Dorsoduro is one of the six sestieri (districts) of Venice, in northern Italy. It includes the highest land areas of the city, as well as Giudecca Island and Isola Sacca Fisola. Its name derives from the Italian for “hard back,” due to its comparatively high, stable, and rocky land.
This neighborhood is home to the University of Venice and is a popular place for students to live. Packed with young people, this district has become a cool, artsy, lively, and trendy area.
Landmarks and visitor attractions in Dorsoduro include Ca’ Foscari, Ca’ Rezzonico, Campo San Barnaba, Campo San Gregorio, Campo Santa Margherita, Gallerie dell’Accademia, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Il Redentore (church), Le Zitelle, Ospedale Giustinian, Palazzo Ariani, Palazzo Brandolin Rota, Palazzo Dario, Palazzo Giustinian Recanati, Palazzo Mocenigo Gambara, Palazzo Orio Semitecolo Benzon, Palazzo Zenobio, Punta della Dogana Dogana da Mar Santa Maria della Salute (church), San Pantalon (church), San Trovaso (church), Santa Maria del Carmelo (church), San Sebastiano (church), Scuola Grande dei Carmini Church of Ognissanti.
Dorsoduro is also a great place for shopping. Some popular shops include Ta Kala and Bottega Cini. Other options include Ca’ Macana, Stefano Morasso Studio Murano Glass Fine Art, Ca’ Macana Atelier, Libreria Toletta, and Macia de Color.
If you enjoy nightlife, Dorsoduro has a lively scene with many bars and clubs to choose from. Some popular options include Skyline Rooftop Bar, Chet Bar1, Il Caffe (aka Caffe Rosso), Osteria Dei Pugni, and Margaret Duchamp. If you’re looking for a place to dance, you can check out Piccolo Mondo Disco Party Club – the only disco in Venice. For live music, you can visit the Venice Jazz Club – the only jazz club in Venice.
If you like pizza , there are several pizzerias in Dorsoduro. Some popular options include Pizzeria Ristorante Al Profeta, Pizzeria La Foca, and Oke.
Finally, there is a public toilet in Dorsoduro located near the Accademia Bridge – close to the Accademia vaporetto station. Another option is to use the toilets in the lobby of Ca’ Rezzonico near the Ca’ Rezzonico vaporetto stop. These toilets are free to use even if you don’t visit the museum upstairs.