Administratively belonging to the Dorsoduro district, the island of Giudecca is one of the quietest neighborhoods in Venice. Once known as Spinalonga due to its oblong size, Giudecca is a fantastic choice for accommodation for your Venice trip. Located on the city’s south and separated by San Marco by the Giudecca Canal, the island offers a real Venetian life experience.
Giudecca impressed me with its tranquility and daily life. After visiting the Floating City twice, I promised myself I’d stay in Giudecca the next time I visited Venice. Compared to other Venetian districts, there are significantly fewer things to see on the island. However, the mixture of local life and laid-back atmosphere offers authenticity and an unbeatable style.
So, in this Giudecca travel guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about the island. Moreover, you’ll discover what makes the island special and why you should consider staying here even as a first-timer in Venice. Lastly, I’ll also share the nicest places to stay and some local spots to enjoy an aperitivo away from the hustle and bustle.
Let’s start.
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5 reasons to stay in Giudecca when you visit Venice
Before sharing the best things to do in Giudecca, I’ll write five reasons why you should stay on the island in your upcoming Venice trip. As you’ll see in the following lines, the beautiful island is a great option for people searching for authenticity and real life in their holidays.
The proximity to San Marco
One of Giudecca’s biggest advantages is its proximity to Venice’s landmarks. Although it’s technically a separate island, you shouldn’t expect it to be far away from St Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace. On the contrary, the island is just a short Vaporetto ride from San Marco, and you can literally be in the Bridge of Sighs in less than 10 minutes.
The island has three Vaporetto stops, and Line 2 calls in all of them: Palanca, Redentore, and Zitelle. And here’s how close you can be to Venice’s landmarks:
- From Palanca, you can easily cross to Zattere in Dorsudoro in less than five minutes. Zattere is just a few minutes on foot to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Ponte dell’Accademia. Both of these places are less than a quarter of an hour from San Marco.
- On the other hand, from Zitelle, it’s just two stops to San Zaccaria and three stops to San Marco. It takes less than fifteen minutes, and Line 2 runs constantly throughout the day.
In the next sections of this travel guide to Giudecca, I’ll share more tips for traveling back and forth to Venice’s landmarks, but for now, you just have to keep this in mind: Giudecca is much closer to San Marco than other areas of Venice.
Its residential character
One thing that many travelers quite often forget, is that Venice is a real city and not a thematic park. However, the city receives an immense amount of tourists, and sometimes the local color seems absent. The majority of people (myself included) always appreciate a touch of authenticity in their journeys and want to experience first-hand how life unfolds in a place.
There are just a few areas in Venice where you can actually see how locals live, work, and enjoy their free time. Giudecca is, for me, the sweetest place to experience Venetian life (the island of Lido is the other one) due to its narrow streets and the small shops. Strolling around without a purpose will expose you to hidden corners, daily moments, laundry hanging from ropes, and locals sharing chats.
Don’t underestimate the power of daily images: at San Marco, San Polo, or even Castello, sometimes it feels really hard to get such local moments. As a residential area, Giudecca has a great balance between Venetian beauty and daily life. And although sightseeing in Venice is integral to every journey, without a dose of daily life, places can feel soulless.
The magnificent views of Venice from Giudecca
Walking around the central districts of Venice is an awe-inspiring experience. Centuries-long history and impressive architecture are the norms, and the legendary city is always generous in images. However, seeing Venice’s buildings from Giudecca’s waterfront promenade will give a fantastic layer to your journey.
Hanging out in the local Giudecca bars or simply strolling along the promenade will expose you (and your camera) to the breathtaking scenery of the Serenissima. The cluster of famous buildings appearing with every step you take will give you a great overview of how beautiful the city is -and the passing Vaporettos will create lasting memories.
Simply order an aperitivo and some cicchetti (let’s call them Venetian tapas) and enjoy the moments. On a clear day, choose a table before sunset and enjoy the unbeatable views of Venice from Giudecca.
More space in the accommodations
Of course, Giudecca is still Venice, so do not expect a whole different level of accommodation experience. However, the accommodations on the island are spacier, and the architecture doesn’t feel as tight as in downtown Venice. That said, the chances are that from your room’s window, you’ll have more open space to enjoy and, most likely, fewer tourists. If that’s a must for your vacation, then Giudecca ticks these boxes with ease.
In addition, prices tend to be slightly more rational on the island, especially compared to central locations like San Marco or Rialto. Venice is an expensive city, and you shouldn’t expect miracles in Giudecca, even though there are some bargains, as you’ll see later in this article. However, I believe that Giudecca offers more value for your money due to the bigger rooms and open space.
