We prepare ourselves to visit Sestiere San Marco and discover the "heart" of Venice.
Political and legal centre since ancient times, it hosts the majority of restaurants, shops and luxury hotels, in addition to imposing churches, three theatres – including La Fenice – that recently re-opened its doors after the 1996 fire, as well as a number of stately palazzi.

Our stroll to the discovery of the largest Sestiere of the city begins from Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Under commander Bartolomeo Colleoni’s eyes, depicted in the Verrocchio’s monument that dominates the campo, we can admire the refined façade of Scuola Grande di San Marco, planned by Pietro Lombardo and the Byzantine-relieves portal of the massive gothic church that gives its name to the campo.

Our visit to Sestiere Cannaregio, owing its name to the Canal Regio, starts from the crowded Santa Lucia Railway Station. Leaving Ponte degli Scalzi to our right, we enter the long Strada Nova “corridor”.

We enter Sestiere San Polo that despite being the smallest in size, has the largest campo in the city, the one with San Paolo Apostolo Church built in IX century, where important works by Veronese and Palma il Giovane are housed.   We set off at Rialto Bridge - the oldest and most famous stone bridge in the city - completed by Antonio da Ponte in 1591, and dive into the crowd that crosses it at every time of the day.

Let us leave the hectic Piazzale Roma behind and head for the Sestiere Santa Croce to discover the far east part of Venice. Its name comes from the Church della Santa Croce, founded by the first Veneto settlers around 600 a. C. and later demolished in 1810.

Dorsoduro takes its name from the curved shape of the land on which it was built, higher than the surrounding lands. Our walking tour starts from Campo Santa Margherita, the liveliest campo of the Sestiere.

The Giudecca Island is the biggest in Venice and overlooks the canal of the same name. On the opposite waterfront is the district called Dorsoduro. It is situated to the south of the lagoon and is a quiet neighbourhood. Its beauty lies in the fact that the waterfront overlooking the Giudecca canal gives fabulous views of Venice.