The Goldoni walk takes in parts of the heart of Venice’s commercial district and offers shopping opportunities along the way.  It is a ‘high payoff’ walk, offering many points of interest for the distance covered. Start in the Piazza San Marco under the clock tower. 

After passing under the arch of the clock tower, look up to the left for the commemorative relief of Giustina Rossi (POI #1).  She became famous after thwarting an attempted coup in 1310 by Bajamonte Tiepolo and his followers as they streamed through the Merceria with the intent of taking on the Doge and his followers who were waiting for them in Piazza San Marco.  She is said to have dropped a stone mortar from her window which landed on the head of the standard bearer of the coup as he passed by, killing him.  The resulting demoralisation left the raiders disorganised and they withdrew along the Merceria.  Asked if she would like a reward for the patriotic act, she requested that she be allowed to display the banner of the Republic from her window on all feast-days – and that her rent remain fixed as long as she or her descendants lived in the house.

Following the next set of directions will take you past Ristorante Antico Pignolo.  It has a pretty dining courtyard at the rear.  Further along you will reach the church of San Zulian.  The original church is said to have been established in 829.  The present church was the result of a rebuild that commenced in 1553, supervised by Jacopo Sansovino until his death in 1570, whereafter the project was completed by Alessandro Vittoria in 1580.  Inside, the church is a lovely intimate space that gives the feel of a warm tapestry, crammed with artistic jewels.  There are several noteworthy artworks in this church including works by Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Palma il Giovane and Leandro Bassano.

With your back to the church and looking up to the right, you will see one of many reliefs around the city of St George slaying a dragon (see also treasure hunt walking guide here) dated 1496.  Turning right and continuing will take you to the now defunct Casino Venier at Number 4939 (POI #7), one of many such establishments throughout the city that were closed down in 1774.   As you walk through the sottoportego, looking to the right you will find several excellent places to take a photo of the Ristorante Sempione.

Further on after you turn left you will see the supporting structures (corbels) known as barbacani (POI #8), which were regulated by size to allow for the safe extension of the floors above ground level.  These architectural features suggest older dwellings in the city.

Point of interest number #9 is the Palazzo Ca’ Faccanon.  Built in the 15th century, the palazzo has been utilised by several organisations including the postal service, Il Gazzettino and the ACTV Vaporetto company.  It is currently offered as a function venue (e.g., as an exhibition space).  In a further 200 metres and back along Marzaria San Salvador you will reach Campo San Salvador.  Besides the commemorative column and the Scuola Grande San Teodoro, the main feature here is the church itself.  Having been established in the seventh century and restored in the twelfth the present building was rebuilt from 1507 onwards in turn by architects Spavento, Lombardo, and Sansovino who oversaw its completion in 1534.  The church houses several important works, including two by Titian (The Annunciation and The Transformation).  These are works created very late in the master’s life and they received mixed reviews.  Peter Humfrey points out that Vasari (a commentator of art and artists at the time) wrote: ‘these last works are executed with bold, sweeping strokes, and in patches of colour, with the result that they cannot be viewed from nearby, but appear perfect at a distance’.  Note the cannon ball set into the base of the façade on the left side of the church.

Moving on from San Salvador there is a cluster of points of interest – including the namesake of this walk – the sculpture (created 1883) of the famous playwright Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793, POI #14).  Born in Venice, Goldoni’s works were said to have extended upon the traditional Commedia dell’arte (the improvised theatrical characters played behind masks) by introducing more topical and realistic characters into his plays.  Goldoni’s house can be visited on Walk #6.  At the northern end of Campo San Bartolomeo is a shopping destination – the converted Fondaco dei Tedeschi (POI #15).  Take in the view from the rooftop after some retail therapy!

This area around the Ponte Rialto gets very busy as it is effectively a crossroads of the city between San Marco and San Polo.  The bridge itself is an attraction with good views along the Grand Canal.  Of course, there are also the shops – although there is a mixed bag on offer here with many stalls offering the mass-produced souvenirs and trinkets.  Look for the ‘golden head’ on the stairs approaching the bridge.  There is also a restaurant at the base of the bridge (Al Buso).  The restaurant gets mixed reviews, although it is harder to find a better place from which to relax and appreciate Antonio da Ponte’s single arch – the feature that won him the design competition over none other than Michelangelo and others, including Palladio and Sansovino – the latter two being no slouches as designers either!

In the area: the church of San Bartolomeo (POI #13).  It was built in its current form in 1723 from a rebuild of the original church in 1170, however much of the building cannot be seen due to the surrounding structures.  The door on the Campo has a statue of Saint Bartholomew over a broken pediment.  The church contained significant artworks, which were all removed after it was deconsecrated in the 1980s.

It is now time to bend backwards towards the final legs of the walk, starting with a stroll along part of the Grand Canal and a look at two important Palazzi.  The first one you will encounter is Palazzo Dolphin Manin (POI #19).  The palazzo was commissioned in 1538 by Giovanni Dolfin.  Jacopo Sansovino oversaw completion of the building in 1540.  Later, the palazzo was purchased by Ludovico Manin who was the last Doge of Venice.  He died there in 1802 (see the Manin statue in Walk #3).

Before turning for your home leg of his walk, you will pass Palazzo Bembo (POI #20).  According to John Freely, Palazzo Bembo is a 15^th Century Gothic palace considerably altered in 1657-71.  Seven branches of the Bembo family were listed in the Golden Book.  Famous members-of the family include Doge Giovanni Bembo (1615-1618) and Cardinal Pietro Bembo, historian and poet, who was born here in 1479. Another member of the family, Leo, was canonized, and two others, Antonio and Illuminata, were beatified.  Note the fine architectural detail on the building as you turn left into Calle Bembo.

Along the way you will pass the Teatro Goldoni, named for the playwright mentioned earlier.  In a further 150 metres you will pass Bistrot de Venise, known for its fine dining.  Further along, a short diversion into Corte Gregolina will reveal a lovely vera da pozzo (well head) with ornate sculptural detail (POI #23).

Passing the former church of San Gallo (which was relocated from Piazza San Marco in 1582, where it stood next to the campanile to make space for the Procuratie Nuove, POI #24) will bring you to Bacino Orseolo (POI #25).  The Bacino was created in 1869 to allow gondolas to approach Piazza San Marco more closely.  The spot is something of a gondola ‘parking lot’.

The finishing place and final point of interest is the former Albergo del Salvadego (POI #26), a Venetian-Byzantine structure dating back to the 14^th century.  The area beyond this will take you to many of the luxury shopping destinations of the city.  You can connect there with the Casanova walk (#2).