If the short Vaporetto rides don’t bother you, then Giudecca can be really the best place to stay in Venice.
If you’re not up for non-stop sightseeing
As you’ll see in the following section, there’s no exhaustive sightseeing in Giudecca. Although there are a few things to see on the island, it can’t really compare to the rest of Venice. And although to some this might sound like a disadvantage, there’s a fair amount of travelers that prefer to find a balance between sightseeing and enjoying their free time.
As I already stated, Giudecca is just a short Vaporetto ride from the city’s iconic landmarks. If this doesn’t bother you and you want to experience Venice like a local, Giudecca can be a marvelous spot to base yourself. In such laid-back areas, I find it much easier to balance and visit selectively some places. Especially for returning visitors to Venice who have already seen some of its landmarks, Giudecca Island will give you the much-needed peace of mind to decide between free time enjoyment and sightseeing.
I wrote it already, but I’ll add it once more: this fine balance and laid-back atmosphere convinced me to stay in Giudecca the next time I visit Venice.
Things to do in Giudecca Venice
Although there are a few things to do in Giudecca, the former Spinalonga is not the place you probably daydream of when you think of Venice. By now, it should be clear that the island of Giudecca is a place to enjoy an easygoing atmosphere and a balance between sightseeing and enjoying. However, there are some spots that you should see when visiting the island.
So, here’s what you can see and enjoy in Giudecca.
Visit the religious sights on Giudecca island
Giudecca is home to some of the most famous churches in Venice. These are:
Chiesa del Redentore. Constructed by the architect Andrea Palladio, this church is famous for its style and the painters showcased in its interior, among them Veronese and Tintoretto. The so-called il Redentore was built as a votive church in the times of a major plague outbreak in 1575-76, which killed 30% of the city’s population.
Chiesa delle Zitelle. Located on the easternmost tip of the island and attributed to Andrea Palladio, this church features two bell towers and a large dome.
Chiesa di Sant’Eufemia. Compared to the previous churches, this Roman Catholic church seems more down-to-earth architecturally. Although it was restored several times, it originally dates back to the 9th century and features three altarpieces by Jacopo Marieschi.
Chiesa di Santa Croce. Founded in the 13th century, this church used to be part of a Benedictine Monastery.
Admire the architectural sights in Giudecca
Architecture lovers visit Venice during the Biennale; however, there are a few places of special architectural interest in Giudecca. These are:
Casa dei Tre Oci. This impressive neo-gothic palace was designed in 1913 by the painter Mario de Maria and is a building of great symbolism. The three big windows symbolize the painter’s family: his wife, son, and himself. In Venice’s dialect, “oci” stands for “eye,” hence this is the House of Three Eyes. Nowadays, the Casa dei Tre Oci is used as a venue for contemporary photography exhibitions and there are plans for further expanding its activities, including workshops.
Molino Stucky. This is another neo-gothic building in Giudecca, and it’s close to the ancient Fortuny settlement. Built back at the end of the 19th century, the Molino Stucky originally operated as a flour mill; it later turned into a pasta factory and only recently became a hotel. Nowadays, it’s actually one of the best places to stay in Giudecca and overlooks San Marco. Check prices and availability for Molino Stucky.
Villa Hériot. Featuring an impressive garden and enjoying tremendous views of the lagoon, Villa Herriot hosts the International Institute of Art. This fine example of Byzantine-Venetian style was built by Cyprienne Hériot in the 20s.
Explore the small calle and see Venice’s skyline
Calle is the Italian word for smaller streets, and the island is full of them. As I briefly wrote earlier, Giudecca is a fantastic place to stroll around without a purpose, and discovering the beauty of its side streets ranks among the top things to enjoy.
In addition, the spectacular views of Venice’s skyline from the Giudecca Canal are a fantastic reason to walk several times the waterfront promenade. Even if you are a daytripper to Giudecca, I suggest staying once for the sunset: on a clear day, the sky is painted orange, and the facades on the other side of the canal look breathtaking.
To uncover even more layers of Giudecca, local tour operators offer guided walks and share plenty of information. The best tour you can currently book is this one, and your guide will share background information and unknown tales from the island’s past.
Visit San Giorgio Maggiore
On the eastern side of Giudecca lies the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Despite its proximity, there’s no bridge connecting it to Giudecca. Therefore, you should embark on the Vaporetto to visit this tiny island.
