Private Walking Tour: Dorsoduro and San Polo Districts

Walking guided tour to reach beautiful churches surrounded by typical Venetian atmospheres, along calli and little campos. In San Trovaso square there is an unusual wooden structure that is similar to the house of the local mountain area. This was an old dwelling for the workers of the squero, a small shipyard for making gondolas. It dates back to the 17th century nd since then it has always been in operation. The walk continues to visit one of the oldest churches in Venice: San Nicolò dei Mendicoli. It was founded by “patavini” (inhabitants of Padua), who lived in the islands of the lagoon in the 7th century to escape the Lombard invasion. Campo Santa Margherita, a picturesque campo surrounded by old 14th century palaces and the little church of Santa Margherita, which is today a university auditorium. Continue to San Rocco School located in the campo bearing the same name. It was founded in 1478 as a charitable institution. The present building was started in 1489 and finished in the 16th. It is famous for a series of paintings by Tintoretto that adorn the rooms. Next to the school there is the church, which is also dedicated to San Rocco. Continue to Scuola Grande di S. Giovanni Evangelista (Confraternity): this confraternity was founded in 1307. The headquarters was built in the 15th century and in 1481 the Bottega dei Lombardi built the impressive gateway in Renaissance style. In 1512 Mauro Codusi rebuilt the great internal staircase. After the school was suppressed by the Napoleonic edicts of 1806 it was acquired by private individuals in 1856 and since then it is still a confraternity today. End of the tour: Campo San Tomà.

The tour takes 2 hours with the possibility of stopping for a café or a glass of wine.

Itinerary: San Trovaso, San Sebastiano, San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, Campo Santa Margherita, San Rocco, San Giovanni Evangelista, Campo San Tomà.