In this series, Venetian locals reveal their hidden gems and personal favorites, offering insider tips to help you experience Venice like never before. Each walk is carefully crafted from their recommendations to guide you through the authentic heart of the city. In this journey, Arianna Sautariella guides us along Venice’s shores, beginning at Riva degli Schiavoni, crossing Zattere, and ending at Sant’Elena.
Arianna Sautariello, a printmaker and watercolourist, was born in Mestre and moved to Venice at 15 to attend secondary art school. She quickly fell in love with Venice’s unique rhythms, where past and present merge effortlessly. In 2016, she opened her studio, Plum Plum Creations, producing hand-printed works from metal and linoleum plates, as well as drawings and watercolours inspired by Venice and nature. She begins with a drawing, prepares the plates, and then prints each by hand. Arianna also organizes printmaking demonstrations to reveal the process behind a print and teaches classes for both beginners and advanced students. More information >>> www.plumplumcreations.com
What’s the one thing you adore most about Venice?
“I love the unique harmony between beautiful buildings and nature in Venice, which is rarely seen so clearly in other cities. As you walk along the canals, you might spot fish swimming or crabs on seaweed-covered steps, while above, resident and migratory birds fly by. This coexistence exists because Venice is not only the iconic city everyone knows but also the fragile, remarkable heart of the lagoon ecosystem.”
Arianna’s special place: start of the itinerary
“One thing I have always loved doing is walking at night on Riva degli Schiavoni. During the day, it’s crowded, but after midnight, the place transforms. Almost no one is there, and the peace and silence of the lagoon create an intimate connection with the city, impossible to feel during the day.”
The name Riva degli Schiavoni combines ‘Riva,’ meaning shore, with ‘Schiavoni,’ an old Italian word for Slavs. This reflects the area’s history as a settlement for traders from Dalmatia and Istria (now Croatia), who established themselves here to sell their goods. Built in the 9th century, the Riva was initially much narrower, just slightly wider than the bridges. In 1060, the Riva was expanded through swamp draining, and it was first paved in 1324 with terracotta flooring. Architect Tommaso Temanza later widened it to its current dimensions between 1780 and 1782.
From Riva degli Schiavoni to Zattere
Keep the lagoon on your left as you head toward San Marco. When you reach the S. Marco vaporetto station, board vaporetto 1 to Salute. Afterwards, turn left and follow the lagoon. The Fondamente de le Zattere begins after you pass the Punta della Dogana.
The Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) connects the interrogation rooms at Palazzo Ducale to the prison on the opposite side of the canal. The enclosed bridge made in limestone was built in 1614 following a design of Antonio Contino. Doge Marino Grimani commissioned it, and you can see his coat of arms in the center of the bridge. The bridge features two separate corridors, allowing prisoners to pass one another without the ability to see or speak to each other. Additionally, the small windows ensured that they could not be seen from the outside. The name refers to the sighs of the prisoners who looked out of the small windows for a final view of the lagoon before being locked in their cells.
The Royal Gardens, or Giardini Reali, are a peaceful location in the midst of the touristic heart of Venice. Napoleon and the young Viceroy Eugenio di Beauharnais created the 5,500 m² garden. The original design featured a garden with geometrically shaped flowerbeds. In 1808, the ancient granaries, which were then being used as barracks, were demolished. From 1815, a greenhouse and a neoclassical pavilion, the Padiglione del Caffè, were added. In the late 19th century, the iron and cast iron pergola was built. In 1920, the ownership of the Royal Gardens was transferred to the city council and the gardens were opened to the public. The garden was recently restored to its original state. You can read more about this and other gardens in my post ‘Wander through the hidden gardens in Venice‘.
(Piazza San Marco)
Zattere is a 1.7 km long boulevard along the Giudecca Canal, on the south of Venice. The name Zattere means ‘rafts’ and refers to the merchandise (salt, coal and wood) which arrived here by rafts from the 16th until the 18th century. The Fondamenta exists since 810, but the first pavement dates from around 1520 whereas the wider parts date from around 1800. It gives you an undisturbed view on the beautiful buildings of Giudecca, such as the Redentore church, the Zitelle church, Casa dei Tre Oci or the Hilton Molino Stucky, a former flourmill. There are several stunning palazzos, churches and old salt warehouses on the Fondamenta, so take your time to watch both sides.
