Exploring Venice's Grand Canal
The Grand Canal Venice Italy – or as we call it Canale Grande, is the central artery of Venetian life. It is the main public highway for the city. Venetians travel to work and school by boat along the Venice Grand Canal that connects to smaller canals around the city. And visitors on an Italian vacation can survey Venice’s beauty from the Grand Canal Venice.
Where is the Grand Canal?
At one end of the canal is the Venetian lagoon, close to the Santa Lucia railway station. And at the other end is the San Marco Basilica. The canal itself can be best described as a reverse ‘S’ shape and the journey from one end to the other is about 3km long.
It’s a hive of activity – being the central transportation route for the city. It’s full of vaporetti (water buses), private water taxis, barges delivering goods, emergency boats belonging to the police, fire and ambulance service and of course the traditional poled gondolas.
Bridges on the Grand Canal in Venice
Along the two-mile route there are four bridges. Perhaps the most infamous is the Rialto Bridge that is around the halfway point and the narrowest point of the canal. It’s the oldest bridge and its white stone structure is an example of the Renaissance architecture and engineering. Rialto is the financial centre in the heart of Venice.
What to See Along the Grand Canal in Venice
You can trace the history of Venice as you survey the buildings that line the Venice Grand Canal. You’ll find palaces, churches and other public buildings all in Romanesque, Gothic or Renaissance styles. From the Grand Canal you can see how beautiful the buildings are but also how remarkable they are too being built in the water using techniques that have maintained them and protected them from the effects of the water for all this time. That ingenuity is something we love about Venice.
Some of the highlights you can see from the Grand Canal Venice Italy include Fondaco Houses which are traditional buildings combining a warehouse and a merchant’s residence. A portico covers the entrance to the building, so boats could manoeuvre in and unload under cover. Although their purpose was quite ordinary, they are very ornate in style.
One of the most beautiful buildings is the Ca’D’Oro which translates as the ‘golden house’. Its full name is the Palazzo Santa Sofia - one of the oldest palaces in the city that dates back to 1428. It’s stunning.
Another notable sight is the Ca’ Pesaro – a gothic marble palace which faces the Grand Canal Venice and is now a modern art gallery and oriental art museum.
Santa Maria della Salute built in 1630 in thanks for the end of the plague is not only a beautiful structure outside and in, but also a fascinating one. Over one million timbers were driven into the floor of the canal to support its weight.
The Palazzo Grassi was the last palace built on the banks of the Grand Canal Venice before the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797. It has been refurbished extensively but is notable because it was the last palace built at that important point in Venetian history but also because it blends neoclassical and modern architecture so well.
Venice Grand Canal Italy History
The Grand Canal's history stretches back to the 9th century, when early Venetians transformed natural water channels into what would become Europe's most unique maritime highway. Originally a river running through the lagoon, it was gradually widened and deepened as Venice grew from a collection of small island communities into a powerful maritime republic. The strategic position of the Grand Canal helped Venice dominate Mediterranean trade for centuries, with merchant families competing to build increasingly grand palaces along its banks as symbols of their wealth and influence.
During the 13th to 17th centuries, the Grand Canal reached its golden age. The waterway became lined with over 170 buildings, most constructed during this period. These palaces are remarkable not only for their beauty but for their engineering - they were built on millions of wooden piles driven into the lagoon bed, a technique that has preserved them for centuries despite the challenging aquatic environment.
Journey through time with our expert guides in a Private Grand Canal & Minor Canals Boat Tour in Venice and discover how the Grand Canal shaped Venice's destiny as a maritime superpower.
Grand Canal Italy Facts: Secrets of Venice's Main Waterway
The Grand Canal's unique reverse 'S' shape wasn't planned - it follows the natural course of an ancient river. At its widest point, the canal reaches 98 feet (30 meters), while its average depth is 17 feet (5 meters). Despite its size, this bustling waterway handles over 15,000 boats daily, making it one of the world's most trafficked maritime routes.
The canal is home to over 170 buildings, most dating from the 13th to 18th centuries. Each building tells a story of Venice's ingenuity - they're supported by thousands of wooden poles driven through layers of sand and clay into a harder layer of compressed clay. Over time, these poles petrified in the salt water, becoming as strong as stone. This ancient engineering technique is still effective today, allowing the buildings to withstand the constant movement of water and the gradual sinking of the city.
Curious about the engineering marvels of Venice? Our expert guides will reveal the fascinating secrets of how the Grand Canal's palaces were built to last centuries during our Private Venice Grand Canal Shore Excursion.
Experiencing Venice's Grand Canal with our Tours and Activities
The Grand Canal in Venice (Italy) is teeming with things to see and explore. At Avventure Bellissime, the Italian tours and Italian holidays expert, we offer a 1 day tour of Venice which takes in a tour of the Grand Canal Venice as well as a walking tour of Venice, so you can go and explore the city in full by foot. It also includes skip the line tickets to St Marc’s Basilica.
Or you can swap a motorised launch for a private gondola ride in Venice or a walking tour of Venice.
We’d be delighted to help you explore the Grand Canal in Venice (Italy). At Avventure Bellissime – our focus is helping you have the best possible experience of Italy – whether it’s on our tours of the Grand Canal or on one of our tours of Italy’s many sights or an Italian vacation package. Visit us at tours-italy.com for more.
World Class Service 
Trusted by Travellers 
5 Star Reviews 
Health & Safety 
