Welcome to our complete guide to the Grand Canal Venice – perhaps the most beautiful ‘street’ in the world.
The Grand Canal Venice is one of the world’s most famous thoroughfares. And with good reason: it’s one of the most astounding streets in the world.
This one canal is a trip through a thousand years of history and empire. The Venice Grand Canal is lined with many of the main Venice landmarks – including grand palaces, or palazzi, magnificent hotels and some of the most beautiful churches in Europe.
In our Grand Canal Venice guide, we introduce you to its four bridges and also explain how to cross it by other means. We then show you everything there is to see along the Grand Canal, breaking the journey into four stages.
Finally we advise on which vaporetto (waterbus) to catch and your ticket options. It’s the best thing to do in Venice, and one of the best public transport trips you’ll ever take.
Why Visit The Grand Canal Venice
It might seem a bit obvious, but….
It’s possibly the most beautiful street in the world.
The Grand Canal Venice is full of breathtaking architecture, from Venetian Gothic palaces like Ca’ d’Oro to the Baroque beauty of Santa Maria della Salute.
A gondola on the Grand Canal at sunset
It’s one of the greatest engineering and artistic achievements of humanity. It would be impressive enough if it were built on solid ground. But these buildings are constructed on pine log supports – an incredible undertaking.
The iconic Rialto Bridge has spanned the Grand Canal for over 400 years, linking the two sides of the city. It’s also close to the fish market, one of the liveliest vestiges of Venetian life left.
Grand Canal Venice Bridges
The Calatrava Bridge, also known as the Ponte delle Costituzione
There are four Grand Canal bridges in Venice. We begin at the two main arrival points around Piazzale Roma, working our way down the Grand Canal from there.
The newest bridge over the Grand Canal is the Ponte della Costituzione, which links Piazzale Roma bus station with a walkway to the railway station. It’s also known as the Ponte Calatrava, after the Spanish architect who designed it.
The Bridge was opened in 2008, and differs markedly from the decorative architecture you find around much of Venice.
A few hundred metres around the corner, the Ponte degli Scalzi (Bridge of the Barefoot Carmelites) is the second bridge over the Grand Canal. This stone bridge links Venezia Santa Lucia railway station with the sestiere of Santa Croce on the south side of the Grand Canal.
The Rialto Bridge at dusk
The oldest bridge in Venice is the famous Ponte di Rialto. It’s one of the best-known and most beautiful bridges in Europe, easily recognisable because of its unique design. It was built between 1588 and 1591 by Antonio da Ponte, and has stood firm ever since. The Rialto Bridge is now one of the most famous landmarks in Italy.
The view from Rialto is breathtaking. It’s one of the best places to watch a sunset in Venice, looking down towards the bend that leads to San Marco. The best time to see this is if you’re visiting Venice in winter.
The final Grand Canal bridge is the Ponte dell’Accademia, next to the art gallery of the same name. The wooden bridge – by Eugenio Miozzi – was opened in 1933, replacing an earlier steel bridge at the same location. The bridge links the sestiere of Dorsoduro with the district of San Marco, and is close to Campo Santo Stefano, one of the largest Venice squares.
It’s absolutely worth crossing the bridge at some point for one of the best views in Venice. The view towards the church of Santa Maria della Salute is amazing, and this is one of the best places to watch sunrise in Venice.
How To Cross The Grand Canal In Venice
A traghetto crossing the Grand Canal
There are three ways to cross the Grand Canal Venice.
You can cross them on the vaporetti, the public waterbuses in Venice, or the four bridges we describe below. This is usually the most time-consuming, as you often have a long walk to reach the nearest bridge.
The other – and most convenient – way to cross the Grand Canal is on a traghetto. The traghetti are plain, unadorned gondolas that ferry passengers across the Grand Canal at seven different places.
Many passengers stand up in the traghetti. The service is designed for locals, with some only operating around working hours. Locals pay 70 cents for a one-way crossing, while tourists pay €2 for the same journey. A bit of a flagrant rip-off – but there’s plenty more of that around Venice!
That said, if you’re visiting Venice on a budget, that’s a lot easier on your wallet than €80 for a traditional 40-minute gondola ride.
