The Grand Canal by vaporetto
The cheapest tour of Venice is the best one. Vaporetto line 1 stops at nearly every landing on the Grand Canal, slowly, past the palaces of the Republic's great families, under the Rialto Bridge and out to St Mark's.
- What it is
- On the water
- Time to allow
- 40 to 60 minutes
- Cost
- A vaporetto ticket or pass
- Best time
- In the evening, when the palaces are lit
Venice this week
Why the Grand Canal is worth it
The Grand Canal winds through the city in a reversed S, nearly four kilometres long, and for centuries every family that mattered built its palace on its banks, where its ships could unload at the door.
Line 1 of the vaporetto, the public water bus, runs its whole length from Piazzale Roma and the station to St Mark's and on to the Lido, and takes about forty-five minutes.
What to see
The Ca' d'Oro
The most delicate Gothic palace on the canal, once covered in gold, now a museum.
The Rialto Bridge
The stone bridge of 1591, the only one across the canal for three centuries.
The palaces
Ca' Pesaro, Ca' Rezzonico, Ca' Foscari, Palazzo Grassi and the Peggy Guggenheim, one after another along the water.
The Salute
The white domed church at the mouth of the canal, built to thank the Virgin for the end of the plague of 1630.
How to do it well
- Take line 1, the slow one: line 2 skips many stops.
- Get on at Piazzale Roma or the station to find a seat at the front or the back, outside.
- A pass for a day or more pays for itself in two or three rides.
- Go once by day and once after dark, when the palaces are lit from inside.
Where it is
Address
From Piazzale Roma and the station to St Mark's
Nearest station
Ferrovia or Piazzale Roma, at the start of line 1
Museums and sights nearby
- Basilica dei Frari200 m
- Gallerie dell'Accademia500 m
- Teatro La Fenice500 m
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection600 m
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: The Grand Canal by vaporetto
The Grand Canal by vaporetto: common questions
- Which vaporetto goes down the Grand Canal?
- Line 1 stops at nearly every landing on the canal. Line 2 is faster and stops less.
- How long does the Grand Canal take by vaporetto?
- About forty-five minutes on line 1, from Piazzale Roma to St Mark's.
- How much time do you need for the Grand Canal?
- Allow 40 to 60 minutes. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about the Grand Canal
Rating from Google
Things to do near the Grand Canal
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 7See Titian's Assumption at the Frari200 m awayChurch, 45 to 75 minutes, ticket
- 8See Tintoretto's great cycle at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco250 m awayMuseum, 1 to 1.5 hours, ticket at the door
- 3See Venetian painting from Bellini to Titian at the Accademia500 m awayMuseum, 1.5 to 2.5 hours, ticket at the museum, tours online
- 12Visit La Fenice, Venice's opera house500 m awayShow, 45 to 60 minutes, ticket for the visit, or for a performance
Artists to see near the Grand Canal
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Basilica dei Frari, 200 m away
Gallerie dell'Accademia, 500 m away
Where to eat near the Grand Canal
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Caffè dei Frari4.5Café, Frari200 m away
- Pasticceria Tonolo4.6Pastry shop, San Pantalon200 m away
- Trattoria Antiche Carampane4.4Trattoria, Rialto450 m away
- Antico Martini4.1Restaurant, Campo San Fantin500 m away
Hotels near the Grand Canal
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Aman Venice4.8Five-star hotel, Grand Canal350 m away
- The Gritti Palace4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal600 m away
- The St. Regis Venice4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal700 m away
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel4.5Five-star hotel, Riva degli Schiavoni1.1 km away