(Fondamenta de le Zattere, Dorsoduro)
From Zattere to Casa dei Tre Oci
Enjoy the long walk along the Fondamente de le Zattere until you reach the Zattere vaporetto station. Take vaporetto line 2 to Giudecca Palanca and turn left to continue your walk along the Giudecca canal.
“One of my favourite exhibition spaces is Casa dei Tre Oci, a neo-Gothic palace built in 1913 on Giudecca. The facade is very distinctive, and beautiful photography exhibitions were held inside.”
Artist Mario De Maria (Marius Pictor) designed and built the iconic Casa dei Tre Oci in 1913. The three large ogival windows were inspired by Palazzo Ducale, visible from this location. It evolved into a hub for artistic and cultural production, serving as a center for meetings and debates, a studio for artists, and a welcoming space for intellectuals. It remained vibrant and active until the end of the 1980s. After careful restoration, the Casa dei Tre Oci became a public exhibition venue in 2012. The Bergruen Institute, a global think tank, recently acquired the building. It will preserve its historic function as a gathering place for global dialogue, featuring an international program of summits, workshops, symposia, and exhibitions. Before taking the vaporetto back to Venice, take your time to discover ‘Giudecca: a peaceful island with 10 remarkable buildings’.
(Fondamenta de le Zittele 43, Giudecca)
From Casa dei Tre Oci to Sant’Elena
Take vaporetto line 4.1 from the stop in front of Casa dei Tre Oci and disembark at Arsenale. From there, keep the lagoon on your right until you reach Sant’Elena.
Originally, Napoleon drained an area of marshland to create public gardens, Giardini, in Castello. In 1895, the city council built the Palazzo dell’Esposizione here to host the first exhibition of Italian art. Its neoclassical façade can be seen from the exit at the lagoon side. Today, Giardini is a key location of the Biennale, featuring 30 exhibition pavilions. Each of these buildings showcases a distinct architectural style, reflecting both the era of its construction and the image that the country aims to convey. The area near the lagoon and towards Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi is open to the public and perfect for relaxing under the trees. Several statues and the old ticketing booth designed by Carlo Scarpa deserve a closer look.
(Viale Giardini Pubblici, Castello)
The original island of Sant’Elena was separated from Venice by an arm of the lagoon. The church and the Augustinian convent of Sant’Elena were established in the 12th century. The convent was suppressed in the Napoleonic era, and the current church was largely reconstructed in the early 19th century. In the 1920s, it was decided to reclaim land to expand the area and to build a new residential area. There is a large park (called Rimembranze) with a few bars next to the laguna, a playground with a soccer field and basketball court, a small port, a naval college, and the Pierluigi Penzo soccer stadium of Venezia FC.
(Viale Vittorio Veneto, Castello)
Any other insider tips you’d like to share?
“The most important thing in my opinion is to try to avoid the depopulation of the city by the people who live there every day so it is much better to try to stay in hotels and not in rented houses. Every rented house for tourists is one less house for the residents and no one wants to visit a city made only of tourists, it would no longer be a city but a theme park, something fake.”
More tips from Arianna
Coffee: Torrefazione Cannaregio (Fondamenta dei Ormesini 2804, Cannaregio, www.torrefazionecannaregio.it)
Aperitivo: H2NO Enobirroteca (Rio Terà S. Leonardo 1815, Cannaregio, www.h2novenezia.it)
Dinner with friends: Osteria ai Promessi Sposi (Calle dell’Orca 4637, Cannaregio)
Special dinner: Osteria al Cicheto (Calle de la Misericordia 367A, Cannaregio, www.osteria-al-cicheto.it)
Shops: Plum Plum Creations (Fondamenta dei Ormesini 2681, Cannaregio, plumplumcreations.com); OLD, Original Laboratory of Design: a store for unique fashion, art, and furniture pieces from iconic brands to young designers (Fondamenta dei Ormesini 2682, Cannaregio)
If you would like to continue your walk, go back towards the Riva and continue there with the walk with Eva which will take you through Castello to Cannaregio and Dorsoduro.
Want to explore even more of Venice? My book ‘Walks in Venice: In the footsteps of 9 locals‘ includes a detailed step-by-step itinerary of this walk (available in both written and mobile-friendly formats), along with fascinating background stories, insider tips, and even more hidden gems. Plus, you’ll find additional unique walks to help you uncover the city’s secrets like a true local.
Have fun!