Sestiere of Santa Croce is the only one in the city that has an area, even if limited, where the cars are allowed, that is Piazzale Roma. This square represent the only linking point between Venice and the mainland (Mestre) thanks to Ponte della Libertà.
Santa Croce borders directly with the Gran Canal, with the districts of San Polo and Dorsoduro and with the lagoon while it is linked with sestiere Cannaregio thanks to Ponte degli Scalzi and Ponte della Costituzione. Its name comes from Church Santa Croce, a place of worship destroyed in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Sestiere
This sestiere is not as rich of monuments and attractions as the others and for this reason is not one of the favourite destinations of the tourists. It can represent a very interesting itinerary for who wants to discover the original Venice. However, in this sestiere there are plenty of stands selling souvenirs of the city including typical venetian masks.
A feature of Santa Croce are the very narrow streets with few fields and for being the only sestiere of Venice that unifies ancient with modern, because is the area that has more transformations with the building of Ponte della Libertà, Calatrava’s Bridge, naval station and People Mover (transport system that links the island of Tronchetto with Piazzale Roma).
In this sestiere there are also two of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal, that are the Calatrava’s Bridge and Ponte degli Scalzi.
Where is sestiere Santa Croce?
Sestiere Santa Croce is just in front of the station, so if you arrive by train, you simply have to cross the Ponte degli Scalzi to reach it.
Peculiarities of sestiere Santa Croce
In sestiere Santa Croce we can find Calle Ca’ Zusto, near Riva di Biasio, a narrow street with a width of only 68 centimeters.
Moreover, there is also Palazzo Mocenigo which legend tell about a ghost that is looking for eternal justice. The spirit is the one of Giordano Bruno, the philosopher who was reported to the inquisition for heresy by the owner of the palace, Giovanni Mocenigo, and for this reason he was get burned in Rome. Since that day his soul wanders through the halls of the Palace.
Monuments and attractions
Even if is not a sestiere with a lot of monuments, Santa Croce ca be proud of some attractions inside its area, that are divided between the most famous and those that can be visited with more time avaible. So let’s see what to visit in sestiere Santa Croce.
Unmissable attractions in Santa Croce
Through calli of sestiere Santa Croce one of the most important attraction is the Church San Giacomo a L’Orio, one of the oldest churches of Venice, with a lot of paintisngs inside. The square that surrounds the church is a meeting place for the Santa Croce’s inhabitants, who love spending their times there walking.
In this sestiere we can find the location of the Museum of Natural History, in Fontego dei Turchi, the biggest medieval palace overlooking the Grand Canal that was built as private home of Pesaro’s.
Finally, also Campo San Stae deserves a visit, where stands the Church San Stae, in baroque’s style, decorated with marble’s decorations and inside we find Tiepolo’s paintings.
Finally through the unmissable attractions of this sestiere there are two beautiful palaces, Palazzo Mocenigo and Ca’ Pesaro. The first is located in Campo San Barnaba and houses the Museum and Study Center of History of the Cloth and the Costume while the second one is the permanent location of the International Gallery of Modern Art.
For art’s lovers
If your holiday in Venice allows it, you can also visit the Church San Nicola da Tolentino, a building of the sixteenth century designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi and Ca’ Corner de la Regina, venetian palace on the Grand Canal. In the same area there are also the Church San Simeon il Grande and the Church San Simeon il Piccolo. The nicknames “great” and “little” need to distinguish between the two chirches and they refer to the dimensions that the buildings had when they had just built, without the next modifies.
Finally you can visit Campo San Zuane Degolà with its Church, an example of venetian-byzantine architecture and the Church Santa Maria Mater Domini, that was designer by the architect Jacopo Sansovino.
Best restaurants in Santa Croce
If is lunch or dinner time and you are in sestiere Santa Croce, you can go to Osteria Trefanti, which specialities are fish and seasonal dishes, typical of the local tradition.
Another place that we suggest you to try is surely Osteria Antico Giardinetto, which is characterized by a graceful garden where you can taste fish dishes and typical mediterranean and venetian dishes.
Osteria La Zucca is also very famous, it offers alternative dishes including vegetarian proposals, that allows also who is looking for genuin ingredients to choose dishes based on fresh vegetables.
In Campo San Giacomo a L’Orio is located Enoteca Al Prosecco where is possible to choose between a large variety of international wines and dishes of italian and international cheese as well as ausages and fresh fish dishes.
Finally, for an happy hour or for tasting some cicheto (typical venetian finger food) you can go to Bacareto da Lele, very famous among the students and the venetian people who love this place for the quality of the finger food and the very good prices. In this place you can live the typical atmosphere that characterized the real venetian bacaro (the typical venetian tavern).
Where to stay
Sestiere Santa Croce is the perfect place to stay because allows to relax yourself after an hard day, far from the tourists of the city center. The perfect place to have a view of the real and authentic Venice. For this reason we selected the hotel that have been able to respond to the needs of the tourists, hoping that it could be helpful for you choice.
