In this series of walks, Venetian locals reveal their hidden gems and personal favorites, offering insider tips to help you experience Venice like never before. Each walk is carefully crafted from their recommendations to guide you through the authentic heart of the city. In this journey, Mattia Gesiot takes us from the lively areas of Cannaregio and Santa Croce to the historical sites of Castello and the Arsenale.
Mattia Gesiot grew up in the Mestre area in a non-Venetian family. He always enjoyed visiting Venice when he could, whether for an evening or for a day trip. While studying in Lisbon and working in London, he realized how much he loved his city. Visiting Venice and finding it full of tacky souvenirs deeply disappointed him. He realized that if he were a tourist in Venice, he probably wouldn’t have bought any souvenirs. When he returned, he decided to move to Venice and start Feelin’ Venice with some friends to create cool souvenirs he liked and would want to buy as a tourist. Over time, the team created more and more high-quality products with a contemporary look and fair prices. And, most important – locally designed. What makes him proud is that Venetians love the products. More information >>> feelinvenice.com
What’s the one thing you adore most about Venice?
“I love the sounds of the city. The silence, the waves. I love them especially in the mornings and in the evenings, when the city is less crowded. I guess it’s the only city where you don’t get used to the noise of the cars.”
Mattia’s special place: start of the itinerary
“I especially love Cannaregio, my borough, and more in particular its north area. It is very lively, with many residents and kids. At the same time, beyond Strada Nova, the other calli are very quiet. In my relax-moments, I like to take a walk on Fondamenta dei Ormesini, sit at one of the bars, sip a coffee and watch people and boats passing by.”
Fondamenta dei Ormesini is a lively, vibrant area in Cannaregio with plenty of bars and restaurants. Locals gather here to meet and talk and often sit on the ground on the quays or in boats moored if the terraces are full. The name comes from ormesin, a silk fabric used to make drapes that was imported from Ormus in the Persian Gulf and was very popular in Venice. The area, originally muddy swamps, was drained in the 11th and 12th century to form three canals: Sensa, Misericordia and Madonna dell’Orto.
From Fondamenta dei Ormesini to Calle de la Mandola
Walk towards the ghetto by crossing the iron bridge and continue in the direction of the Santa Lucia train station. Cross Canal Grande and keep going left to reach San Giacomo da l’Orio. From there, continue towards the Rialto bridge and keep right after crossing it. Calle de la Mandola is close to Campo Manin.
Cannaregio is the home of the Ghetto Ebraico (Jewish Ghetto) in Venice. This area was originally the seat of a metal foundry (‘geti’ in Italian), before it became a residential area for Christians in the 15th century. In 1516, the Venetian authorities evicted them and forced all Jews to live there in confinement. During the day, Jews could leave the ghetto to trade, provided they wore a sign to be recognized. At night, they were obliged to stay within the gated part of the city. This was in fact the first ghetto in the world. In 1797, Napoleon’s army destroyed the ghetto’s gates and planted a liberty tree in the centre of the main square. From that moment, Jews were free to live among Venetians.
(Campo de Ghetto Novo, Cannaregio)
“I recommend spending some time in San Giacomo da l’Orio and in the nearby calle. With kids playing in the Campo, bars busy with locals at aperitivo time and locals meeting up spontaneously to chat, you will get a flavour of a different Venice, busy with residents and full of life. On this note, joining one the local ‘sagra’ in summertime is also a great way to immerse in the local life – just beware of the long queues! Sagra di San Giacomo is one of my favourites, but they’re all worth the waiting.”
Campo San Giacomo da l’Orio is one of Venice’s less touristy squares where you can take a break under the trees, while surrounded by locals and watch the children play. The church is one of the oldest in Venice, founded in the 9th century. The current structure dates back to 1225 but has been rebuilt and enlarged several times over the centuries. Inside, you can admire works by Palma il Giovane and Veronese. The main entrance faces the canal to the north into Campiello del Piovan, while its back and apses can be seen from Campo San Giacomo da l’Orio. The name of the campiello refers to the parish priest, the piovan, who ran the church and parish.
(Campo San Giacomo da l’Orio, Santa Croce)
“I love the exhibitions at the Lineadacqua gallery. We’re close friends and we worked on several projects together. They feature works by local artists and they are located right in the heart of Calle de la Mandola, a charming Venetian shopping street connecting Rialto and Accademia.”
Lineadacqua is an art gallery which promotes and supports contemporary Venetian art. After twenty years of experience at the Linea d’acqua antiquarian bookshop, specialized in engraving and book art of ancient Venice, the team opened the gallery in 2021. Lineadacqua explores the artistic language of contemporary Venice through the gaze of local artists, offering a fresh platform for figurative art. Their exhibition spaces in Calle de la Mandola showcases works of painting, engraving and photography.
(Calle de la Mandola 3716/a-3720/a, San Marco, lineadacqua.gallery)
From Calle de la Mandola to Arsenale
Walk north towards Campo Santa Maria Formosa and continue in the direction of the hospital on Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo. Follow the flow of the lagoon to reach San Francesco della Vigna. From there, go east toward Arsenale.
The Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, known in Venetian as San Zanipolo, is one of the largest churches in Venice. Doge Jacopo Tiepolo donated the area to the Dominican order in 1234. The church is dedicated to the Roman martyrs Giovanni and Paolo, who lived in the fifth century, rather than the apostles with the same names. Starting in the 15th century, all the doges’ funerals took place here. Twenty-five doges are buried in the church, providing plenty of tombs to admire. The interior is also sumptuously decorated with masterpieces from important Venetian artists such as Bellini, Cima da Conegliano, Palma il Giovane, Vivarini and Veronese. In 1806, the convent was transformed into a military and later became a civil hospital.
(Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo 6363, Castello, www.santigiovanniepaolo.it)
“Arsenale and the nearby Castello area will impress you with its majesty. You can only visit the Arsenale at certain occasions (such as the Salone Nautico or the Biennale), but even the outside will already give you a glimpse of its grandeur.”
The Arsenale dates from around 1150 – 1200 and encompasses a total surface of approx. 45 hectare. It started as a shipyard for the state of Venice and built warships and commercial ships. The workers (called Arsenalotti) also produced cord and weapons such as fireams, handguns, bombards and crossbows. In the Middle Ages, the Arsenale was the largest industrial complex in Europe, with up to 16,000 employees. After world war I, the Arsenale became a military zone. The site is now used by the Italian marine, the Biennale di Venezia and the Consorzio Venezia Nuova. You can access the sculpture garden via the Arsenale Nord entrance to get a good overview of the size of the area, and of the different buildings. Check out my post ‘The fascinating history behind the Arsenale walls‘ for more information.
Any other insider tips you’d like to share?
“Venice shines at its best with less people and without crowds. Hence, I recommend visiting the city outside the peak season (April-October). I also invite everyone to go beyond the main streets and the main attractions. This is where you get the best of Venice and where you get a bit closer to its essence, beyond the surface.”
More tips from Mattia
Zattere: In summer, I recommend to take a walk along this waterfront.
Burano, Torcello and Murano: A day trip to the islands is definitely worth it.
San Lazzaro degli Armeni: If you like history and culture, this island is a hidden gem. You need to book the visit, but it’s definitely worth it.
Coffee: Caffè del Doge, a quiet traditional coffee shop just steps away from the busy Rialto bridge (Corte del Doge di Rialto 1321, San Polo)
Aperitivo: Caffè Lavena, where you can enjoy great drinks and a superb location at the right price (Piazza San Marco 133/134, San Marco, www.caffelavena.it)
Dinner with friends: Trattoria Al Bomba, who combine traditional food with an easy-going atmosphere. The dining room features only one long table with all guests sitting close to each other so you are likely to get to talk to the other customers. (Calle de L’oca 4297/B, Cannaregio, www.trattoriaalbomba.com)
Culinary hotspots: Venissa is a Michelin-starred restaurant which focuses on sustainability by learning how to transform invasive alien species which are dangerous for the eco-system into delicious meals (Fondamenta S. Caterina 3, Mazzorbo, www.venissa.it); Osteria Giorgione da Masa is a Japanese restaurant serving little Japanese ‘cicchetti’ and natural wines (Calle Larga dei Proverbi 4582a, Cannaregio, www.osteriagiorgionedamasa.com); Koenji, from the name of a Tokio borough, is a small Venetian-Japanese bacaro close to Frari (Calle Larga Prima 2950, San Polo, www.koenji-venezia.com); Bacan is an unexpected gourmet restaurant serving plates from Mexico and South America (Calle del Tintor 1834, Santa Croce, www.bacanbacan.com)
Special dinner: Acqua Pazza, who brought flavors from Campania to Venice and have a fantastic terrace on the campo… perfect in the sunny days (Campo Sant’Angelo 3808, San Marco 3808, www.veniceacquapazza.com)
Shops: Feelin’ Venice, of course 😊 (Strada Nova 4194, Cannaregio, Calle de la Mandola 3720, San Marco, feelinvenice.com); I like exploring artisans’ shops in Santa Croce, where more and more young artisans are settling in and opening small boutiques, full of creativity and passion. For example, check out the young stylists of Edith Marcel (Santa Croce 1994, edithmarcel.com) for clothes, or PaperOowl for origami-style jewelry (Fondamenta Rio Marin 821, Santa Croce, www.paperoowl.com)
Books: Venezia Come by Gambier & Keller. They explain Venice in an easy way and use simple words and illustrations to show for instance how it was built. Very effective and pleasant.
If you would like to continue your walk, go towards the Riva and continue there with the walk with Arianna which will take you along the shores of the lagoon and the bacino di San Marco.
Want to explore even more of Venice? My book ‘Walks in Venice: In the footsteps of 9 locals‘ includes a detailed step-by-step itinerary of this walk (available in both written and mobile-friendly formats), along with fascinating background stories, insider tips, and even more hidden gems. Plus, you’ll find additional unique walks to help you uncover the city’s secrets like a true local.
Enjoy your walk!