The four bridges over the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal is 3,800 m long, and four fixed bridges cross it: Rialto, Accademia, Scalzi and Constitution. The Scalzi bridge is also known as the station bridge. Temporary festival or sports bridges are not counted.
Rialto is the one on every postcard. Accademia and Scalzi date from the 1930s, and Constitution opened in 2008. Between them you cross by traghetto, or you go by water. A Grand Canal gondola ride passes under the bridges and shows each one from below.
The Grand Canal bridges compared
From the Piazzale Roma end of the canal to San Marco.
| Bridge | Designer | Date | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponte della Costituzione | Santiago Calatrava | Opened 2008 | Links the station area with Piazzale Roma |
| Ponte degli Scalzi | Eugenio Miozzi | Built 1934 | Beside the station, stop Ferrovia |
| Rialto Bridge | – | – | Stops Rialto and Rialto Mercato |
| Ponte dell'Accademia | Eugenio Miozzi | Opened 1933 | Stop Accademia, Lines 1 and 2 |
For most visitors, the Accademia bridge is the one to cross for the view, and the Rialto side is the one to see for the market. Add Scalzi if you arrive by train, because it stands beside the station. Rialto and its market have their own guide at Rialto Bridge and the Rialto market.
Our pick: cross the canal on foot
Our take: this walk takes you over the Rialto Bridge with a guide.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Grand Canal tours that pass under the bridges
Boat tours, gondola rides and private boats along the canal, with live prices and availability.
Ponte dell'Accademia
Eugenio Miozzi designed the Accademia bridge as a wooden stopgap, and it opened on 19 February 1933. Its load-bearing parts were later made partly of steel too, so it is not entirely timber. It connects the Dorsoduro side with the San Marco side, and the Accademia stop is on both Line 1 and Line 2.
The view from the top is the best known on the canal. You look along the water toward Santa Maria della Salute, with boats passing below. For the church itself, see our guide to Santa Maria della Salute.
Ponte degli Scalzi
The Scalzi bridge is also by Eugenio Miozzi and was built in 1934. It is made of stone, and it is the bridge you meet first if you arrive at the railway station. The nearest stop is Ferrovia.
The view along the canal looks different after dark. Our guide to the Grand Canal at night covers the evening.
Ponte della Costituzione
Santiago Calatrava designed this bridge of glass and steel, and it opened on 11 September 2008. It links the station area with Piazzale Roma, so it is the one you cross when you move between the two. It is the newest of the four.
If you need step-free access, check the current situation on each bridge before you travel, as the answer can change between bridges.
How to see all four bridges
By water or on foot.
On Line 1
The vaporetto runs the length of the canal and passes under all four bridges. The ride from Piazzale Roma to San Marco Vallaresso takes about 44 minutes, and a 75-minute ticket costs €9.50. In the day, boats leave about every 12 minutes. Details are in our Vaporetto Line 1 guide.
On foot
Each bridge is a short walk from a vaporetto stop: Ferrovia for Scalzi, Rialto for the Rialto Bridge and Accademia for the Accademia bridge. Constitution sits between Piazzale Roma and the station.
By gondola
A gondola ride by day costs €90 for 30 minutes, per boat, for up to 5 people. It does not always cover the whole canal, so ask the gondolier which bridges the route passes.
Three of the bridges look very different. The Accademia bridge is timber and steel, Scalzi is stone, and Constitution is glass and steel. For palaces on the banks near each bridge, see our guide to the Grand Canal palaces.
Crossing the canal between the bridges
Other ways across.
Traghetto
Gondola ferries cross the canal at fixed points. A crossing costs €2. Hours differ by crossing, and some ferries do not run on weekends. See the traghetto guide.
Vaporetto
A 75-minute ticket costs €9.50, and a 24-hour pass costs €25. Lines 1 and 2 serve both banks of the canal.
The Festa della Salute
Each year on 21 November a temporary floating bridge is set up so that people can reach the church. It is not a fifth permanent bridge, and it is there only for the feast.
Plan the rest of your canal trip
More from the water.
Grand Canal bridges: frequently asked questions
How many bridges cross the Grand Canal?
Four fixed bridges: Rialto, Accademia, Scalzi and Constitution. Temporary bridges for festivals or events are not counted.
Who built the Accademia bridge?
Eugenio Miozzi designed it as a temporary wooden solution, and it opened on 19 February 1933. Its load-bearing parts were later also made of steel.
When was the Scalzi bridge built?
In 1934, by Eugenio Miozzi. It stands beside the railway station.
Who designed the Constitution bridge?
Santiago Calatrava. It opened in 2008 and links the station area with Piazzale Roma.
Which bridge has the best view?
The Accademia bridge, looking toward Santa Maria della Salute. Rialto has its own guide on our sister site.
Is this an official page?
No. This is an independent guide to the Grand Canal. It is not run by the city of Venice or by any museum.