Venice/Dorsoduro - One of the six sestieri of Venice, historical neighbourhood

Dorsoduro is one of six sestieri (districts) that make up historic Venice.

Get in

As usual in Venice, walking is the best choice for getting anywhere. The Ponte dell'Accademia bridge links Dorsoduro with the main tourist quarters in San Marco.

By vaporetto

The often-crowded Line 1 has three stops in Dorsoduro. Additionally, there's a limited service directly from the airport. The Giudecca island can be reached only by vaporetto lines 2, 4.1, 4.2, 8 and N.

By ferry

Most ferries arrive at the main terminal in Santa Croce. One exception to this are ferries operated by Venezia Lines, which has daily departures from ports in Croatia and arrives at the San Basilio Ferry Terminal right here in Dorsoduro.

• San Basilio Ferry Terminal, 45.4309°, 12.3200°. 2021-10-10

See

• I Gesuati (Santa Maria del Rosario), Fondamenta Zattere Ai Gesuati, 45.4294°, 12.3272°, +39 041 5230625. 08:00-12:00, 17:00-19:00. 18th-century Dominican church on the Giudecca canal. The classical style building has a well-lit interior and is exceptional in preserving its original layout and Rococo decoration intact. The church and almost all its sculpture and paintings were created within a thirty-year period: construction began in 1725, the church was consecrated in 1743, and the last sculptural decoration was in place by 1755. 2021-10-10
• Church of Saint Sebastian (Chiesa di San Sebastiano). 16th-century Roman Catholic church, houses a cycle of paintings by the artist Paolo Veronese as well as paintings by Tintoretto and Titian. 2021-10-12
• Santa Maria del Carmelo church (Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Carmini). Large 14th century Roman Catholic church. 2021-10-12
• San Nicolò dei Mendicoli church (Chiesa di San Nicolò dei Mendicoli). 2021-10-13
• SS. Redentore, Fondamente della Croce, Giudecca, 45.424992°, 12.332453°.

Museums

• Punta della Dogana, Dorsuduro 2 (On the tip between Grand Canal and Giudecca Canal, vaporetto line 1 to Salute), 45.4308°, 12.3361°, +39 041 2001057. W-M 10:00 to 19:00, closed Tu and Dec 24. Former customs house, centre for contemporary art, permanent exhibition of works from the François Pinault Collection. Renovation by world renowned architect Tadao Ando. Entrance €15, reduced €10 2021-10-10
• Ca' Rezzonico - Museum of 18th Century Venice (Musei del Settecento Veneziano), Dorsoduro 3136 (Vaporetto line 1 to Ca' Rezzonico), 45.4335°, 12.3265°, +39 041 2410100. Nov-Mar: 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct: 10:00-18:00; closed Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. Museum of the 18th century in Venice - attempts to revive the domestic atmosphere of Venetian nobilities. Furniture, interior decoration, paintings by Guardi, Canaletto, Tiepolo. On the third floor important paintings of the Venetian school. A MUVE museum. Entrance Adults €8, reduced €5.50 2021-10-10
• Gallerie dell'Accademia, Campo della Carità, 1050 (Vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Accademia), 45.4313°, 12.3284°. M 08:15-14:00, Tu-Su 08:15-19:15 (ticket office closes 1 hr before). Venice's most significant art museum which is also one of Italy's best. Among the most important paintings in the Accademia are: Gentile Bellini: Procession on St. Mark’s Square (1496) and Miracle of the Cross at the Bridge of S. Lorenzo (1500), Giovanni Bellini: Pieta (1500), Jacopo Bellini: Madonna with Child and Cherubs (ca. 1450), Paris Bordenone: A fisherman presents the ring of St. Mark to the doge (ca. 1535), Vittore Carpaccio: Legend of Saint Ursula (1490-1498), Cima da Conegliano: The Holy Virgin under the Orange Tree (ca. 1496), Giorgione (1477-1510): The Tempest and La Vecchia ("The Old Woman"), Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506): St. George, Veronese Paolo (1528-1588): The Feast in the House of Levi (1573), Tintoretto: The Miracles of St. Mark (1548), and Titian: Pietà (ca. 1576). Adults €16, reduced €7.50, advanced reservation fee €1.50 2021-10-10
• Gallery Palazzo Cini (Galleria di Palazzo Cini), Campo San Vio, 864 (Vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Accademia), 45.4309°, 12.3299°, +39 041 241 1281. Former residence of Italien industrialist Vittorio Cini who amassed large collection of Italian art. The gallery houses a collection of 15th and 16th cent paintings from Tuscany and Ferrara, period furniture, silver, ivory and ceramic objects. 2021-10-10
• The Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701 (East of the Accademia bridge, on the southern side of the Grand Canal), 45.4308°, 12.3315°, +39 041 2405411. W-M 10:00-18:00. Closed on Tuesdays and on 25 December. Open on national holidays (including Tuesdays). Offers a personal collection of modern art collected by Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy was an American married to modern artist Max Ernst, and funded a number of his contemporaries. The gallery includes a sculpture garden and works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Tanguy, Duchamp, Pollock, Dali, and Mondrian. Adult €15, seniors (over 65 years) €13, students (18 years and under or holders of valid student ID) €9 2022-04-17
• Scuola Grande dei Carmini, Dorsoduro, 2617 (Near campo Santa Margherita, Vaporetto line 1 to Ca' Rezzonico), 45.4337°, 12.3223°, +39 041 5289420. Daily 11AM-4PM, closed Dec 25, Jan 1. Painting cycles dedicated to the Madonna del Carmine, canvases by Tiepolo and Padoviano. Entrance €5, reduced €4 2022-08-09

