Venice Neighborhoods: The Sestieri, Giudecca and the Islands
Historic Venice is divided into six districts called sestieri: San Marco, home to St Mark's Square, plus Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce. The Giudecca, across the wide Giudecca Canal, belongs to Dorsoduro, and Burano and Murano are separate islands in the lagoon. Each neighborhood guide covers what is there, how to get around it on foot and by water, and where a gondola ride fits in. The official gondola fare is the same in every district: €90 for 30 minutes by day and €110 for 35 minutes from 19:00, per boat.
San Marco, San Polo and Santa Croce: the Grand Canal core
San Marco holds St Mark's Square, the Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and the narrow canal under the Bridge of Sighs. Across the Rialto Bridge, San Polo is home to the Rialto markets, and Santa Croce holds Piazzale Roma, the city's road entrance, at the western end of the Grand Canal. All three line the Grand Canal, so a gondola station is never far away.
St Marks Square and San Marco, Venice: 2026 Area Guide
St Marks Square and the San Marco district: what to see, the gondola stations around the Piazza, vaporetto stops and who should base here in 2026.
San Polo, Venice: 2026 Guide to the Rialto District
San Polo Venice, the smallest sestiere: the Rialto Bridge and market, the Frari, San Rocco, the San Tomà gondola station and how to get there in 2026.
Santa Croce, Venice: 2026 Guide to the Gateway District
Santa Croce Venice: Piazzale Roma, the Calatrava bridge, Ca' Pesaro, San Giacomo dell'Orio, gondola stands near the station and vaporetto stops for 2026.
Cannaregio, Castello and Dorsoduro
Cannaregio stretches from the station along the northern edge of the city. Castello, the largest district, runs east to the Giardini and the Arsenale, the venues of the Venice Biennale. Dorsoduro sits across the Grand Canal from San Marco and holds the Salute church, where a pontoon bridge is built for the feast on 21 November. Each guide covers the canals worth seeing from a boat and the quieter streets on foot.
Cannaregio, Venice: 2026 Guide to the Quiet North
Cannaregio, Venice's northern district: the Ghetto, Ca' d'Oro, quiet canals, gondola and traghetto points, vaporetto stops and who should stay in 2026.
Castello, Venice: 2026 Guide to the Arsenal and Biennale
Castello Venice, the largest sestiere: the Arsenal, the Biennale gardens, San Zanipolo, Bridge of Sighs gondola rides and vaporetto stops for 2026.
Dorsoduro, Venice: 2026 Guide to Art, Squeri and Zattere
Dorsoduro, Venice: the Accademia, the Guggenheim, La Salute, the San Trovaso gondola yard, Zattere walks, gondola points and vaporetto stops for 2026.
Giudecca and the lagoon islands: Burano and Murano
The Giudecca faces San Marco across the Giudecca Canal; on the Redentore weekend in July a bridge of barges links it to the city. Burano and Murano lie out in the lagoon and are reached by public water bus or on an organised trip. These guides cover how to get there, how long to allow, and how a day on the islands combines with a gondola ride back in the centre.
Giudecca, Venice: 2026 Guide to the Island Across the Canal
Giudecca, Venice: Palladio's Redentore, the Molino Stucky, the Redentore festival, vaporetto stops and whether you can take a gondola there in 2026.
Burano and Murano, Venice: 2026 Lagoon Islands Guide
Burano and Murano from Venice: the coloured houses and lace, the glass furnaces, which vaporetto to take, boat tours from about $20, and gondola facts.
Frequently asked questions
What are the neighborhoods of Venice called?
Sestieri. Historic Venice has six: San Marco, Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce.
Which neighborhood is St Mark's Square in?
San Marco, the sestiere named after it, which also holds the Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
Is the Giudecca part of Venice?
Yes. It is an island across the Giudecca Canal and is part of the Dorsoduro sestiere.
Does a gondola ride cost more in some neighborhoods?
No. The City of Venice sets one fare for the whole city: €90 for 30 minutes from 09:00 to 19:00 and €110 for 35 minutes from 19:00, per gondola.