Via Garibaldi is a broad, lively street in Castello, in eastern Venice, where neighbourhood life unfolds away from the busiest routes around San Marco. Bakers, greengrocers and small shops serve local residents, while children play and neighbours pause to talk outside the cafés.
Unusually for Venice, Via Garibaldi was once a canal. It was filled in during the Napoleonic era in the early 19th century, creating one of the city's widest streets, and was later named for Giuseppe Garibaldi. The surrounding neighbourhood has long been connected to the Arsenale, the shipyard that sustained the Venetian Republic's maritime power.
Come for a leisurely walk and a taste of everyday Castello: browse the food shops, then stop at a bacaro for cicchetti and a glass of wine. The waterfront is close by, and the Giardini della Biennale and leafy paths of Sant'Elena make rewarding extensions to a visit.
Mornings are a good time to see the street's shops and cafés at work; early evening suits an aperitivo. From San Marco, walk east along the waterfront, or take a vaporetto to Giardini and continue on foot. Check restaurant opening hours before setting out, and remember that this is a residential neighbourhood as well as a place to explore.