Venice districts: San Marco, Cannaregio, Santa, Croce, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Castello
Areas of Venice
A guide to the sestiere of Venice
Overview of Venice Districts
There are six Venice districts or neighborhoods known in Italian as sestiere and where you should book your hotel or B&B will depend on whether you want to be in the busy heart of Venice, or a little further away.
There’s no right or wrong place to stay and each place has its charms and benefits.
If you are staying only one day/night or have a mobility issue, then a central hotel will be beneficial. For longer stays, it can be worthwhile exploring districts further afield. Bear in mind that Venice is a small place with excellent waterbus/vaporetto transport links.
Having, personally, stayed in many areas of Venice including Mestre and Lido (using train and waterbus to get into Venice), the general rule is: stay in Venice if your budget allows, closer to St Mark’s Square if you are short on time.
For a more authentic Venice experience, stay in a district like Cannaregio, Dorsoduro or Castello. If you want relaxation away from Venice in the evenings stay in Lido di Venezia and for tighter budgets, stay in Mestre and get the train into Venice train sation which only takes a short while.
SAN MARCO
The San Marco district is the heart of Venice, the most popular area and, as such, has many more tourists than other areas. However, it is close to the major Venice attractions such as St Mark’s Square including St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
The San Marco district stretches from south side of the Rialto Bridge in one direction, to the Accademia bridge and Piazzetta San Marco in the other.
This is a good area to stay in if you’re short on time in Venice but is more touristy and has less of what might be decribed as the “authentic Venice” than other areas.
Main Sights: St Mark’s Basilica | Doge’s Palace | St Mark’s Clock Tower | St Mark’s Bell Tower
View St Mark’s Square Page ➤
View St Mark’s Page ➤
Where to stay in San Marco ➤
DORSODURO
The Dorsoduro district of Venice is a very popular area of Venice for its cultural history, authenticity, restaurants, bars and beautiful sights.
The district is on the other side of Accademia Bridge (which connects it with San Marco).
The many places of interest here include the Accademia Gallery, Peggy Guggenheim Collection and much more including a lovely walk along Zattere to Punta della Dogana.
Dorsoduro is a good area for it’s arts, cafes and bars and for being close to San Marco and St Mark’s Square. Like all districts, it is served well by waterbus/vaporetto stops.
Main sights in Dorsoduro: Guggenheim | Accademia | Santa Maria della Salute | Ca’ Rezzonico
SAN POLO
Probably the true heart of modern Venice, San Polo is a center for markets and shops and with some superb art and sights.
Attractions in San Polo include the Rialto Bridge along with the Rialto Markets and two of the Grand schools of Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista and Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
The district lies between San Marco and Santa Croce, bordering the Grand Canal.
Main sights in San Polo: Rialto Bridge | Rialto Markets | Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista | Scuola Grande di San Rocco
SANTA CROCE
The Santa Croce district lies between the railway station and San Polo, bordering the Grand Canal and is, perhaps, one of the less tourist areas along with it being one of the oldest.
The most interesting sights are in the east of the district and include the churches of San Giacomo dell’Orio, San Nicola de Tolentino and San Stae. There’s also the Natural History Museum next to the Grand Canal and the Papodopoli gardens beside Piazzale Roma.
CASTELLO
Castello is a large district bordering San Marco in the west and the lagoon in the east. This is a quieter district that has, among other things the Naval museum, Arsenale and the gardens of the Biennale along with many places to walk or jog (especially along Zattere).
For better priced restaurants and a taste of authentic Venice, this is a good place to stay (especially if spending a few days in Venice and if you don’t mind doing some walking)
Main sights in Castello: Venetian Arsenal | Naval Museum | Biennale | St Giovanni e Paolo
CANNAREGIO
The Cannaregio district is essentially the northern part of Venice where Venice train station is located (in the far west of the district). The district borders Castello in the east and the Grand Canal in the South.
The Jewish Ghetto is in this area along with Venice Casino, Campo dei Mori and more.
For easy access to central parts of Venice this is a good location and, as with all districts, it has good waterbus/vaporetto links.
Main sights in Cannaregio: Venice Ghetto | Campo dei Mori | Ca d’Oro | Madonna dell’Orto | Santa Maria dei Miracoli
VENICE LAGOON ISLANDS
The most famous islands in Venice lagoon are Burano (famous for its brightly painted houses and lacemaking), Murano (famous for its glass craftsmen) and Lido (famous for the Venice Film Festival, beaches and more).
There’s plenty more to explore while you’re in Venice including San Giorgio Maggiore (a part of Venice itself but still an island), Mazzorbo, Pellestrina, San Michele, San Servolo, Torcello and more.
The islands have history, some have mosaics, others peace and tranquility and a pace of life different to that of Venice.