Riva degli Schiavoni

San Marco Waterfront

Monumental waterfront along the San Marco basin.

Naval Heritage Top 20 Alternatives Waterfront Walks

Sestiere Castello

Show on map

San Zaccaria

Waterbus Guide

Additional resources

What makes it special

Historic waterfront

Built as early as the 9th century, the Riva served as the bustling port of San Marco. For centuries, vessels from across the Mediterranean docked here, creating a lively scene of traders, dignitaries, and sailors doing business and conversing in many languages.

Origin of the name

'Schiavoni' literally means 'Slavs' – a nod to the Slavic merchants who ferried their cargo to Venice from across the Adriatic Sea.

Long & wide

The entire waterfront stretches for about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from Piazza San Marco to Giardini della Biennale. This notably wide promenade features equally spacious bridges that cross the numerous canals flowing into the San Marco basin.

Views of San Marco

From its eastern end, you'll find postcard-worthy vistas of Venice's most iconic landmarks next to the glittering expanse of water.

Riva degli Schiavoni : At its eastern end, the promenade remains wide, but it has significantly fewer people

Open Gallery for more insights

Your experience here

It’s Venice’s exceptionally wide waterfront — perfect for a scenic stroll.
Capture beautiful vistas of San Marco's iconic sights next to the water — especially magical at sunset.
Watch a nonstop parade of gondolas, vaporettos, and workboats glide past.

Open Gallery to get the feel

Your stroll in 3 acts

Since you're already at the western end of the waterfront to see the iconic Bridge of Sighs, why not start a stroll eastward along the glittering water, leave the crowds behind, and see where it takes you...

Act 1: From St. Mark's to Vivaldi Church

Just past the New Prisons, Hotel Danieli's grand facade instantly catches your eye because it strikingly mirrors elements from Palazzo Ducale. Ranked by CNN among Venice's top five 'lavish hotels', this historic landmark once buzzed with countless social gatherings and lavish parties.

Consider a quick 2-minute detour left from the waterfront to visit San Zaccaria, famous for its iconic flooded crypt.

Back on the waterfront, you'll soon reach Chiesa della Pieta (Vivaldi Church), built right next to where Antonio Vivaldi lived and composed.

For the ultimate experience, catch an evening concert where uplifting renditions of 'The Four Seasons' fill the space, with colors that shift depending on the season.

Chiesa della Pieta (Vivaldi Church) : A vibrant red mirrors the intense heat and passion of summer

Act 2: Further to Arsenale

The crowds begin to thin and tourism is replaced by hints of authentic Venice.

Plenty of shaded terraces beckon for a well-deserved break.

Soon, you'll reach the canal leading to the majestic main gate of the Arsenale – Venice's ancient shipbuilding powerhouse, and a detour you won't regret.

Right where the canal meets the waterfront, the Naval History Museum awaits, offering a fascinating dive into the Venetian Republic's naval might – you can even explore a Cold War-era submarine!

Riva degli Schiavoni : If you're lucky, you might even catch an historic vessel anchored in front of Naval History Museum

Explore Naval History Museum

Final act: the Napoleonic gardens.

Continuing east, authentic Venetian life truly begins to unravel before your eyes. Consider a detour onto Via Garibaldi to truly sample it.

Back on the waterfront, the views over the San Marco basin are simply breathtaking.

Patches of green start to appear, first with the Giardini della Marinaressa, and finally culminating in the lush Giardini della Biennale.

Riva degli Schiavoni : The waterfront eventually concludes nearly 1km away from its starting point, at Giardini della Biennale

Explore Giardini della Biennale

What to do next

Stroll back

Strolling east to west offers a different perspective because you'll constantly keep in sight Venice's most iconic landmarks, such as Campanile di San Marco and Santa Maria della Salute.

And you'll finally make your grand entrance in Piazza San Marco, perhaps when the day-trippers have already gone home and you'll have the concerts in the square almost all to yourself.

Take the waterbus

If you think that was enough for one stroll, simply hop on a vaporetto at one of the many stops along the waterfront to whisk you away to your next adventure.