What to see sailing along the Grand Canal in Venice: between bridges and palaces

In the city ​​of canals, which is what it is called Venice, surely you know that there is one that takes center stage over all the others.

This is the Great channel, which is going to become one of the main axes of your trip to Venice.

With its inverted S shape, the Great channel It crosses the city of Venice, dividing it into two parts, and from it the entire network of canals of the Italian city is structured.

Among the rest of the canals in Venice, the most important after the Great channel are those of Region y Cannaregio.

With a length of about four kilometers, and a width that varies depending on the area, between 30 and 70 meters, the Grand Canal of Venice It is currently crossed by four bridges.

How to navigate the Grand Canal; vaporetto, gongolas and traghettos

For navigate the Grand Canal in Venice and see its beautiful corners, you have several options that we detail below.

Grand Canal by vaporetto

Tour the Grand Canal by vaporetto It is an essential excursion to do during your visit to Venice.

Sailing from north to south and from south to north, in broad daylight...and also when it begins to get dark, you will see the great activity that takes place along the Great channel, with a large traffic (which will often seem anarchic) ​​of vaporettos, barges, boats and gondolas.

Gondolas and traghettos on the Grand Canal

Precisely the Great channel It is a starting point to make the typical gondola rides, with musical serenade Included.

And if the budget is not enough for the most typical gondola ride, there is the much cheaper alternative of the ferry, a kind of cheap gondola that works as a medium transport to cross the Grand Canal quickly.

The bridges of the Grand Canal in Venice

In this way your visit to Venice will be marked by the vaporetto rides crossing under the Grand Canal bridges and seeing the successive palaces what you can see on both shores

Rialto bridge

The oldest and most famous bridge, and the most visited by those of us who travel to Venice, is the Rialto bridge, a stone structure of enormous beauty.

In that place, in 1250, a first wooden bridge was built, which was finally replaced in 1592 by the current stone bridge with a single arch.

This large bridge stands out for the shops that are located on both sides of its ramps, and currently it has become one of the points with the greatest influx of tourists.

Ponte di Scalzi

El Great channel It is also crossed by Ponte di Scalzi (Barefoot Bridge), located in front of the Santa Lucia train station, better known as Railway.

El Ponte di Scalzi It was built in 1934 when it replaced an old iron bridge built by the Austrians in 1878. It is located relatively close to the new Calatrava Bridge, built by the prestigious Spanish architect.

Cross the Ponte di Scalzi will allow you to go from the district of Cannaregio, where the aforementioned station is located, to the district of the Santa Croce.

Catatrava Bridge

Not far away is the Constitution Bridge, modern structure designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, whose construction in the end was very controversial.

Also known as the Calatrava Bridge, was inaugurated in August 2008 with its 94 meters in total length and ramp-shaped design, and fulfills a very important function.

If you arrive in Venice by road to the Piazzale Roma, is the pedestrian bridge that you must cross to go to the Santa Lucia Station.

And if you arrive by train, you will see it on the right, and it will allow you to go to the city bus station which is located in said Piazzale Roma.

Accademia Bridge

The fourth bridge that crosses the Great channel is that of the Academy, and you will find it right in front of the building of the great Venetian art gallery Accademia Gallery.

Of the four, the Accademia bridge is the most modest of all.

It was built in 1933 with a wooden structure to be used temporarily…until today.

Previously, in 1854 where the current one is located Accademia Bridge An iron bridge was built, which was scheduled to be replaced by a stone bridge, a project that was ultimately not carried out.

The current wooden bridge is 48 meters long.

In your tour of the Grand Canal in Venice from the Santa Lucia Station, is the last bridge you will cross under before heading towards the St. Mark's Square.

Its name comes from the fact that said bridge gives access to the Accademia Gallery, the museum with the largest collection of Venetian paintings in the world.

El Accademia Bridge has finally been preserved due to the need to have a passage of the Grand Canal between the Neighborhoods de Marco Polo y Dorsodouro.

