Al Ponte Antico

Top choice in Venice


Like a courtesan's boudoir, this 16th-century palazzo (mansion) is swathed in damask wall coverings, heavy silk curtains and thick, plush carpets. A smiling host greets you at the padded, golden reception desk and whisks you up to large, unabashedly lavish rooms with enough gilt to satisfy Louis XIV. In the evening, romance blossoms on the terrace, framed by views of Rialto Bridge.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Venice attractions

1. Ponte di Rialto

0.05 MILES

A superb feat of engineering, Antonio da Ponte’s 1592 Istrian stone span took three years and 250,000 gold ducats to construct. Adorned with stone reliefs…

2. Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto

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Steps away from the Rialto Bridge, the most distinctive feature of 12th-century St James' Church is the 15th-century clock set into the facade facing the…

3. Il Gobbo

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Rubbed for luck for centuries, this 1541 statue is now protected by an iron railing. Il Gobbo (The Hunchback) served as a podium for official…

4. Chiesa di San Bartolomeo

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5. Fabbriche Nuove

0.09 MILES

Flanking the Grand Canal, this porticoed complex was designed by Jacopo Sansovino in the mid-16th century.

6. Chiesa di San Giovanni Elemosinario

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Hunkering modestly behind T-shirt kiosks is this soaring brick church, built by Scarpagnino after a disastrous fire in 1514 destroyed much of the Rialto…

7. Chiesa di San Lio

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Giandomenico Tiepolo sure knew how to light up a room. Duck into the atmospheric gloom of San Lio's baroque interior and, as your eyes adjust, look up at…

8. Rialto Market

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Venice’s main market has been whetting appetites for seven centuries, with fruit and vegetable stands abutting the rather more pungent Pescaria. To see it…