Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Back Street Canals, Venice
Search:
Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice » Off the Beaten Path » Back Street Canals Reviews

Venice Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Venice Travel Guide


Best Venice Travel Deals

Truly Venice Apartments
The Finest Apartments in Venice - Instant availability - Easy booking

287 Venice Hotels
Our selection of great hotels in Venice. Special Offers! Book now.

Rome - Venice by Train
Trains - Fastest & Easiest Travel. Fares/Schedules, Official Source.

250 Hotels Venice - Italy
Book a hotel in Venice online. Find your hotel on a city map.

Cheap Venice Hotels
Up To 70% Off Hotels in Venice Instant Confirmation, Book Now!

Sponsored Links

Back Street Canals, Venice


See all Venice Off the Beaten Path
Beautiful produce stand - Venice
Beautiful produce stand
by geekgrrl
Off the Beaten Path in Venice: Back Street Canals tips and photos posted by real travelers and Venice locals.
Back Street Canals
• 144 Photos
• 119 Reviews
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Back Street Canals: Ponte delle Tette
  • Tip Rating:
  • Ponte della Tette San Polo - Venice
    Ponte della Tette San Polo
    by sandysmith
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Well I guess this must be off the beaten path - we searched for ages for this bridge on the previous visit to no avail - for some reason we found it easier this time! So whats special about this bridge well its was Venice's red light district in San Polo and the "ladies of the night" here would display their "charms" at the windows over this "Bridge of Breasts"!

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful

    Visiting Venice?

    Read reviews about Venice Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Back Street Canals: Bridge with no Parapet
  • Tip Rating:
  • In my guide book I had seen this bridge with no parapet - one of only 2 left in Venice without side protection (the other is in Torcello). Well I went on a hunt for it and could I find it?? In the end decided to give up and head back to St Marks when all of a sudden I just happened to glance down a small canal in Cannaregio and there it was :-)). I've been asked before how to find this bridge but really I can't answer that expect by throwing away the map and just keep your eyes peeled!

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: House of the Camel
  • Tip Rating:
  • In the Cannaregio district - just opposite Tintoretto's house - look out for this interesting bas-relief on the Palazzo Mastelli of a camel. A sure reminder that this was once the Arab Mercant district. In fact it was the Mori brothers who set up home in this Plazzo. When they had settled one sent for his wife some years later, telling her in his message that she would know the house because of the relief of a camel that had been inset into the wall to the right of the balcony.

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: Arco del Paradiso (I&V)
  • Tip Rating:
  • Walking from Campo Santa maria Formosa by the bell tower of the church of the same name, and then by the canal to the north, having the canal on the left side, leads to Ponte del Paradiso, and the street called Calle del Paradiso. Above the entrance to the street there is Arco del Paradiso – Gothic arch built of Istrian stone, surmounted by a triangular spire decorated with statues of the Virgin of Mercy and Madonna. Madonna holds her mantle wide open to protect a devout couple kneeling in prayer. The sculpted arms on each side of this scene are those of the famous Venetian families Foscari and Mocenigo. Members of both families had been Doges of Venice. On the canal side there is Foscari coat of arms and a single kneeling figure at the feet of Virgin. The arch probably commemorates the marriage of the daughter of Michele Foscari – Pellegrina Foscari and Alvise Mocenigo in 1491. The arch would therefore date from the end of the 15th century, though its style is closer to works of the late 14th century, which is one of the many evidences of the conservativeness of Venetians, slow to embrace the new Renaissance style, common in other parts of Italy. Anyway, according to the tourist info sign the arch is dated to 14th century.

    Due to damages of Arco del Paradiso caused by the centuries long exposure to the open air, the restoration and conservation works had been undertaken and completed in 1993 and 1994. The restored and protected arch is now on its original place.

    Leave a Comment

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: Tour of Dorsoduro
  • Tip Rating:
  • People are always saying "part of the charm of Venice is just wandering and getting lost." Well...I do agree with the wandering part but have a solution for the "getting lost" part. I found a downloadable walking tour of the Dorsoduro area of Venice. This is the area where most of the Venetians live so it is much less touristy than the other areas of Venice. The tour starts in the Campo outside the Church of San Pantaleone and gives you turn by turn directions. Not only does it guide you thru the Dorsoduro area but also gives you the history of some of the churches and artists. It also gives you the choice of whether to hear the history or continue on with the tour. The Dorsoduro area is so beautiful and quiet. It is not like the other parts of Venice. There are no touristy shops or stalls, there are no gondoliers offering the "best" tour in Venice, there are no huge crowds to fights your way thru. There are just the canals, the churches and the peace and quiet you would find in any private neighborhood. We were able to go into churches and be the only ones inside, we were able to walk down streets and be the only ones on it and we were able to stand in front of a gondola factory without having to "jockey for position" in order to get a good view or picture. If you are really interested in "seeing" Venice then I highly recommend taking your ipod (or MP3 player) with these tours downloaded and just take your time and enjoy yourself.

    Leave a Comment

  • Website: pocketvox.com
  • Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful

    Visiting Venice?

