Grand Canal (Canal Grande)

The Grand Canal (Canal Grande) is the main waterway of Venice, Italy, curving in a large reverse S about 3.8 kilometres from the Santa Lucia railway station and Piazzale Roma area to the Bacino di San Marco. It is lined with more than a hundred palazzi built between the Byzantine and Baroque periods, so a single journey shows Venetian architecture as a continuous street of water. Well-known buildings include Ca' d'Oro, a Gothic palace on the Cannaregio bank, Ca' Pesaro and Ca' Rezzonico, the Rialto Bridge and its market, the Accademia Bridge and the domed church of Santa Maria della Salute at the mouth of the canal. The easiest way to see it is on a vaporetto. Line 1 stops at every landing and takes about 45 minutes for the full run, while Line 2 is faster with fewer stops. A single vaporetto ticket costs about €9.50, and multi-day travel passes lower the cost for those planning to ride often. Seats at the front or on the open outer deck give the clearest views. Gondolas and traghetti, the shared gondola ferries at some crossings, offer a slower experience and a cheap short crossing. Photographs are best from the Accademia Bridge and the Rialto Bridge, while the steps of the Scalzi Bridge at the railway station give a wide view of the upper canal. Early morning has soft light and lighter boat traffic. Late afternoon is more crowded, but the warm light on the facades is a strong reason to make the trip. The canal is busy with delivery boats, water taxis and vaporetti at all hours, so it can be noisy. The canal is open at all times, and the vaporetto operates through the night on a reduced schedule.