Giudecca Wedding

The Giudecca: Venice across the water

The Giudecca is the long island south of the city, across the wide Giudecca Canal from the Zattere. It's mostly residential and much quieter than the centre. Its long fondamenta faces Venice, with the Zattere, the domes of the Salute and, at the eastern tip, St Mark's basin.

Weddings on the Giudecca

Portraits with the city opposite

The Giudecca has the best view of Venice. Walking the fondamenta at sunset, you have the whole city as a backdrop with no crowds around you. Hotel shuttle boats and vaporetto lines 2 and 4.1/4.2 link the island with San Marco and the Zattere in minutes.

In July, the Festa del Redentore turns the Giudecca Canal into a stage for fireworks, which is spectacular but very crowded.

A Giudecca session, step by step

• Vaporetto from the Zattere to the Redentore stop.
• Portraits on the steps of the Redentore.
• Walk east along the fondamenta to the Zitelle and the tip of the island.
• Sunset with the Salute and St Mark's across the water.
• Drinks on a hotel terrace with a view of the city.

The Giudecca through the seasons

In summer, the fondamenta is lively with residents and visitors to the hotels. In July, the Redentore festival fills the canal with boats. Autumn and winter bring soft, golden light and quiet, with the city often veiled in mist across the water.

The Giudecca's history

The Giudecca was once a place of gardens, villas and convents, then of factories and workshops, like the Molino Stucky flour mill and the Fortuny textile factory, still active today. Its mix of residential streets, industrial architecture and grand hotels makes it unique in Venice.

Getting around the Giudecca

The island is long and narrow, with a fondamenta along the northern edge facing the city. Vaporetto lines 2 and 4.1/4.2 stop at several points, and hotel shuttles connect to San Marco.

Who the Giudecca suits

Couples who want to stay in a luxury hotel away from the crowds, with the best view of Venice from across the water, and those who love calm, residential atmospheres.

Hidden corners of the Giudecca

Behind the fondamenta, narrow calli lead to quiet courtyards, small canals and gardens hidden behind walls. Sacca Fisola, at the western end, has open views over the lagoon towards the port, while the eastern tip, by the Zitelle and the Cipriani, faces San Giorgio and the whole St Mark's basin. The Fortuny factory, still producing its famous printed fabrics, and the old Molino Stucky show the island's industrial side.

Plan B for bad weather on the Giudecca

The porches of the Redentore and the Zitelle offer shelter along the fondamenta, and the hotels' lobbies and terraces make cosy places to wait for a shower to pass. Misty days are often the most beautiful on the Giudecca, with the city appearing and disappearing across the water.

Where to stay on the Giudecca

Staying on the Giudecca gives you the best of both worlds: calm, residential streets and luxury hotels, with the view of Venice across the water and the centre minutes away by boat. Beyond the Cipriani, the Molino Stucky and Airelles Palladio, there are smaller hotels and guesthouses, as well as a youth hostel for younger guests. Hotel shuttles and vaporetti run often to San Marco and the Zattere, and the evening walk back along the fondamenta, with the city lit up opposite, is one of the most romantic in Venice.

Planning tips for Giudecca

• Walk the fondamenta at sunset for portraits with the city opposite.
• Use hotel shuttle boats to link the Giudecca with San Marco.
• Avoid the third weekend of July unless you want the Redentore festival.

Giudecca: frequently asked questions