Its main sight is the San Giorgio Maggiore Church, a 16th-century building designed -of course- by Andrea Palladio. The Renaissance-style Basilica is famous for its stunning white marble and is visible from almost everywhere in the lagoon. Plenty of artists have found inspiration, among them Monet, who created a series dedicated to it.
For Jorge Luis Borges fans, the island offers a unique experience: on the church’s yard, you can see the so-called Borges Labyrinth. Within the garden, a labyrinth was created as a tribute to the iconic Borges’ short story “The Garden of Diverging Paths” (1941). You can book your tickets for Borges Labyrinth here.
Unwind at Bar da Monica
The Bar da Monica in Giudecca instantly became my favorite hangout in the city. Located straight at the water and enjoying splendid canal views, the bar is a perfect place to unwind and enjoy your aperitivo. But apart from enjoying the moment, the Bar da Monica offers delicious dishes and cicchetti, and I suggest asking for a mixed plate of them.
A special mention should go to the bar staff: they are friendly, courteous, and always in a great mood. Kudos!
Where to stay in Giudecca
In this travel guide to Giudecca, I’ll share the best places to stay on the island. On this side of Venice, you should expect slightly cheaper rooms and better standards. So, here are my handpicked selections of hotels and accommodations in Giudecca.
Molino Stucky. This former flour mill hosts a Hilton hotel. It’s the top accommodation on the island and features a fantastic rooftop bar with dramatic sunset views of the lagoon. See prices and availability for Molino Stucky.
Generator Venice. This hotel of the Generator chain offers plain rooms and dormitories straight at the promenade. Located in a restored 19th-century building, it’s a good option if you’re on a budget. See prices and availability for Generator Venice.
Hotel Giudecca Venezia. That’s a true gem, and it’s one of the most affordable accommodations in Venice. The rooms have an old-fashioned style, but it has a great atmosphere and a free breakfast buffet. See the hotel here.
Maison Boutique Al Redentore. Lastly, if you’re ready to splurge, you can book luxurious accommodation in Giudecca. This fascinating is stylishly decorated and has a fantastic garden. See prices and availability for Maison Boutique Al Redentore.
Giudecca travel tips
In the final section of this Giudecca guide, you’ll find some travel tips for your stay on the island. Please keep these things in mind for a better overall experience.
Purchase a Vaporetto Pass. If you decide to stay in Giudecca, you’ll definitely need a Vaporetto Pass. While I find it obligatory no matter where you stay in Venice, in Giudecca it’s a must. A single ticket currently costs 9,50 euros, which means that for traveling just once back and forth, you’ll have to pay almost 20 euros. A weekly Vaporetto Pass costs 65 euros, making it a true bargain to hop on and off to various locations. Therefore, a Pass will save you money and trouble, and if you don’t plan to stay exclusively in Giudecca, it’s good to buy one.
You can purchase a Vaporetto Pass here.
No need to stop at Sacca Fisola. Coming from the train station with Line 2, the first stop in Giudecca is the Sacca Fisola Vaporetto stop. There’s not much to see there, and it’s the garbage collection point of Venice. The Vaporetto then continues to Dorsoduro before heading back to Giudecca. That said, avoid stopping at Sacca Fisola and prefer the other three stops of Giudecca: Palanca, Redentore, and Zitelle.
You need a Vaporetto to San Giorgio Maggiore. The small island deserves your time, but unfortunately, you can’t reach it on foot. You’ll need to embark on a Vaporetto, so keep that in mind when adding it to your must-see list.
You can go directly to Murano. Line 4.2 takes you from Giudecca to Murano, the Glass Island of Venice. You can read my Murano guide here, and you should continue to Burano, Venice’s colorful island.
Giudecca Island in Venice: Conclusion
Often overlooked by international travelers, Giudecca is one of the most interesting areas to spend time in Venice. I highly appreciated its residential style while observing local life gave an extra layer to my trip to Venice. Although the most famous landmarks of the Serenissima aren’t located on this oblong island, the stunning canal views and the easygoing rhythms compensated me.
The island had an impact on me, and I promised myself to stay here the next time I visit Venice. Finding accommodation in Giudecca is less challenging than in San Marco, and it has a more down-to-earth touch; if you, like me, enjoy authenticity and search for a perfect balance between daily life and sightseeing, Giudecca will not disappoint you. Yes, you’ll need a Vaporetto Pass for commuting, but the waterbuses are among the sweetest things to enjoy in Venice.
More about Venice, Italy: Where to stay in Venice, Marco Polo Airport to city center, How to book a gondola, Vaporetto Guide, Teatro La Fenice
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Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by George Pavlopoulos
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