The Sestieri of Venice are the six historic districts that shape the identity of the city. Exploring the sestieri of Venice means understanding how Venice truly lives: six neighbourhoods, six different atmospheres, one fragile city suspended on the water.
From Cannaregio to Dorsoduro, from San Marco to Castello, each sestiere has its own history, rhythm and character — and together they form the soul of Venice.
Your complete guide to the six historic districts that shaped Venice for over a thousand years.
Venice is not a city made to be “visited”.
It is a city made to be discovered slowly, district by district, bridge after bridge, canal after canal.
But before diving into them, there is something important to understand:
❤️ Venice is fragile. Very fragile.
At the beginning of the 1950s, Venezia had over 174,000 residents.
Today, the historical city centre has around 48,000.
Entire neighbourhoods that once echoed with children’s voices, laundries, boatbuilders, markets and artisans… are now quiet.
Some call Venice a museum — but for those who grew up here, it is still a living city, held together by the people who remain.
This guide exists to help you explore Venice with respect and awareness, following the local way.
⚓ A Symbol of the City: The “Ferro” of the Gondola
Before entering the sestieri, there is a symbol that tells their story: the ferro, the metal blade on the bow of every gondola.
The six forward teeth represent the six sestieri
The long curve mirrors the Grand Canal
The upper arch symbolizes the Doge’s hat, the lower one the Rialto bridge.
The final backward tooth represents Giudecca
The three short teeth represent Murano, Burano and Torcello
It’s a silent reminder that Venice is not one place — it is many worlds stitched together, floating on the same water.
🌍 The Six Sestieri of Venice
A complete guide written from a local perspective.
1️⃣ Cannaregio – The Everyday Venice
Cannaregio is where Venice still feels real. It’s the most populated sestiere, full of quiet canals, small shops, artisan studios, and the world’s first Jewish Ghetto.
🔹 Highlights
Jewish Ghetto (1516)
Fondamenta della Misericordia
Madonna dell’Orto Church
Campo dei Gesuiti
🔹 Why visit
Calm, lived-in, authentically Venetian.
Perfect for slow walks and discovering food, crafts, and neighbourhood life.
See 🌿 Cannaregio — The Everyday Venice
2️⃣ Castello – The Largest and Most Local Sestiere
Castello stretches from San Marco’s elegance to completely residential areas with kids playing football, parks, and hidden gardens.
It’s Venice without filters.
🔹 Highlights
Via Garibaldi
Giardini della Biennale
San Pietro di Castello
Arsenale (naval district of the Serenissima)
🔹 Why visit
A mix of history, everyday life, and silence.
Where you still hear the sound of boats and locals saying ciao across windows.
See 🍃 Castello — Venice’s Quiet Soul, Where Real Life Is
3️⃣ Dorsoduro – Churches, Art and Lagoon Light
Dorsoduro has the most beautiful sunset light in Venice.
It’s home to art galleries, peaceful fondamenta, and student life.
🔹 Highlights
Zattere promenade
Punta della Dogana
Accademia Bridge
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
🔹 Why visit
Wide canals, slow atmosphere, perfect lagoon walks.
See 🎨 Dorsoduro — Art, Light & Lagoon Silence at the Edge of Venice
4️⃣ San Marco – The Heart of Venice
The most visited and iconic sestiere, home to the Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the most elegant campi.
🔹 Highlights
Piazza San Marco
Palazzo Ducale
Teatro La Fenice
Calle Larga XXII Marzo (luxury street)
🔹 Why visit
Art, history, architecture — and the timeless feeling of standing in the political centre of the Serenissima.
See 🟦 San Marco – The Beating Heart of Venice
5️⃣ San Polo – Markets, Food & Medieval Streets
San Polo surrounds the Rialto Market, the oldest in Venice.
Narrow calli, churches full of masterpieces, and some of the best bacari.
🔹 Highlights
Rialto Market
Campo San Polo
Church of Santa Maria dei Frari
San Giacomo di Rialto
🔹 Why visit
Perfect for food lovers and anyone who wants to feel Venice’s medieval heart.
See 🎋 San Polo — Venice’s Market Heartbeat, Where Rialto’s Story Still Lives
6️⃣ Santa Croce – The Quiet Gateway to Venice
Often overlooked, Santa Croce is calm, residential, and full of hidden gems.
🔹 Highlights
Papadopoli Gardens
San Stae
Ca’ Pesaro (Modern Art Museum)
🔹 Why visit
Wide spaces, no crowds, and easy access — perfect for arriving or leaving Venice peacefully.
See 🎒 Santa Croce — Venice’s Quietest Sestiere, Where Everyday Life Still Flows
🛶 The Sestieri and the Lagoon – One City, Many Worlds
Venice was born as a constellation of islands, slowly connected by bridges.
Even today, each sestiere still feels like a small town with its own soul.
When you walk through these districts, you’re not just moving through streets —
you’re moving through 1000 years of uninterrupted life, shaped by water, trade, and fragile beauty.
And the best way to respect Venice is simple:
walk slowly, look around, and treat every corner like it’s someone’s home.
Because…. it is someone’s home.
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THE ULTIMATE VENICE CARNIVAL GUIDE
This guide is part of the TripVenice Venice Travel Series,
created to help visitors explore the city with local insight,
real information, and no tourist traps.