# The Grand Canal, Venice > The Grand Canal is Venice's main street: an almost four-kilometre water curve from the station to Piazza San Marco, lined with some 170 palaces. It's best seen from the water — vaporetto line 1 covers it end to end in about 40 minutes. Viewing from the banks and bridges is free; water buses and gondolas are paid. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/grand-canal - City: [Venice](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice), Italy - YesGo score: 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Entry: Free; water bus paid - Opening hours: Open 24 hours; water buses run at night too - With kids: Fine with kids - Viewing: Free — from the quays and bridges - Vaporetto 1: Full length ≈ 40 minutes, paid - Traghetto: Gondola ferry across the canal, inexpensive - Length: ≈ 3.8 km, 30–90 m wide - Bridges: Rialto, Accademia, Scalzi, Constitution - Time needed: 40–60 minutes on the water - Coordinates: 45.44222, 12.32639 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 3.8 km** — from the station to San Marco (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 170** — palaces and buildings line its banks (source: English Wikipedia) - **4 bridges** — cross it; the Rialto is the oldest (source: English Wikipedia) - **2008** — the newest, the Constitution Bridge, opened by the station (source: English Wikipedia) - **September** — the Regata Storica — a parade and race of historic boats (source: English 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. > **Best seats on the vaporetto** Board line 1 at the Piazzale Roma terminus for the best chance of an open seat at the front or back, and ride towards San Marco so the canal opens into the lagoon with the Salute and the Doge's Palace at the end. A day pass pays off if you'll ride more than twice — single tickets are pricey. ## How to get there 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](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/rialto-bridge) or the Accademia Bridge. 4. It ends at [Piazza San Marco](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/piazza-san-marco) and the [Salute](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/santa-maria-della-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 Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Buy a vaporetto day pass - [ ] Board line 1 at Piazzale Roma - [ ] Grab a seat at the bow or stern - [ ] Cross by traghetto - [ ] Ride again after dark ## Venice on the water: compare and choose Canals, bridges and islands in Venice rated by YesGo. - [Bridge of Sighs](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/bridge-of-sighs) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free outside - [Rialto Bridge](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/rialto-bridge) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Grand Canal](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/grand-canal) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free; water bus paid - [Gondola ride](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/gondola) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Paid, per boat - [Accademia Bridge](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/accademia-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free - [San Giorgio Maggiore](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/san-giorgio-maggiore) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free; tower paid - [Murano](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/murano) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free; museum paid - [Giudecca](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/giudecca) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Peggy Guggenheim Collection](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/peggy-guggenheim) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Paid - [Lido di Venezia](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/lido) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Ca' d'Oro](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/ca-d-oro) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Burano](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/burano) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Torcello](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/torcello) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free; cathedral paid ## Down the Grand Canal to San Marco Vaporetto from the station, the Rialto, the Accademia, the Salute and Piazza San Marco. 1. [Grand Canal](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/grand-canal) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free; water bus paid 2. [Rialto Bridge](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/rialto-bridge) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free 3. [Gallerie dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/gallerie-accademia) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid 4. [Santa Maria della Salute](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/santa-maria-della-salute) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free 5. [Piazza San Marco](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/piazza-san-marco) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Grand Canal isn't the Giudecca Canal — the broad channel between the centre and Giudecca island used by big ships. The Grand Canal runs right through the heart of the city. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Geography and palaces from English Wikipedia. Water bus and gondola prices weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Grand Canal (Venice); Regata Storica --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.