Dorsoduro is Venice’s southwestern sestiere, a neighbourhood of art museums, quiet canals and sunny waterfront walks. Its name means “hard ridge”, a reference to the relatively firm ground on which it was built. Away from the routes to its major sights, the atmosphere feels more lived-in than around San Marco, particularly in Campo Santa Margherita, where students and residents gather at cafés and bars.
The Gallerie dell’Accademia is the essential stop for Venetian painting, with works by Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto. A short walk east, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection fills the former home of its American founder with modern European and American art. At the eastern tip of Dorsoduro, Longhena’s domed Santa Maria della Salute was built in thanksgiving for the city’s deliverance from the plague and remains the focus of a religious procession each November.
There is just as much pleasure in exploring between the landmarks. Watch gondolas being repaired at Squero di San Trovaso from across the canal, stop for cicchetti and a glass of wine at a bacaro, then follow the Zattere promenade along the Giudecca Canal. The broad waterfront is especially appealing in the late afternoon, when the light falls across the water and boats pass between Venice and Giudecca.
Reach Dorsoduro on foot from the railway station or Piazzale Roma, or take a vaporetto to Accademia, Zattere or Salute. Check museum opening days before planning your route and book ahead during busy periods. Comfortable shoes are useful for the bridges and uneven paving; an early start makes the popular sights easier to enjoy before the crowds arrive.