and Ponte dei Tre Archi, link the two sides of the canal.
Pay Homage To St Lucy at San Geremia Church
Cross the Calatrava Bridge, The Fourth Bridge Over the Grand Canal
The much-feted Ponte della Constituzione (Constitution Bridge), better known as the Calatrava Bridge after its Valencian architect Santiago, was opened in 2008.
It is the fourth bridge spanning the Grand Canal, linking the bus terminus at Piazzale Roma with the railway station of Venezia Santa Lucia.
It has been controversial ever since it was opened. It’s made from steel, glass and pietra d’Istria stone, so has nothing in common with the decorative traditions of much Venetian architecture. Half of the steps are made of tempered glass, and many have fallen on their slippery surface. It also lacks wheelchair access, something you would expect from an early 21st-century structure.
I’ve never been an ardent fan of this bridge, but will say one thing in its favour. It makes the schlep between stations, especially if you’re laden with luggage, a whole lot shorter and easier.
Explore The Main Venice Cemetery at San Michele In Isola
The cemetery island of San Michele is just across the water from Fondamente Nove, the departure point for some of the most popular day trips from Venice. Boats to Murano, Burano, Torcello and the northern islands of the Venice lagoon all depart from there.
The island is closely associated with Cannaregio Venice, and is the city’s main cemetery. And the landing stage is outside San Michele in Isola, one of the earliest Renaissance buildings in Venice.
Famous people buried in the Cimitero include Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, his collaborator and choreographer Sergei Diaghilev, artist Emilio Vedova and Helenio Herrera, legendary 1960s football coach and King of the Catenaccio tactical system.
Discover the Hidden Splendour of Sant’Alvise Church
The superb frescoed ceiling of Sant’Alvise
Sant’Alvise – the church of St Louis of Toulouse – is one of the most surprising churches in Venice. From the outside it’s a fairly austere brick structure, but we should know better than to write it off too hastily, especially in Venice!
The church was built in the 14th century in simple Gothic style, and restored around 300 years later when Baroque was the prevalent style.
The interior is so different, with a wealth of artworks including the superb 17th century ceiling frescoes of Heavenly Jerusalem by Pietro Antonio Torri and Pietro Ricchi.
Getting there: Vaporetto to Sant’Alvise
A Peaceful Pause At Parco Savorgnan
As a lifelong lover of Venice, few places have brought as much joy to my soul as this shady park in Cannaregio Venice.
It’s very close to the church of San Geremia and the Guglie bridge over the Cannaregio Canal. There’s a lot of tourist footfall very close by, but most people don’t realise that this green oasis exists, so it gets overlooked.
Which is such a good thing. It’s one of the last places Venetians can enjoy a semblance of normal life without being swamped by tourists. Stop by and savour it for a short while, before leaving it to those who need it most.
Getting there: vaporetto to Guglie
Stop By at the Stunning Baroque Scalzi Church
The Baroque Scalzi Church – a near-neighbour of the modernist Venezia Santa Lucia railway station – doesn’t hide its wares like Sant’Alvise.
Instead, the church, also known as Santa Maria di Nazareth, is unabashed ornate Venetian Baroque, inside and out. I’ve always found this a little ironic, as it’s the church of the Convent of Barefoot Carmelite nuns, who are also known as the Discalced Carmelites, or Scalzi.
The church was partly built by Baldassare Longhena, architect of the iconic Santa Maria della Salute Basilica at the other end of the Grand Canal. The interior is richly decorated, even by Venetian standards, and one of the highlights is the Gloria of St Teresa ceiling fresco by Giambattista Tiepolo.
Getting there: vaporetto to Ferrovia
Hidden Grand Canal Views from Strada Nova
The Strada Nova is the main pedestrian route through the southern part of Cannaregio, running just north of and parallel to the Grand Canal.
It is by far the most touristed part of Cannaregio Venice, not at all typical of the rest of the area. I usually tend to avoid it, but it has one virtue other than being the most direct route from the station to Rialto and San Marco.
The Strada’s proximity to the Grand Canal means you can get some fantastic views down the side canals towards the main thoroughfare of the city. One of the best is down the Rio di Noale, an amazing view to the bulky Baroque Ca’ Pesaro, a palace now serving as the International Gallery of Modern Art.
Getting there: Vaporetto to Ca’ d’Oro or San Marcuola
What Is Cannaregio Venice
Cannaregio is one of six sestieri,or districts, that make up the island city of Venice.
Where Is Cannaregio Venice
Cannaregio occupies the northwestern part of the city of Venice, between the railway station in the west and the Rialto Bridge in the east.
The Grand Canal runs along the southern side of Cannaregio, and the northern side of the district faces the waters of the lagoon and mainland Italy.
Venice Cannaregio Hotels
There are some wonderful places to stay in Cannaregio. If you’re looking for somewhere quiet but close to the Grand Canal, it may be the best area to stay in Venice for you.
Here are a few of the best Cannaregio Venice hotels to consider:
Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice – superb 5-star hotel within a few minutes’ walk of the Ghetto, the historic Jewish quarter of Venice.
Ca’ Bonfadini – another excellent 5-star hotel on the Cannaregio Canal, with sumptuous suites and rooms in an 18th century palace decorated with frescoes and outstanding stucco work.
Ca’ Sagredo Hotel – 5-star luxury in a 14th century Gothic palace on the Grand Canal.
Hotel Ai Mori d’Oriente – fine 4-star option between Madonna dell’Orto and the Grand Canal.
Cannaregio Venice – Final Words
I must admit to overlooking Cannaregio Venice in the past. It wows you at first sight, but then your senses are overloaded by the many sights of Venice that follow. And first-time visitors, at least, often don’t get time to venture to the less-frequented charms of Cannaregio.
Cannaregio is a wonderful area to explore. It’s one of the most lived-in, real areas left in Venice, one I’d urge you to seek out for a day next time you’re in town. The crowds will be but a distant memory at least until you get back to the Grand Canal.
Check out more of our articles on Venice here:
- Sunrise In Venice – best places to watch the sunrise in Venice
- Sunset In Venice – best sunset spots in Venice
- Venice Squares – 12 of the most beautiful Venetian squares
- Day Trip To Venice Itinerary – how to spend one day in Venice – and avoid the crowds
- Weekend In Venice – how to spend the perfect two days in Venice
- 3 day Venice Itinerary – how to spend a magical 3 days in Venice
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.