Venice - 399 bridges until we found her

Travel
Written By Marc Buchser

10min read

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There are 400 bridges in Venice of all variations, from small to large, from simple to ornate, but according to one local painter, there is one bridge with a unique feature that is largely unknown. More on this a little later - let‘s begin with the main reasons why Venice is a trip worth taking.


Venice is beautiful. No matter where or when you go, around almost every corner, is something to see that could be considered a piece of art. The fact that it was built on water some 1500 years ago makes it also very unique. The whole city was built on top of oak and pine piles. Originally it consisted of 117 different islands that were linked by 150 canals, 400 bridges and pavement. The city survived Napoleon, WW1 and WW2. Water is all around, underneath and the primary means of transport. Whether it is the buses, taxis, police, post, ambulance or the famous gondolas, everything operates on water.


The most famous attractions of the city include the Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal, Basilica San Marco, Piazza San Marco, Doge‘s Palace, and the Accademia Gallery (in 1807 Napoleon moved all the great art of Venice here) to name just a few.


What I find fascinating is the fact that wherever one goes, there is water and yet another unique bridge to cross. What’s more, a boat is an absolute necessity here… Of course you can explore most parts of the city by foot, but to visit the surrounding islands or to get around more efficiently, a boat is the ultimate choice - and it’s fun too. Don’t bring a stroller unless you are prepared to haul it up and down staircases every few hundred metres while simultaneously trying to manoeuvre the uneven cobblestones.

We recommend to look for a hotel on the Lido, one of the two barrier islands of the Lagoon of Venice. Compared to the hotels on the main island, you can save up to 50% with a stay on the Lido. That is, unless you are only interested in the main island and want to travel strictly by foot. Otherwise you can get a 3 day pass for 40 euros (58 CAD) or a 7 day pass for 60 euros (87 CAD) for the Venice Public Transport (ACTV). The pass gives you access to the water buses (Vaporetto) in Venice and the Islands Lido, Murano and Burano.

This is by far the best way to get around on the islands and it is cheaper than buying individual tickets which cost 7.50 euros (10 CAD). As you can see on the map of the ACTV below, there are many stops and on most lines there is a water bus every 10-15 minutes. The maps and timetables can be found here:
https://muoversi.venezia.it/en/content/consult-map

Venice has 6 districts (six sestieri): Cannaregio, San Marco, San Polo, Dorsoduro, Castello, Santa Croce.

In San Marco and San Polo you find most of the famous attractions like the Doge’s Palace and the Rialto Bridge. These areas are also very crowded, particularly in the summertime. Still, you can’t go to Venice without standing on the Piazza San Marco or walking over the Rialto Bridge. Just be aware of the many tourist traps in these two districts. It is best to plan your pitstops ahead of time and do some research to find the authentic places. As a general rule, avoid the restaurants who have large menus up front with laminated pictures of every meal on it.


There is certainly a lot to explore in San Marco and San Polo including the hidden treasure mentioned at the beginning, but more on that to come. It is very easy to get lost in the narrow alleys and winding passageways which all look remarkably similar. The good thing about these touristy districts is that a lot of signs exist guiding you towards the bigger attractions, so even if you get temporarily disoriented you will always find your way back to one of the major landmarks.

We can highly recommend to visit the Castello district, if you are interested in experiencing the authentic Venice. Even during peak season, when the Piazza San Marco was overrun with tourists, in the streets of Castello we could walk for hours only encountering a handful of locals engaging in their day-to-day tasks (hanging laundry on outdoor clotheslines spanning the adjacent canals, or coming and going from local markets the true Venetian way-via boat).


If you’re a fan of galleries, museums and Murano’s famed, hand crafted glass, in particular, the island of Murano (more correctly a collection of 7 individual islands connected via a series of bridges) might prove a worthwhile excursion. In 1291, all Venetian glassmakers were ordered to relocate to Murano fearing fire and destruction of the city’s primarily wooden architectural structures. Today, glass making continues to be the island’s leading industry.

The first bridges built in Venice were flat and made out of wood so that horse carriages could cross. The first stone arch bridges were built in the 16th century, when more and more boats were utilized and they needed to be able to pass underneath. Most of the around 400 bridges in Venice are arch bridges made out of stone and extend across a canal. There is, however, one unique bridge - the only one which crosses over two canals in an angle - the little known, hidden treasure mentioned above.

Venice - double arch bridge crossing two canals (check out our shop for a full resolution version of this picture)

If you look for famous bridges in Venice you’ll easily find the Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, the Academy Bridge, the Scalzi Bridge, the Calatrava Bridge, the Ponte delle Guglie and the Ponte della Paglia. The distinctive, double arched bridge, which spans two canals, is much more obscure and almost impossible to find.

We spent the good part of an entire day walking the streets of the main island, after seeing a painting of it, trying to find its location once more (the artist told us what makes it unique but he could or would not tell us the location). It took patience, persistence and many, many rounds of wandering those narrow laneways until we finally stumbled upon it again. Naturally, we had to buy the painting to commemorate our finding after so many hours of aimless wandering.

Venice - double arch bridge crossing two canals (check out our shop for full resolution posters and canvas prints )


So if you go to Venice, look out for that one-in-400 bridge and you will for sure be greeted by many other treasures along the way.

Make sure to check out our Shop for more full resolution photos and subscribe to our newsletter below so you don’t miss our weekly travel post (every friday at 9.09 MST).

Marc Buchser
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