The Bridge of Sighs is one of Venice’s most recognisable landmarks: an enclosed bridge of pale Istrian stone spanning the Rio di Palazzo between the Doge’s Palace and the New Prison. Built around 1600 and attributed to Antonio Contino, it takes its English name from a legend popularised by Lord Byron, who imagined prisoners sighing at their last glimpse of Venice through its latticed windows.
The bridge’s beauty is inseparable from its purpose. Its sculpted Baroque exterior looks delicate above the narrow canal, but the passage inside formed part of the Venetian Republic’s justice system. The classic view is from Ponte della Paglia on the Riva degli Schiavoni, where the bridge is framed between the palace and prison. Early morning brings softer light and usually fewer crowds.
To walk through the Bridge of Sighs, visit the Doge’s Palace; the passage is included on the standard visitor route. Allow two to three hours for the palace, whose grand Gothic rooms and paintings by Tintoretto and Veronese deserve more time than the brief crossing itself. Book tickets online ahead of your visit, especially in the busy spring and summer months. If you’re short on time or budget, the exterior view from Ponte della Paglia is free.