Scenic route
Grand Canal
Venice, Italy
Venice's main waterway, lined with palaces, best seen from a public water bus.
Bridge · Italy · Veneto
Bridge of Sighs
A small covered bridge linking the Doge's Palace to the old prison.
Free to enter about 15 min
For storytellers
Why Bridge of Sighs matters
The Bridge of Sighs is a little white limestone bridge with a closed top. The romantic name comes from the idea that prisoners sighed as they got their last view of Venice. It's best seen from the nearby bridge, which is crowded with cameras.
Talking points
- The bridge links the palace's interrogation rooms to the prison.
- The name comes from a romantic 19th-century story.
- You can walk through it on a palace ticket.
- The best view is from the quay outside.
Free to read aloud or adapt in your video. Check facts that matter to you against an official source before you publish.
More in Venice
Church, mosque or temple
St Mark's Basilica
Venice, Italy
Venice's glittering Byzantine-style cathedral covered in golden mosaics.
Palace
Doge's Palace
Venice, Italy
The Gothic palace of the Venetian rulers, with grand halls and a prison across a bridge.
Church, mosque or temple
Santa Maria della Salute
Venice, Italy
A grand baroque church with a white dome at the mouth of the Grand Canal.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.