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The Grand Canal, Venice

Grand Canal by the Rialto: gondoliers in striped shirts, black gondolas moored at a jetty and palaces along the water
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free; water bus paid
Hours
Open 24 hours; water buses run at night too
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Viewing
Free — from the quays and bridges
Vaporetto 1
Full length ≈ 40 minutes, paid
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Traghetto
Gondola ferry across the canal, inexpensive
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Length
≈ 3.8 km, 30–90 m wide
Bridges
Rialto, Accademia, Scalzi, Constitution
Time needed
40–60 minutes on the water
Coordinates
45.44222, 12.32639YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

≈ 3.8 kmfrom the station to San Marco
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
≈ 170palaces and buildings line its banks
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
4 bridgescross it; the Rialto is the oldest
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
2008the newest, the Constitution Bridge, opened by the station
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
Septemberthe Regata Storica — a parade and race of historic boats
SourceEnglish Wikipedia

About the Grand Canal

The Grand Canal splits Venice in a great reverse S, from Santa Lucia station and Piazzale Roma under the Rialto to the lagoon at San Marco. It runs about 3.8 km and is 30 to 90 m wide — an old river channel that carried the republic's cargo and ships for centuries.

Some 170 palaces line it, built between the 13th and 18th centuries for wealthy families, merchants and ambassadors in Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. They face the water because the main entrance was from the canal, where guests stepped from gondolas onto marble stairs.

How to ride it

The easiest and cheapest way is vaporetto line 1, the slow water bus that stops at almost every landing and covers the canal from Piazzale Roma to San Marco in about 40 minutes; grab an open seat at the bow or stern. Line 2 is faster with fewer stops. Along the way look out for the Fondaco dei Turchi, the Ca' Vendramin Calergi casino, the Ca' Foscari university, the leaning Ca' Dario and the golden ball atop the Punta della Dogana.

The most romantic is a gondola, priced by the city per boat, not per person, so sharing makes it cheaper. For a quick taste, take a traghetto — a large gondola ferrying people across the canal at a few points such as the Rialto Market; locals ride standing up.

What to spot

  • Rialto Bridge — the oldest crossing.
  • Ca' d'Oro — the lacy Gothic "Golden House".
  • Rialto Market — the Pescheria hall by the water.
  • Ca' Rezzonico — museum of 18th-century Venice.
  • Accademia Bridge — a wooden bridge with a view of the Salute.
  • Santa Maria della Salute — the white dome at the canal's mouth.

How to get there

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On foot

More tips

  1. The canal starts right by Santa Lucia station and Piazzale Roma.
  2. Vaporetto 1 or 2 from the Ferrovia or Piazzale Roma stops.
  3. On foot — to the Rialto Bridge or the Accademia Bridge.
  4. It ends at Piazza San Marco and the Salute.

Is the Grand Canal worth it?

Yes — it's the best introduction to Venice: in 40 minutes on the water bus you pass nearly every great palace, glide under the Rialto and arrive at San Marco. Go early when it's quiet or at sunset when the façades turn gold; after dark, the lit palace windows are magical too. On the first Sunday of September, the Regata Storica fills the canal with historic boats and gondola races.

Before you go

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Venice on the water: compare and choose

Canals, bridges and islands in Venice rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Bridge of Sighs5715 minFree25 min walk
Rialto Bridge5620 minFree15 min walk
Grand Canalyou are here491 hFree—
Gondola ride4840 minPaid, per boat20 min walk
Accademia Bridge4415 minFree21 min walk
San Giorgio Maggiore431 hFree37 min walk
Murano423 hFree2.7 km
Giudecca411 h 30 minFree33 min walk
Peggy Guggenheim Collection391 h 30 minPaid23 min walk
Lido di Venezia393 hFree4.4 km
Ca' d'Oro381 hPaid11 min walk
Burano343 hFree8.6 km
Torcello302 hFree9.5 km

Down the Grand Canal to San Marco

Vaporetto from the station, the Rialto, the Accademia, the Salute and Piazza San Marco.

  1. Grand Canalyou are here1 h · Free; water bus paid
  2. 15 min walk from the previous stopRialto Bridge20 min · Free
  3. 17 min walk from the previous stopGallerie dell'Accademia2 h · Paid
  4. 9 min walk from the previous stopSanta Maria della Salute30 min · Free
  5. 8 min walk from the previous stopPiazza San Marco30 min · Free

5 places · about 5 h 9 min with walks · 49 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby and on the way

Ca' d'Oro

Venice, Italy

1 h · Paid · 11 min walk

Rialto Bridge

Venice, Italy

20 min · Free · 15 min walk

La Fenice

Venice, Italy

45 min · Paid · 19 min walk

How to do it right

  • Line 1 covers the whole canal.
  • Bow or stern for the view.
  • Traghetto — cheap and local.
  • Golden façades at sunset.

Questions

How can I see the whole Grand Canal?

Take vaporetto line 1 from Piazzale Roma to San Marco — about 40 minutes.

How many bridges cross the Grand Canal?

Four: the Rialto, Accademia, Scalzi and Constitution bridges.

What is a traghetto?

A large gondola ferry across the Grand Canal; locals stand, and it's inexpensive.

How long is the Grand Canal?

About 3.8 km.

How do I take a gondola on the Grand Canal?

Agree with a gondolier at a stand; the price is set by the city per boat.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia, Grand Canal (Venice); Regata Storica
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 11.11.2026 ·
How we checkedGeography and palaces from English Wikipedia. Water bus and gondola prices weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge.

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