Venice Water Taxi

Visit Venice

This Venice waterfront promenade is located between Piazza San Marco and the Arsenale and looks out across the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The site dates back to the 9th century when it was created using silt brought up from the water. The site was named after the Slavic cargo men who arrived in Venice by sea, Schiavoni meaning "Slavs" in Old Italian, the former name of Dalmatia.

Just like the market stalls which fill the space today there were markets here in the 15th century, the foreign traders and seamen would sell their goods here. Apart from market stalls there are restaurants, cafes, stores and bars along the promenade as well as historic palaces which have been converted into hotels. Among the palace hotels is the Palazzo Dandolo which now houses the Hotel Danieli. The bronze equestrian statue of Vittorio Emmanuel II honors Italy's first king and was made in 1887 by Ettore Ferrari.

The Church of Santa Maria della Visitazione, also called the Pietà, stands along the Riva Degli Schiavoni. The church is famed for several beautiful statues and for one of the church's former congregation, the composer – Antonio Vivaldi. At the eastern point of the promenade is Ca'di Dio, a 13th century hospice used by pilgrims making the journey to the Holy Land. At the western point of the promenade is the Ponte della Paglia or Bridge of Straw which connects the walkway to St. Mark's Square.