| Back Street Canals tips and photos posted by real travelers and Venice locals. • 157 Photos • 124 Reviews See all Venice Off the Beaten Path |  | Venice Back Street Canals Reviews | 1 - 10 of 124 |  |
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
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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. Check out pocketvox.com for their tours. You'll love them. Leave a Comment Website: pocketvox.com
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 Ponte della Tette San Polo by sandysmith 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"!
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 brige in Cannaregio by sandysmith 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!
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 bas-relief of camel by sandysmith 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.
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 The view from Ponte Giovanni by tpal 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
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 View from Ponte Ravano by tpal 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
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 View from bar following signs to Piazzale Roma by Chris_Bore 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. :-)
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 Ponte Chiodo Cannaregio Venice by suvanki CANNAREGIO This bridge is unusual, as it has no parapets. Originally Venices bridges were all designed like this, but as more and more of the citizens were falling off the bridges into the canals, railings and walls were added. Apparently 'Il Gazzatinno' - Venices daily paper used to print daily charts of the people who'd taken an acccidental dip the previous day. This, and the Devils Bridge on Torcello, are the only remaining examples of bridges without parapets in Venice. The bridge leads into a B&B 3749 Ponte Chiodo Which looks a nice place to stay Directions- Vaporetto Station -Ca'd' Oro. Probably best to check the hotels web site (click on link above) for detailed explanation of how to find the hotel, then the bridge should be nearby Leave a Comment
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This is a must if you appreciate art.....Vittorio Constantini is an amazing glass artist who recreats nature in the smallest of detail.......He has a large wall hanging of a collection of simply beautiful butterflies....cases of every bug you can think of......even sea life...the glass jelly fish is unbelievable...don't miss his spider web........He is located on Calle del Fumo about half way toward the water where you would catch the boat to Murano......on the right if you are coming from the Rialto....... walk NE of the Rialto bridge......it is a short walk from there up a wonderful street that is very narrow and full of other interesting finds.....the printer on the street is fun too....vintage looking stationery.....and full of creativity...there are fewer tourists and more real ambiance...... Most of his work is not for sale.....it is like a muesum......He doesn't speak English well but his wife does......you may want to call ahead to be able to see him at work.......He has taught glass art all over the world.... Phone: tel. # is 39 041 5222265Website: vittoriocostantini@libero.it Other Contact: near Fondamente Nuove
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