Dorsoduro: Old gallery-going Venice, art, gelato, the best Spritz.

Dorsoduro is the gallery sestiere, Accademia, Punta della Dogana, Peggy Guggenheim, and the Magazzini del Sale all sit here, within a single walking loop. It's also home to Venice's most famous cicchetti window (Cantinone Già Schiavi) and the Zattere, the south-facing waterfront where everyone goes for golden-hour Spritzes.

Visualize the area.

Every spot in Dorsoduro on one map, 6 eating stops and 14 art venues. The walking route below follows specific stops in order, but feel free to swap in any of the others. It's all curated.

One day, on foot.

Start at the Accademia, walk east along the Grand Canal toward Punta della Dogana, then loop south to the Zattere waterfront. Drop into San Trovaso, Magazzini del Sale, and the lesser-known palazzi along the way.

1. 10:00
   Gallerie dell'Accademia

   Open 8:15 AM Tuesday–Sunday (closed Mondays). The greatest collection of Venetian Renaissance painting in the world, Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto. €15. Allow 2 hours.
2. 12:00
   Walk along the Zattere

   Venice's southern waterfront, facing Giudecca. Wide, sunny, no boats. Stop at Gelateria Nico for the famous Gianduiotto al passeggio (chocolate-hazelnut on a stick).
3. 13:00
   Lunch at Cantinone Già Schiavi

   The iconic cicchetti window on Fondamenta Nani. Stand outside, eat 4–5 cicchetti and drink a glass of wine for under €15. Closed Sundays.
4. 14:30
   Punta della Dogana (Tadao Ando, Pinault Foundation)

   The old customs house transformed into a contemporary art museum. Combined ticket with Palazzo Grassi (€18). The architecture is half the show.
5. 16:00
   Peggy Guggenheim Collection

   Peggy's own former palazzo. Pollock, Picasso, Brancusi, Calder. The sculpture garden is where she's buried. €16.
6. 17:30
   Magazzini del Sale (Dorsoduro 262, Zattere)

   Massive former salt warehouses on the Zattere. Hosting Nalini Malani: Of Woman Born for the 2026 Biennale.
7. 18:30
   Aperitivo at Osteria al Squero

   Right across from the only working gondola repair yard left in Venice. The view alone is worth the Spritz.

Dorsoduro's art venues, ranked.

Curated selection, only the venues actually worth your time. Many smaller Biennale Collateral Events and Pavilions are open free of charge during the exhibition months (May–November 2026).

Dorsoduro's best food spots.

The cicchetti bars, trattorias, and bakeries that have earned their place on the map. Curated, not crowd-sourced.

For reservations at sit-down restaurants, call ahead or check the venue's own website. During peak Biennale weeks, walk-ins are difficult.

Three things only locals know.

• The Accademia opens at 8:15 AM, the only major Venice museum that opens this early. Use this.
• Cantinone Già Schiavi closes on Sundays and from 3:30 PM to 5 PM weekdays. Plan around it.
• The Zattere waterfront is south-facing, the warmest, sunniest place in Venice in winter, and the breeziest in summer.

The other Venice sestieri.

Six neighborhoods, six itineraries. Each covers what art to see, where to eat, and the best walking route.