RunCity

Venice on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 11 of Venice's best-known sights, including Santa Maria della Salute, Ponte dell'Accademia, Campo Santa Margherita and more. It is about 6.5 km on foot, roughly 2.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Venice leaderboard.

  • 11Stops
  • about 6.5 kmDistance
  • 2.5 hoursWalking
  • about 61 minRunning
Play Venice in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Venice
Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0

In Venice the walk is the point: there are no cars, and this route links the city's great sights through its quieter campi. It starts at Santa Maria della Salute at the mouth of the Grand Canal, crosses the wooden Accademia Bridge and wanders through Dorsoduro to Campo Santa Margherita, the students' square, and on to the brick Frari church. The station steps at Santa Lucia are the far point, after which the route turns back through the Rialto Market and over the Rialto Bridge.

St Mark's Square and the Bridge of Sighs come next, seen from the Ponte della Paglia, and the bonus stop is Libreria Acqua Alta, a bookshop that keeps its books in bathtubs and a gondola. The last stop is the land gate of the Arsenale with its stone lions, in a quieter part of Castello. Expect to get lost between stops; that is part of it. The Rialto fish market is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Santa Maria della Salute

    Santa Maria della Salute Photo

    The white domed basilica at the mouth of the Grand Canal.

    Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0

  2. Ponte dell'Accademia

    Ponte dell'Accademia Photo

    The wooden bridge with the Grand Canal opening up to the Salute.

    Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Campo Santa Margherita

    Campo Santa Margherita

    The lively square of cafés and students.

    Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. Frari Church

    Frari Church

    The big brick Gothic church and its campo.

    Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

  5. Santa Lucia railway station

    Santa Lucia railway station

    The station steps facing the Grand Canal.

    Photo: Mister No · CC BY 3.0

  6. Rialto Market

    Rialto Market

    The fish market and the arcades where Venice shops.

    Photo: Denis Apel · CC BY-SA 4.0

  7. Rialto Bridge

    Rialto Bridge Photo

    The stone arch over the Grand Canal with its row of shops.

    Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0

  8. St Mark's Square

    St Mark's Square Photo

    The Campanile and the basilica across the great square.

    Photo: Matthias Süßen · CC BY-SA 4.0

  9. Bridge of Sighs

    Bridge of Sighs Photo

    The little enclosed bridge seen from the Ponte della Paglia.

    Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

  10. Libreria Acqua Alta

    Libreria Acqua Alta Bonus

    The bookshop that keeps its books in bathtubs and gondolas.

    Photo: Davide Mauro · CC BY-SA 4.0

  11. Arsenale gate

    Arsenale gate Photo

    The land gate guarded by stone lions.

    Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0

Play Venice in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Venice on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 11 stops on this route add up to about 6.5 km, roughly 2.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Venice is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Venice?

    Open Venice in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Venice leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Santa Maria della Salute and finishing at Arsenale gate. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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