Palaces on Grand Canal in Venice

During the vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal You can also enjoy the enormous beauty of the palaces and buildings which are located on both banks of the Great channel, most of them built between the 12th and 17th centuries.

So you have the examples of the palaces Ca´d´Oro, Ca´Rezzonico, Ca'Foscari o Balbi,

You can also see the building of the Accademia Gallery, or the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.

Ca'd'Oro Palace, the most beautiful on the Grand Canal

One of the most beautiful images that will remain in our retina while sailing along the Grand Canal is the beautiful façade of the Ca´d´Oro Palace, which if you go from the St. Mark's Square until Rialto bridge, you will find it as soon as you pass under said bridge, on the right.

Located in the neighborhood of Cannaregio, Ca´d´Oro Palace It is a work of art gothic-venetian architecture, and all its interest and attraction is concentrated in the façade that faces the Grand Canal, since little of the original building remains inside.

The history of this beautiful palace dates back to 1420, when a wealthy man of the time commissioned its construction with the idea of ​​turning it into the grandest building in the city.

Its name of House of Gold This is because after its construction, its façade came to be decorated with gold leaf.

But what stands out most about its white marble façade are the reliefs on the arches and windows.

Balbi Palace, seat of the government of the Veneto region

One of the palaces that attracts our attention the most in our tour of the Grand Canal is  Palazzo Balbi, headquarters of the Governing Board of the Veneto region.

Sailing from Santa Lucia to St. Mark's Square, once you have passed the Rialto bridge, you will find the Palazzo Balbi on the right bank of the Grand Canal, just when it begins the curve to the left to head towards the lagoon, after the San Toma stop.

Located in the neighborhood of Dorsoduro, Palazzo Balbi It was built at the end of the 16th century in an early Baroque style.

Its beautiful façade is in the mannerist style.

Ca Foscari Palace, university headquarters

Would you like to visit one of these medieval palaces?

One of those whose façade will undoubtedly draw your attention the most is the Ca Foscari palace, which you will see from the front when after passing the Rialto bridge, you head towards the St. Mark's Square, and you come to a big curve.

Currently the palace is the headquarters of the Ca Foscari University of Venice, which you can visit.

The building of the Ca Foscari palace, an ancient byzantine palace known as the House of the two Towers, was acquired by the Doge Francesco Foscari in 1452 and completely rebuilt in Gothic style.

Over the centuries it was the residence of the most illustrious guests of the Republic of Venice.

From Ca Foscari palace in Venice Its beautiful Gothic façade stands out, with a succession of arches and windows of similar design to those you can see in it. Ducal Palace for the St. Mark's Square.

Inside the building stands out the Baratto Classroom, located on the second floor, considered the noble floor of the palace. This room was redesigned in 1937 by the prestigious Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.

In addition, Ca Foscari palace the frescoes of Mario Sironi, from 1936, which decorate the aforementioned Aula Baratto, and those of Mario Deluigi, from the same period, which decorate a room on the first floor of the building.

Ca´Rezzonico Palace, visit an 18th century museum

One of the few great palaces in the Great channel that we can visit is the Ca´Rezzonico Palace, which houses the Venetian 18th century museum, and which stands out for its beautiful façade.

You will find it in the neighborhood of Dorsoduro, as you arrive at the exit of the Grand Canal of the St. Mark's Square, and before Accademia Bridge.

To visit this palace you must get off at the Ca'Rezzonico vaporetto stop, to the right of the canal coming from the Santa Lucía Station.

El Ca´Razzonico Palace in Venice It began to be built in 1649 by Longhena, the same architect who built the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute.

In 1751 the building was acquired by the family Rezzonico, who finished restoring and beautifying it.

After having several owners, in 1930 the palace was sold to the Venice City Hall, and is currently the headquarters of the museum that shows us various rooms and decorative elements from the 13th century.

Finally, I tell you that if you visit Venice in summer coinciding with the first Sunday in September, you can attend a great tourist attraction, the Historical Regatta, which fills the Great channel of traditional rowing boats.