The name of this district derives from the fact that it stood in a little marshy area and therefore considered stable compared to the others.
It is connected to the San Marco district via the Accademia Bridge and is bordered by the Santa Croce and San Polo districts on one side, with the Grand Canal on the other and finally with the Giudecca Canal on the Zattere side. The Giudecca Island and the canal that passes between the latter and the district are also part of Dorsoduro.
What To See
Dorsoduro boasts a rich presence, second only to the San Marco district, of churches, palaces and museums.
Right in the center of the district we find Campo Santa Margherita, a space very popular with young university students and tourists, considered one of the liveliest places in the city. It is the ideal place if you want to take a break and want to taste the "spritz", an alcoholic aperitif prepared with prosecco, aperol (bitter) and sparkling water. At night the Campo is one of the places most frequented by young people, who consider it a meeting place for the Venetian nightlife.
A walk along the Fondamenta Zattere is highly recommended, as it will allow you to enjoy a very suggestive view of the Giudecca Canal. In spring-summer it becomes one of the most popular places to stroll, thanks also to the rich presence along the Fondamenta of bars, ice cream parlors and restaurants.
The Zattere and Accademia area is also considered one of the most exclusive areas in the city as it contains rare examples of modern residential architecture.
Curiosities of Dorsoduro
In the Dorsoduro district stands Palazzo Ca 'Dario, a dwelling overlooking the Grand Canal on which a curse has been said to have been serious for centuries, also thanks to the tragic events that saw past tenants as protagonists: those who had to buy the house, in fact, would face terrible misfortunes, from financial meltdown to violent death, by accidental causes, murder or suicide.
In this district we also find Campo San Barnaba, famous for being the protagonist, with the church that stands there, in a scene from the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade".
In fact, the church was used to set an imaginary library, while the field was filmed during a scene in which the protagonist, after having penetrated into the non-existent basement of the city, came out of a manhole in the center of the field, creating an immense sensation among the customers. of the nearby bar.