Photo spot in Venice
Rialto Bridge and the market lanes
The oldest bridge on the Grand Canal, and behind it the market quarter where Venice still shops for fish and vegetables.
About Rialto Bridge and the market lanes
Get directionsThere has been a bridge at the Rialto since the twelfth century; this one, in stone, went up in 1591 after three earlier wooden ones failed. It carries two rows of shops and three walkways over a single wide arch, and it is the only place on the Grand Canal where you can stand in the middle of the water with the palaces running away on both sides.
The bridge is the worst place to photograph the bridge. The frame everyone wants is from the Riva del Vin on the bank, side-on, with gondolas passing under the arch. From the bridge itself, shoot down the canal instead — the balustrade makes a foreground and the boat traffic gives depth.
Behind the bridge on the San Polo side is the Rialto market, and that is the other half of this location: the stone columns of the fish hall, crates of vegetables, and lanes that are working streets rather than a set. It runs from early morning to about lunchtime, and the fish market is closed on Sundays and Mondays — those hours dictate the booking more than the light does.
Best time to shoot
Before 9am — the market is alive and the bridge is still passable
Tips
The riva along the canal just north of the bridge gives the classic side-on view with gondolas passing under the arch.
Recent work in Venice
Portfolio shots by photographers covering this area
Photographers who shoot at Rialto Bridge and the market lanes
Hand-picked professionals working in Venice
Real reviews from Venice photoshoots
Martina B.
Much more than a photographer — where his photographs end, the memories begin! I've known Marco Miglianti since I was a child. He photographed my First Communion and my Confirmation, so when the time came to choose a photographer for our…
Marco M.
Photographer
John D.
We couldn't recommend Georgiana more as a wedding photographer! From our very first meeting, we knew she would be an absolute dream to work with. She took the time to meet us at our venue months before the wedding — even late in the…
Georgiana A.
Photographer
Nesha J.
We were absolutely thrilled with our Amalfi elopement and truly could not have asked for a more perfect wedding day. Georgiana found us an incredible venue with breathtaking views. I was initially a bit unsure about the choice, but she…
Georgiana A.
Photographer
Other spots in Venice
St Mark's Square at sunrise
The basilica, the campanile and the arcades with nobody in them — for one hour a day Venice's grandest room is empty.
Ponte dell'Accademia and the Grand Canal
The wooden bridge with the best free view in Venice — the Grand Canal curving away to the domes of the Salute.
Riva degli Schiavoni at dawn
Moored gondolas rocking on the bacino with San Giorgio Maggiore across the water — the most Venetian foreground there is.
Burano
An island of fishermen's houses painted in saturated block colours, forty minutes across the lagoon — a completely different palette from Venice itself.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know Rialto Bridge and the market lanes — free of charge.