    Read reviews about Venice Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Back Street Canals: Somewhere Along The Way
  • Tip Rating:
  • Updated By tpal on December 16, 2004
  • Email Me
  • See My Venice Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • The view from Ponte Giovanni - Venice
    The view from Ponte
    Giovanni
    by tpal
    Send Photo to a Friend
    How many times have you heard it said, "The way to experience Venice is to walk, walk, walk!"? Probably not often enough. It's advice that's hard to ignore and so we walked...and got lost...and walked some more. Turning the next corner was never a disappointment and in fact, almost without fail, caused the camera to come out and go into action.

    I wish I could tell you exactly where this photo was taken but, I can't. I know it is located somewhere between the Rialto Bridge and Ca' Pesaro and is shot from the Ponte Giovanni. That's the best I can do but it really doesn't matter. What matters is what you see. This is one of the many Venetian canals without a fondamenta or walkway along side. These are truly private as the only access to the entrances along the way is via boat. You also realize that unlike other canals these boats must belong to the residents living at the moorings.

    Visually, there is a certain calm. Narrow and detached from the main canals the water is much more placid. This is not a thoroughfare but rather a local "street". This is just where you park or (if you look closely) hang you boat.

    Leave a Comment

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: Classic Venice
  • Tip Rating:
  • Updated By tpal on December 20, 2004
  • Email Me
  • See My Venice Page
  • Send to a Friend
  • View from Ponte Ravano - Venice
    View from Ponte Ravano
    by tpal
    Send Photo to a Friend
    This was our first full day in Venice so we were admittedly a little awestruck by nearly everything we saw. Still, this seems to be special in our memory. As always, it is difficult to be certain about your location in Venice but I believe this photo is taken from the Ponte Ravano which crosses the Rio de la Do Torri in San Polo.

    We had been weaving our way from the Rialto Bridge en-route, more or less, to Ca' Pesaro. As we crossed this bridge we were both captivated with what struck us a classic Venetian canalside facade with its wooden doorways leading directly into the water, the eroded stucco at the waterline, the beautiful stone balcony balustrades and the ubiquitous green shutters.

    It all seemed "coffee table book" perfect and could easily have been just as anonymous were it not for one humanizing detail...the laundry hanging outside the first floor window.

    Leave a Comment

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: Nice and cheap tiramisu by a canal
  • Tip Rating:
  • View from bar following signs to Piazzale Roma - Venice
    View from bar following
    signs to Piazzale Roma
    by Chris_Bore
    Send Photo to a Friend
    From the Ferrovia waterbus stop, if you follow signs to Piazzalle Roma then these lead you along some nice back streets. We found this very nice bar/cafe right beside a colourful canal. Very quiet, and serving very nice light tiramisu at 1.45 euros. It was a delightful spot, the canal is wide enough to be nice to sit beside and quiet yet with one or two gondolas and boats drifting along. A peaceful spot to enjoy.

    If you don't find this particular spot, then there are so many others that it is worth trying anyway. :-)

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: Venice - small side street
  • Tip Rating:
  • Narrow street, Venice, Italy - Venice
    Narrow street, Venice,
    Italy
    by Martin_S.
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Go on, if you see a small, a very small side "street", take it go and see where it leads. These are the places where you can sometimes find the real Venice. Places where tourists "fear to tread", places that are not listed in those expensive tour books because they are not fancy or duded up or cost a fortune to purchase a ticket...

    Leave a Comment

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Back Street Canals: A cool place on a hot day!
  • Tip Rating:
  • It was July and surprise, surprise it was hot in Venice. I stopped at a cafe and paid too much for a cool drink but it was worth it. The cafe may have been located in the piazza near S. Stefano. But I was determined to find the undiscovered places. So off I went and turned down this alley and ...wow!!! Suddenly it's 15 degrees cooler and I think, "Maybe I'll just stay here!"

    Leave a Comment

    Rate   Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    More Venice Tips
    Overview
     
    General Tips
    Tips: 1,239 - Photos: 1,427
    Restaurants
    Tips: 733 - Photos: 685
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 832 - Photos: 874
    Things To Do
    Tips: 3,487 - Photos: 5,380
    Nightlife
    Tips: 215 - Photos: 196
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 801 - Photos: 1,175
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 282 - Photos: 217
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 289 - Photos: 252
    Transportation
    Tips: 698 - Photos: 718
    Local Customs
    Tips: 354 - Photos: 471
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 120 - Photos: 85
    Shopping
    Tips: 258 - Photos: 302
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 44 - Photos: 53
    Flights
    Tips: 43 - Photos: 0

    Best Venice Travel Deals

    Italy Travel
    Italy Travel Packages on Sale. Talk to Italy Vacation Experts. Save Big

    Venice accommodation
    Apartments for short and long term self catered Book online

    Airfares to Venice
    Buy Wholesale International Tickets Save Up 50% Off Fares. Book Now!

    Sponsored Links

    Venice Hotels



    Destinations near Venice

    » See all locations nearby
    » Popular Veneto locations
    » Popular Italy locations


    Find:        Matching:  Advanced