Cannaregio Venice Italy

Cannaregio is a good place to stay if you are looking for somewhere not far from the main sights of Venice and at far more reasonable prices. The Hotel Abbazia (click for more) and the Foscari Palace Hotel (view details) are my recommendations.

Main attractions in Cannaregio

Perhaps the best known tourist attraction in the Cannaregio Venice district is the Jewish Ghetto. Other than that the region can boast some very worthwhile things to see.

The most important include:

Ca’ d'Oro

A 14th century palazzo situated along the Grand Canal. Ca’ d’Oro is one of the finest example of Venetian Gothic style architecture, a style which always seems to me more Byzantine than Gothic but then what do I know.

The building now houses a very fine gallery of Venetian and Tuscan art. San Sebastiano by Andrea Mantegna is probably the most famous piece on display in the gallery.

Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Santa Maria dei Miracoli is known as the marble church for its marble facade. The church was built in the 15th century, is open daily but visit only if you are in the area.

Palazzo Labia

I really like this Palazzo; amazingly many guide books don’t even mention it at all yet it is only 300 meters from the main station where many tourists arrive.

The building dates back to the 17th century and was built by a very rich Spanish family trying to buy their way (without much success) into the Venetian aristocracy.

Palazzo Labia is a splendid building and pretty unique, being one of the few buildings with facades on three sides and facing onto two canals – the Grand and Canneregio Canals. The magnificent ballroom is without a doubt the highlight.

After the Sights?

Just have a walk around the neighborhood, eat at one of the affordable restaurants and do some shopping at the markets. When it comes to eating, drinking and shopping this is a good area – it is about as cheap as Venice gets and you are likely to find as many locals as tourists in the shops and restaurants.

Cannaregio was once the heart of working class Venice but it has recently started to become trendier with a number of more fashionable bars and restaurants opening all the time. Hopefully the character of the place doesn’t change too much – I like it just the way it is.