An Overview of the District of Castello in Venice

When on your next trip to Venice, you will probably notice that it is divided into lots of districts.  The district of Castello is named after an 8th century fortress and was originally known as Olivolo and is one of Venice’s larger districts and is decidedly different to its neighbour – San Marco.

However, Castello has its own attractions including Giardini Pubblici, which is home to La Biennale.  Don’t forget to visit the Arsenale, which is the industrial hub of Venice where warships were once made and also the Riva degli Schiavoni and the waterfront where you will find elegant palazzi and fine churches. 

You will find fewer tourists in this district, but lots of locals, which demonstrates that this is a good place for restaurants and prices, and you will find the pace in Castello to be more relaxed than in the neighbouring areas.

Sights at a Glance in Castello :

Churches :-
-  La Pieta
-  San Francesco della Vigna
-  Santi Giovanni e Paolo – in one of the most famous monumental square in Venice
-  San Zaccaria – 9^th century church

Historic Buildings and Monuments :-
-  Arsenale – Venice’s oldest dockyard
-  Hotel Danieli – the most historic hotel in Venice
-  Statue of Colleoni – bronze equestrian statue

Streets, Bridges and Squares :-
-  Campo Santa Maria Formoso
-  Ponte della Paglia
-  Bridge of Sighs – the most famous bridge in Venice
-  Riva degli Schiavoni – the best known stretch of Venice waterfront

Museums and Galleries and Scuole :-
-  Museo Diosesano di Arte Sacra – the Museum of Sacred art
-  Museo Storico Navale –Naval History Museum
-  Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
-  Scuala Grande di San Marco

A Top Tip if you are interested in visiting many churches whilst on your holiday in Venice.  Invest in what is called a Chorus Pass, which will enable you to visit 15 of the churches without having to pay 3 euros entry fee each time. The pass will cost around 9 euros.

For more information about visiting Castello or other parts of Venice visit the official tourism website at http://en.turismovenezia.it/.