The districts of Venezia - Tourist information

Castello is Venice' s largest sestiere, extending from the Rialto to Sant'Elena at eastern trip of the city. Its name is believed to derive from a fortress on the island of San Pietro, one of the earliest inhabited sites in the lagoon. A sestiere of two very different halves, Castello's grander northern and western area, around Santi Giovanni e Paolo and San Zaccaria, was closely linked with the centres ofpower, while the districts around the Arsenale to the east were home to Venice's most important industries. This was one of the earliest parts of Venice to be sttled (5th to 6th centuries). The Bridge of Sighs marks the border between the sestieri of San marco and Castello. The true heart of Castello is Campo Santa Maria Formosa ('Shapely St Mary'), a large, bustling, irregular-shaped square on the road to just about everywhere. Constantly buzzing with both Venetians and tourists, the square is surrounded by palazzi that range in style from the very grand to the very homely.It is, in fact, Castello in miniature. For grandeur, head north-east from here towards Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo. This square is second only to Piazza San Marco in monumental magnificence.

Apartments for rent in Castello, Arsenale