What To See On The Grand Canal Venice
Grand Canal Venice – Piazzale Roma to San Marcuola
San Simeone Piccolo from the Ponte della Costituzione
You depart Piazzale Roma, immediately passing beneath the controversial Calatrava Bridge which has been there since 2008. The first prominent landmark you’ll see is the green dome of the church of San Simeone Piccolo. Before you reach it, keep your eyes to the right as the boat turns left.
San Nicola da Tolentino
There you’ll see the campanile (belltower) of the Church of San Nicola da Tolentino. It’s part of the Santa Croce sestiere, and even travelling on such a busy canal, it doesn’t take long to find many more quiet corners of Venice off the beaten path.
The next bridge over the Grand Canal Venice is the Ponte degli Scalzi, named after the Baroque church of the Barefoot Carmelites next to the Ferrovia or railway station.
The Church, also known as Santa Maria di Nazareth, is a Baroque beauty by Baldassare Longhena. He was the architect responsible for the much larger Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute at the other end of the Grand Canal.
The Grand Canal from the Scalzi Bridge
The view from the Scalzi bridge down the Grand Canal is superb. The district of Cannaregio and church of San Geremia are to the left. The church is notable as the final resting place of St Lucy – Santa Lucia – who originally hailed from Syracuse in Sicily. The church is on the corner of the Cannaregio Canal, which leads to more fascinating places to visit.
We particularly recommend the Church of Madonna dell’Orto, and the nearby Venice Jewish Ghetto. You also need to head this way if you’re planning to change for a boat to Burano, Murano or Torcello.
Grand Canal Venice – San Marcuola to Rialto
Ca’ Pesaro from the Rio di Noale
The vaporetto criss-crosses the Grand Canal to San Marcuola, named after a small church close by. It’s also the stop for the Casino di Venezia, which is housed in the elaborate Ca’ Vendramin Calergi. The stop also faces the Fondaco dei Turchi, a 13th century palazzo now housing the Natural History Museum of Venice.
Just after the next stop, San Stae, you pass the colossal Ca’ Pesaro, which now serves as the International Museum of Modern Art. There is a wonderful view of Ca’ Pesaro along the Rio di Noale, on the other side of the Grand Canal, if you’re ever passing that way.
Ca’ d’Oro is one of the grandest Venetian palaces
Ca’ d’Oro, the House of Gold, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Venice, even without its original gold façade. It’s on the north side of the Grand Canal, and one of the best examples of Venetian Gothic architecture, along with the Doge’s Palace in St Mark’s Square. The Ca’ d’Oro now houses the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti.
Ca’ Favretto is a 15th century palazzo on the south side of the Canal. It’s one of many luxury hotels on the Grand Canal. This hotel is right next to the famous Rialto fish market, and in one of the best areas to stay in Venice.
The vaporetto then passes the famous Rialto Fish Market on the right. You can alight at Rialto Mercato, from which it’s a very short (and occasionally slippery) walk to the wholesalers. Let your nose follow the fishy whiff, it’s impossible to miss.
Rialto from a hidden vantage point in Cannaregio
On the left-hand side of the Grand Canal, the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi is an upmarket department store close to the Rialto Bridge. It was formerly the warehouse and home of German merchants in the city.
Over the last decade or so its rooftop has become one of the most popular viewpoints in Venice. It’s a stupendous view, especially over Rialto and the next section of the Grand Canal. You have to book your 15-minute slot in advance, sometimes days, even weeks ahead.
Your vaporetto then pulls up at the Rialto stop on the left of the Canal on the Riva del Carbon.
Rialto to Accademia
A classic Venetian sunset from Rialto
The Rialto bridge, or Ponte di Rialto, is the oldest bridge in Venice. It was completed in 1591, and the distinctive arcades along either side still house craft and jewellery shops. There are superb views of the Bridge from either side of the Grand Canal.
The views from Rialto are astonishing. It’s one of the best places to watch a sunset in Venice, looking down towards the bend that leads to San Marco. The best time to see this is if you’re visiting Venice in winter.
Our next section of the Grand Canal Venice is lined with splendid palazzi, and this part of the journey isn’t packed with as many sights. It’s a magnificent ride all the same, with a few standout palaces like the Palazzo Balbi, on the corner of the next bend as you turn towards Accademia.
San Toma’ vaporetto stop
There are also a couple of traghetti on this part of the Grand Canal, including the one at San Toma’. They are among the most convenient ferries in Venice, offering several short-cuts around the city.
