Accessible Venice

[ 1 ]
At Piazzale Roma (bus terminus) or Ferrovia (railway station) take the No. 3 boat (accessible) along the Canal Grande to Rialto, the group of islands forming the city's historic heart. In fact, the city was known as Rivoaltus, or "high bank", until AD 1000, when it took the name Venice.

[ 2 ]
Follow the Fondamenta for a short stretch and turn left into Calle del Carbon just before Ca' Farsetti, a 12th century Byzantine palace, one of the oldest in Venice and now home to the City Council .
The calle emerges in Campo San Luca, a busy little square lined with bars.
Take the first calle on your right and then turn left to reach Campo Manin, a square with a monument
to Daniele Manin, a famous 19th century Venetian patriot.
Go down the narrow alleyway on the left side of the square; just after it turns left you will find a
little courtyard on your right with the spectacular Scala del Bovolo (Staircase of the Snail),
part of the 15th century Palazzo Contarini and one of the city's most distinctive monuments.
The staircase, contained in a round tower and linked to five-storey open loggia, gave its name to the entire building as well as the family that built it. The garden contains a number of wellheads, one dating from the Byzantine period.
 

[ 3 ]
Coming back out of the courtyard, turn right, go all the way to the end of the calle and then turn left into Calle dei Fuseri which will take you back to Campo San Luca. Cross the square and go down Calle del Forno, the alley in front of you, then turn right into Calle del Teatro which passes in front of the Teatro Goldoni dedicated to the famous Venetian playwright who staged his masterpieces describing 18th century life in Venice in this theatre. The theatre is accessible to wheelchairs from a side entrance where there is an elevator and a stair lift.
Immediately after the theatre on the left is Calle Bembo, a narrow alleyway which will take you back to the Riva del Carbon on the Canal Grande near the No. 3 landing stage .
On your right is Ponte Manin which is equipped with a platform lift. After negotiating the bridge, you will find the landing stage where you can take the No. 1 or No. 2 boats taking you to another area of the city without barriers.

[ 4 ]
Going down Calle Larga Mazzini you will reach the small Campo San Salvador with the church of the same name and the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro, the sixth of the Venice's great confraternities. The Church of San Salvador contains a wealth of works by various artists. The main entrance on Campo San Salvador is made difficult by the presence of nine steps. The secondary
entrance, reachable via the Calle delle Mercerie, has eleven steps that can be negotiated with the help of rails on both sides.
Built in the 16th century, the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro is now one of Venice's leading concert venues as well as an exhibition space. Although there is a step at the ground-floor entrance
staff will place a ramp there at request. The first floor with concert rooms can only be reached via a flight of stairs.
Continuing down Calle Larga Mazzini you will reach Le Mercerie, the famous shopping streets linking Rialto and Piazza San Marco.
You can proceed down the calle for 200 m without obstacles as far as Ponte Bareteri.

[ 5 ]
If you turn left at the end of Calle Larga Mazzini, you come to Campo San Bartolomeo with a
statue of Carlo Goldoni in the middle. From here you see the iconic Bridge of Rialto, built by Antonio da Ponte in the 16th century, with its two rows of shops linked by two great arches.
At the end of the campo, turning left into Calle delle Poste you can enjoy an unusual view of the Rialto Bridge. Overlooking the calle is the Fontego dei Tedeschi, now the main Post Office.
The fonteghi (fondachi) were the headquarters of groups of foreign merchants and contained living quarters above their warehouses. This Fontego was built during the 16th century, its façade was originally decorated with frescoes by Giorgione. The interior is accessible.
To return to the No. 1 and No. 2 landing stage, go down Calle Bombaseri left of the Rialto Bridge
until you reach Calle Larga Mazzini and then turn right.