Itinerary of the Grand Canal in Venice

Venezia is a unique city in the world that requires some time to be visited. Reaching the various places in the city is very easy. You could use the motorboats that offer taxi services in Venice or, if you have more time available, enjoy an itinerary along the Grand Canal, passing under bridges and Venetian architecture. Our one-day itinerary starts from the Grand Canal and ends in the San Marco basin.

Along this itinerary, you will have the opportunity to stop at various docks, the landing points for the various palaces scattered along this route.

One-Day Itinerary in Venice

Grand Canal

Our itinerary starts right from the Grand Canal, the main waterway of Venice. It is 3800 meters long with a width varying between 30 and 70 meters, the Grand Canal winds from north to west and from south to east, forming an “S” shaped circuit. The Grand Canal is dotted with noble buildings dating from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century. A distinctive feature of the palaces are the mooring poles that often display the coats of arms of the Venetian noble families.

Bridges of Venice

Scalzi Bridge

The first bridge we encounter along our route of the Grand Canal is the Scalzi bridge, completely rebuilt in 1934.

Rialto Bridge

It is without a doubt the best-known bridge in Venice and represents one of the three that span the Grand Canal. The Rialto Bridge has a single arch and was built at the end of the 16th century by Antonio da Ponte.

Accademia Bridge

The third bridge of the Grand Canal is the Accademia Bridge. This, like the Scalzi Bridge, was rebuilt in modern times (1934) replacing the 19th-century iron one. It has a wooden structure.

Left Bank of the Grand Canal

On the left bank of the Grand Canal, at the beginning of our itinerary, is the Venice Santa Lucia railway station, inaugurated in the second half of the nineteenth century but rebuilt in the post-war period. Nearby is the Gli Scazi church, which in the 17th century was built by a community of Carmelites who found refuge here. Along the left bank of the Grand Canal there are a series of palaces of great value and architectural interest. Here are some.

Palazzo Vendramin Calergi: Municipal Casino

The Palazzo Vendramin Calergi is the palace where Richard Wagner died in 1883 and is the seat of the Municipal Casino. In Renaissance style, the palace was designed by Mauro Codussi.

Ca’ d’Oro

Home of the Giorgio Franchetti Gallery, it has a Gothic structure that underwent changes during the 19th century. The pier has the same name.

Ca’ de Mosto

It is a fondaco structure dating back to the thirteenth century but which has undergone a series of elevations over time. Known for having hosted, from the 1500s to the 1700s, the Leon Bianco hotel. Rialto pier.

Palazzo Grimani

Home to some judicial offices, the Palazzo Grimani has three floors with Renaissance architecture. It was built by Michele Sammichele and features large arches and columns.

Palazzo Corner Spinelli

A true masterpiece of early Renaissance architecture, the Palazzo Corner Spinelli was designed by Mauro Codussi at the end of the 15th century. Sant’Angelo pier.

Palazzo Grassi

Home to the Grassi Foundation, the palace features Baroque architecture. Designed by Giorgio Massari, the palace hosts art exhibitions and important events.

Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda

Seat of the Prefecture, the palace was built by the architect Jacopo Sansovino. The reference pier is Santa Maria Zobenigo.

Right Bank of the Grand Canal

On the right bank of Venice’s Grand Canal, there are equally prestigious palaces. The reference pier for departure is Santa Chiara, which serves the piazzale Roma, where the Ponte della Libertà connecting Mestre to the city of Venice is located. Here is what to see on the right bank of the Grand Canal.

Fondaco dei Turchi

The Fondaco dei Turchi is the palace housing the Natural History Museum. The Veneto-Byzantine architecture has been significantly altered since the second half of the nineteenth century.

Ca’ Pesaro

Baroque palace started by Baldassarre Longhena in the early seventeenth century and completed about a century later by Antonio Gaspari. It is the seat of the Oriental Art Museum and the International Gallery of Modern Art.

Ca’ Corner de la Regina

Structure with two floors of loggias built by Domenico Rossi in the first half of the eighteenth century, Ca’ Corner is the seat of the Historical Archive of the Venice Biennale. San Silvestro pier.

Palazzo Papadopoli

The Palazzo Papadopoli has a very sumptuous structure dating back to the early sixteenth century. It features two large loggias.

Ca’ Foscari

Eight arches and two loggias for this palace started in the early years of the second half of the fifteenth century. Seat of the Ca’ Foscari University, it is presented in Venetian Gothic style.

Ca’ Rezzonico

Baroque construction begun by Baldassare Longhena, completed by Antonio Massari. It is the seat of the 18th Century Venetian Museum. Pier of the same name.

Palazzo Cini

Seat of the Vittorio Cini Collection which gathers paintings from the Tuscan school from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, the Palazzo Cini has a Renaissance facade.

Palazzo Dario and Santa Maria della Salute

The Palazzo Dario presents Renaissance architecture with three loggias, designed by Pietro Lombardo. Next to it is Santa Maria della Salute, built by Baldassarre Longhena in the second half of the seventeenth century, in Baroque style. Salute pier.