Do

• The Avogaria Theatre (Teatro a l'Avogaria), Corte Zappa, Dorsoduro, 1617. The smallest theatre in Venice, housed in an unassuming former workshop. 2021-10-10

Buy

• Pasticceria Tonolo, Calle San Pantalon, 3764 (400 m east of Piazzale Roma), 45.4359°, 12.3251°, +39 041 523 7209. 7:30AM-8PM, closed Sunday afternoons and Mondays. Hugely popular patisserie which has been around since late 19th century. Their cake with crystallized fruits and marzipan cake are must-trys. While they do offer a few seats you are much better off taking the pastries with you. Be there early to beat the queues. 2022-08-05

Eat

Budget

• Pizza al volo, 45.4342632°, 12.3234774°. Sells superb pizza by the (extremely large) slice in Campo Santa Margherita for approximately €1.80 a slice, €5 a whole pizza. It is by the fresh fish stall under a green awning.
• La Tecia Vegana, Fondamenta Santa Marta, 2104, 45.4330°, 12.3135°. 2022-08-05
• Bacaro Vintido', Calle Dona Onesta, 3928/29, 45.4356790°, 12.3262303°. 2022-07-01
• Idea Pizza, C. Crosera, 3948, 45.4357299°, 12.3257418°. 2022-07-01
• Corner Pub, Calle Chiesa, 684, 45.4304528°, 12.3307123°. 2022-07-01
• Osteria Al Squero, Dorsoduro, 943, 45.4300771°, 12.3261247°. 2022-07-01
• La Foca, Fondamenta Ponte Piccolo, 324, 45.4261549°, 12.3275962°. Pizza 2022-08-01
• Ristorante Pizzeria Ai Tre Scaini, Zitelle, Calle Michelangelo, 53c, 45.4259612°, 12.3381048°. 2022-08-01

Mid-range

• La Bitta, Calle Lunga S. Barnaba, 2753 A, 45.4327°, 12.3245°, +39 041 523 0531. Meals served 18:00-23:00, closed in August. This busy but friendly restaurant is in the more studenty area of Dorsoduro, and attracts a mixture of locals and tourists. They have some excellent Italian dishes, which are reflected in the prices, plus they have a great selection of wines. 2021-10-10
• Osteria Ai Do Farai, Calle del Cappeller, 3278 (100m west of Cà Foscari), 45.4338°, 12.3255°, +39 041 277 0369. Serves fresh shell fish. Taste their spaghetti al dente with razor shells. 2022-08-04
• Osteria Enoteca Ai Artisti, Fondamenta della Toletta 1169, 45.4321°, 12.3253°, +39 041 523 8944. An excellent restaurant, small but comfortable with a few tables alongside a tiny canal. Food is fresh and delicious, not too expensive. Large selection of wines. Menu changing daily. Meals from €20-25 2022-08-04

Splurge

Drink

There's a number of bars clustered around Campo Santa Margherita mostly frequented by younger locals.

• Chet Bar, Sestiere Dorsoduro, 3684 (Northern end of Campo Santa Margherita), 45.4352°, 12.3239°. Open 5PM-2AM all days. The closest thing to a dive bar you'll find in Venice, except that the cocktails actually are pretty good. 2022-08-04
• Il Caffè Rosso, Sestiere Dorsoduro, 2963 (Eastern side of Campo Santa Margherita, look for the entrance painted in red), 45.4345°, 12.3234°, +39 041 528 7998. Small but hugely popular café at Campo Santa Margherita. Serves coffee and sandwiches during the day, and excellent spritz during nights. 2021-12-25

Sleep

Budget

Mid range

• Ca' Della Corte (B&B + apartments), Corte Surian, Dorsoduro 3560 (300 m SE of Piazzale Roma), 45.4363345°, 12.3219371°, +39 041-715877, info@cadellacorte.com. A comfortable B&B in a quiet area. Warm and personal welcome. Breakfast (served in the room) could be improved (by going to pasticceria Tonolo and bringing your own cakes, e.g.). Junior suite €140
• Ca' Zose, Dorsoduro 193/B (Calle del Bastion) (walk west from Salute vaporetto stop), 45.4308°, 12.3327°, +39 0415226635, info@hotelcazose.com. A quiet street off S.M. Salute, by the S.M. Giglio traghetto (when it's operational, 50 cents will get you to S. Marco), within easy walk of either Accademia or the Zattere (no need to brave the hordes of tourists on the #1 line, take the #52 from bus or train station). The helpful staff speaks Italian, English, French and Veneto. 10% discount on rates if paid in cash - ask Walentina, the proprietress. All rooms are named after stars (in the sky, not of movie kind), and all have A/C (indispensable in summer). Buffet breakfast included. Doubles from €90 in season
• Locanda Gaffaro, Dorsoduro 3589, 45.43606°, 12.32228°, +39 041-2750897. In a picturesque court near Piazzale Roma. Doubles from around €100 2022-09-06

Splurge

• Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Giudecca 10. Opened in 1958 and long considered one of the leading luxury hotels of the world. From USD $1,400 per night 2022-04-17

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