Continue along Fondamenta della Dogana towards the Grand Canal until you reach Campo della Salute, where you can admire the majestic Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, a masterpiece by Baldassarre Longhena. This basilica has a unique history: on October 22, 1630, after the plague ravaged the city, the Doge and the Senate of the Venetian Republic vowed to erect a "magnificent and grandiose" church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, named Santa Maria della Salute.

A competition was held to design the church, and Longhena’s project won for its originality. He proposed a centrally planned temple elevated by an imposing staircase, further enhancing the church’s chosen location. Seen from Piazzetta San Marco, the church provides a broad scenic view encompassing San Marco Basin, San Giorgio Island, the Giudecca Canal, and the Grand Canal.

The first stone was laid in 1631, and the church was consecrated in 1687, five years after Longhena’s death. Since 1681, the Feast of the Madonna della Salute has been celebrated every November 21st, one of the most cherished festivals for Venetians, marking the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The church's extravagant Istrian stone façade is adorned with pillars, niches, pediments, statues, and a grand central portal. A characteristic feature is the double dome; atop the lantern stands a statue of the Virgin Mary as captain of the sea, flanked by additional statues. The building’s exterior also features volute-shaped buttresses. To the south, the church extends into a smaller presbytery with lateral apses, covered by a lower dome and flanked by two bell towers.

Inside, the church is monumental and bathed in light. The central octagonal space is surrounded by six chapels. The grand altar, designed by Longhena and crafted by Josse Le Court, depicts the Madonna and Child with Venice, kneeling and asking for protection against the plague, while Plague, personified as an old woman, flees. The altar houses the revered Greek-Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mesopanditissa, brought from Candia in 1672. On the third altar to the left is Titian’s Pentecost; more of Titian’s works are found in the sacristy, along with pieces by Tintoretto and several masterpieces by lesser-known artists.

In the basilica, you can also admire works by Luca Giordano, Jacopo Palma il Giovane, and sculptures by Gian Maria Morlaiter and reliefs by Bartolomeo Bon and Tullio Lombardo. The sacristy houses twelve of Titian’s works, a Tintoretto, and other beautiful pieces. The choir, located behind the altar, is a fine example of wood carving, likely designed by Longhena between 1679 and 1681. Above the choir is the organ, built by Francesco Dacci Jr. in 1782 and later modified by Bazzani in the early 19th century.

During the Feast of the Madonna della Salute, a long procession used to depart from San Marco, crossing the Grand Canal on a pontoon bridge to the basilica. Today, a votive bridge is still set up to allow pilgrims to walk across the Grand Canal to the basilica.

The route continues through a distinct area of Dorsoduro, rich with art galleries, local artisan shops, jewelers, collectors, and glassmakers. After visiting the basilica, head down Fondamenta della Salute and cross the Ponte de l'Abazia to reach Campo San Gregorio, home to the Abbey of San Gregorio, founded in 1160 by Benedictine monks but now deconsecrated. Continue straight along Calle Bastion, and after crossing the Ponte di San Gregorio, turn left onto Fondamenta Soranzo, where you’ll find a workshop of one of Venice’s remèri, artisans who craft oars and forcole (oarlocks). This ancient trade has evolved into an art form, with the forcola now seen as a design object, even exhibited at MoMA in New York.

Return to the bridge and turn left onto Calle Bastion, continuing straight until you reach Campiello Barbaro, a charming space with a small flower garden at its centre. On the right, before Ponte San Cristoforo, you can glimpse the rear façade of Palazzo Dario, a Gothic residence renovated in 1487, featuring a richly decorated marble façade facing the Grand Canal.

Cross Ponte San Cristoforo, one of the oldest bridges with semicircular steps, and walk along Fondamenta Venier dai Leoni. Here stands Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, the former residence of American art collector Peggy Guggenheim. Today, the palazzo houses her invaluable art collection and is one of the most important museums of 20th-century European and American art in Italy.

Palazzo Venier dei Leoni was commissioned in 1749 by the Venier family from architect Lorenzo Boschetti (who also designed the Church of San Barnaba). The façade was meant to rival the nearby Palazzo Corner, but historical events left it unfinished. While it is said that a lion once lived in the garden, it is more likely that the building’s name comes from the Istrian stone lion heads decorating the façade at water level.

If you visit the museum, you can enjoy the adjacent garden, designed to showcase some of the museum’s permanent collection and sculptures from other foundations or galleries. After extensive study and conservation efforts, "Opera 3", a glass piece created by Egidio Costantini in collaboration with Japanese architect Omura between 1968 and 1969, has returned to the sculpture garden.

For film enthusiasts, scenes from the 2010 film The Tourist, starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, were filmed near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Useful Information:

Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute: Free entry to visit the basilica. Admission to the Sacristy Museum costs €4.80. Check the website for details: https://basilicasalutevenezia.it
Peggy Guggenheim Collection: Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Tuesdays. Full ticket €15.80. Visit the website for the complete price list: https://www.guggenheim-venice.it/it

Dorsoduro, the Art District

Departure: Piazzale Roma / Stazione Santa Lucia – Campo San Pantalon

Steps2: Chiesa di San Pantalon – Banksy

Steps3: Campo Santa Margherita – Chiesa dei Carmini

Steps4: Chiesa dei Carmini - Ponte dei Pugni - Chiesa di San Barnaba

Steps5: Campo San Barnaba - Squero di San Trovaso

Steps6: Fondamenta delle Zattere - Punta della Dogana

Steps7: Basilica della Madonna Della Salute - Peggy Guggenheim

Steps8: Peggy Guggenheim - Ponte dell’Accademia - Gallerie dell’Accademia

Arrival: Campo Santo Stefano – Campo San Samuele - La Fenice Opera House