Venice’s Bridges

The bridges of Venice

A thematic stop on the Venice audio-guided tour, this pause evokes the bridges that make up the city's identity. Yet the Venice of the past was very different: originally, the city had no bridge at all.

From a city without bridges to a city of bridges

How did people get around then, with all this water ? Like tourists in gondolas today, the inhabitants used their own boats or the public transport of the time to move across the one hundred and twenty-one islands. It took the expansion of the city, the development of trade and the growth of the population for the first bridges to appear.

What to see

Today, the historic centre of Venice has hundreds of bridges linking its islands. Only four span the Grand Canal: the Rialto, the Accademia, the Scalzi and the Constitution bridge. As you walk, observe the variety of these structures, of stone, wood or metal, which make the magic of the city.

Practical information

This stop is experienced along the route, throughout Venice. The bridges are discovered on foot, freely accessible, along the alleys and canals of the city.

How many bridges span the Grand Canal ?

Four: the Rialto, the Accademia, the Scalzi and the Constitution bridge.

How did people get around Venice before the bridges ?

By boat, each using their own or the public transport of the time to link the islands.