The Venice Rialto Bridge: everything you need to know

St. Mark's Square may be more famous, but the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) is the true heart of Venice.

Known as the "Bridge of Lovers", the Rialto Bridge is one of Venice's beautiful pristine bridges. From it you can take a gondola ride, hop on one of the cruise ships that pass through the Grand Canal, see the most important monuments of Venice, take a photo from the bridge, choose it as the starting point of your tour of Venice and the list goes on...

The Rialto Bridge is an elegant arched stone bridge made up of three sets of stairs divided by arcades. The central stairs are lined with shops and vendors to the point that it's easy to overlook the fact that you're crossing the Grand Canal. These shops pay a lot to be in the area, so buying a souvenir on the Rialto Bridge itself can be expensive.

The other two staircases, on the north and south sides of the bridge, offer iconic views of the Grand Canal, with gondolas, vaporettos, cruise ships and commercial boats passing by day and night ( I recommend passing by the bridge after dark in Venice). While it is true that these stairs are always quite crowded, it is still worth stopping and taking some pictures of this unforgettable scene, few places are as beautiful as the Rialto Bridge at sunset.

On the bridge itself, and underneath the footbridges, there are several gift shops aimed at those tourists who come to this famous bridge to get a view of the Grand Canal waterway full of gondolas and take back something for souvenirs. On both sides of the Rialto Bridge, you will find restaurants along the canal that offer spectacular views of the bridge, but also with high menu prices. My advice is to walk a little further into the Rialto district (in the direction of San Marco) and seek out some of the authentic tavernas and restaurants nestled among the streets and alleys of the city.

Right in front of the Grand Canal, a visit to the large Campo di Venezia (an open space surrounded by important buildings) is not a bad idea. You can also take a stroll around the Cannaregio area and visit the old churches of the 7th century in Venice. The good thing is that wherever you are, whatever street you are in Venice all signs will lead you to the Rialto Bridge, as the bridge is used as a central point, so it's hard to miss this landmark.

If you walk across the bridge from Piazza San Marco, you'll come across the Rialto Market**, a colourful market** full of delicious fruits and vegetables (it also includes a fish market). If you visit Venice in summer you'll surely be tempted by the trays of fresh fruit on sale at some of the market stalls.

The Rialto Market is open every day from 9am to noon both in the Campo della Pescheria and in the surrounding streets.

The market is full of grocery shops, meat market, goods shops.... It is full of life all day long.

The bridge is very recognisable by its circumflex (^) silhouette, the Rialto Bridge is undoubtedly an architectural masterpiece. Built on marshy ground, the bridge rests on no less than 6000 piles. It is 48 metres long, 22 metres wide and 7.50 metres high.

In addition, the bridge is made up of three pedestrian walkways: a central walkway lined with shops following the twelve symmetrical arches of the bridge, and two side walkways on either side of the main walkway

The decorations of the Rialto Bridge are simple and discreet; however, the figures of the two patron saints of the city(Saint Mark and Saint Theodore) give it an artistic rather than an architectural touch.

The Rialto was built by Antonio da Ponte in 1180 and links the two most popular squares in Venice: San Marco and San Polo. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal of Venice. It is also the most famous bridge in Venice thanks to its peculiar history and design. For many years, the flyover was the most important financial centre of Venice.

The current Ponte di Rialto was built in stone between 1588 and 1591 by Antonio da Ponte to replace a wooden bridge that had collapsed twice and had been partially burnt down in 1310.

Personally I think that any time is a good time to visit the Rialto Bridge, I even recommend crossing the bridge at different times of the day to appreciate the Grand Canal in all its splendour both under natural light and artificial lights.

Getting to the Ponte di Rialto is a relatively easy mission given the countless signs indicating its location.

If you start from the train station or Piazzale Roma you should look out for the signs for "Rialto" and follow the route. The same applies if you are walking from Piazza San Marco, simply head for the clock tower, cross the arched passageway and follow the upscale shopping streets known as Mercerie until you reach the Grand Canal, then turn right and walk two blocks to get straight to the bridge.

Another option is to approach the bridge by vaporetto, or water bus. Line 1 of the vaporetto stops right next to the Rialto Bridge, for more information on vaporettos, prices and routes I recommend you visit this post on the Venetian vaporetto.

While walking along the Rialto Bridge in Venice you can choose your favourite Rialto Bridge paintings from the many available there. The Rialto Bridge paintings are world famous and you can take one home with you. The Rialto Bridge, in its various forms, has been in paintings and photographs as one of the central attractions over the years.

You can buy the paintings of the bridge in the gift shops near the Rialto Bridge, or even on the steps of the bridge where many artists take advantage of the influx of tourists to promote their work and sell beautiful handmade paintings at good prices. It's definitely one of the best ways to remember your trip to Venice and having been on this iconic bridge.

Walking across the Rialto Bridge at night is something not to be missed, the lights, the sound of the flowing water, the flashes of light from the vaporettos and cruise ships on the Grand Canal all happening at once!

Opting for a gondola ride to get to the other side of the canal and relax while enjoying spectacular views of Venice at night is something you won't regret. The gondolas can carry a maximum of six people at a time, so it's perfect if you're with family or friends and looking to save money. To find out more about their routes and prices, I recommend this post about Venetian gondola prices.

Gondola rides from the riverside of the Rialto Bridge are also recommended if you're with your partner. You'll also enjoy a ride away from the hustle and bustle in a quiet and cosy atmosphere. It's nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

It's best to take a picture of the bridge from the two paths leading to it. There are also some wooden planks floating in the canal from which you can take pictures. If you are looking for a picture of the Grand Canal, I recommend taking it from the bridge itself, as this will give you a picture of the canal, the typical Venetian houses and the Venetian gondolas sailing by.

For the most impressive picture of the bridge, the best option is to ride a gondola so that you get a picture that includes the Rialto Bridge in front of you and the canal in the background. If you're lucky enough to be there at sunset, you'll get a photo of a whole new level.

On both sides of the bridge, there are a number of bars and excellent eateries where you can buy takeaway food at a good price and with a great taste. Keep in mind that the restaurants in this area are relatively expensive, as they include the amazing views of the bridge in the price. Therefore, I recommend heading to less busy areas if you are looking for cheaper places to eat in Venice.

There are also plenty of pizzerias on both sides of the bridge - you must try the Venetian pizzas! They usually offer a thin crust pizza but with a lot of flavour, I recommend their ham and cheese pizzas.

Near the bridge there are also bars where you can have a beer or other cold drink while enjoying the surrounding lights and the fresh air of Venice.

Be aware that there will be many tourists on the bridge, either shopping on the main walkway or trying to take pictures from the railings. Also be prepared to be immersed in the crowds, especially at peak times, especially in July and August in Venice!

When using the water buses, or vaporettos, keep in mind that Rialto is one of the main stops, so you can use this bridge as a reference.

There are many restaurants and cafes near the Rialto Bridge, but be aware that the views from there don't pay for themselves. If you're on a budget, use the bridge as a starting point and dive into the labyrinths of Venice to find eateries that serve more variety and at a lower cost. You don't have to pay that much to enjoy the best of Venetian food.