After passing Ca’ Rezzonico, a palazzo housing the museum of 18th-century Venice, the vaporetto chugs to the Accademia stop, just before the bridge of the same name.
Accademia to San Marco
After a relative quiet spell the Grand Canal Venice sights are about to come thick and fast once again.
The Baroque domed Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute dominates the south-eastern end of the Grand Canal. Its distinctive silhouette is an unforgettable sight, magnificent from the water or the many side calli offering rarely-visited viewpoints.
Before reaching Salute, the vaporetto passes the Peggy Guggenheim Collection on the right. A few metres later it passes the alleyway leading to Santa Maria del Giglio, one of the most extravagant Venetian Baroque churches.
Santa Maria della Salute is one of the great churches in Venice. It was built in thanksgiving for deliverance from a severe outbreak of the plague. It was designed by Baldassare Longhena, begun in 1631 and completed in 1687.
This is Santa Maria della Salute on a glorious winter morning, from the Dogana traghetto stop outside Harry’s Bar.
You then pass the Dogana – the former Customs House, now an art gallery – on the right.
After the Punta della Dogana, the Grand Canal opens out into the Bacino di San Marco, or St Mark’s Basin. As you leave the Grand Canal, the lagoon opens out before you, and some of the most famous Venice landmarks around you.
San Giorgio Maggiore from the Molo di San Marco
If you disembark at one of the San Marco vaporetto stops, turn back and look across the water to Andrea Palladio’s stunning church of San Giorgio Maggiore.
The first stop – Vallaresso – is before the Piazza San Marco, and close to the famous Harrys Bar. The second San Marco stop, San Marco – San Zaccaria, is beyond San Marco and the Doge’s Palace.
See Also: Is Venice Worth Visiting – 10 Compelling Reasons Why It Definitely Is
How To Get Around Venice – The Grand Canal Vaporetto
The unmistakable chugging vaporetti – waterbuses – are the best way to travel along the Grand Canal Venice.
Both lines 1 and 2 run the length of the Grand Canal, with the slower number 1 stopping at every station along the way.
Line 2 is several minutes faster, as it skips a number of stops along the way. It only stops once between Ferrovia (the railway station) and Rialto.
Grand Canal Venice – Good To Know
The number 1 vaporetto takes 44 minutes to travel from Piazzale Roma (the bus station) to San Marco Vallaresso stop. It takes 49 minutes to reach the next stop, San Marco – San Zaccaria. If you begin your journey at Ferrovia – one stop later – it takes 41 or 46 minutes.
The number 2 vaporetto runs the same route during the daytime, taking 33 minutes from Piazzale Roma to Vallaresso and 38 minutes to San Zaccaria.
You can’t walk along the Grand Canal – only (roughly) parallel to it along the backstreets.
Grand Canal Venice FAQs
How Long Is The Grand Canal in Venice?
It’s 3.8 km – 2.36 miles long.
How Deep Is The Grand Canal In Venice?
It’s mostly around 5 metres – 16 feet – deep.
What Are The Best Things To See On The Grand Canal Venice?
Our suggestions are the Ca’ d’Oro palazzo, Rialto fish markets, Rialto Bridge and Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. It then finishes close to St Mark’s Square – Piazza San Marco – and the Doge’s Palace.
How Long Does It Take To Travel Along The Venice Grand Canal?
It takes 33 minutes on the number 2 vaporetto, and 41 minutes on the more frequent number 1 vaporetto.
How Much Does It Cost For A Single Ticket On The Grand Canal?
It costs an eye-watering €9.50 for a one-way ticket, which is valid for 75 minutes. A 24, 48 or 72 hour ticket may well offer better value. Check the ACTV website for buying options.
Grand Canal Venice – Final Words
I hope that you have enjoyed our guide to the Grand Canal in Venice.
A vaporetto trip along the Grand Canal is such a wonderful starting point for exploring Venice. You see so many Venice landmarks as you journey through the Floating City.
You see many extraordinary palazzi (palaces) and also some of the greatest churches in Venice on this extraordinary boat trip.
I suggest making several trips along the Grand Canal, but hop off at different stops along the way. This is a great way to discover Venice off the beaten path, discovering a different side to the city along the way.
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.