The Grand Canal is the largest and the best one of all the islands and canals of Venice. Shaped like a backwards letter S, the canal is approximately two miles long. At its widest point, at the Salute/San Marco (southern) end, it is roughly 350 feet wide. The Grand Canal happens to the most expensive area in Venice and the original residents were mostly large scale merchants with large houses and grand decoration. Grand Canal has excellent transport facilities and access to shipping. The banks of the Grand Canal are lined with more than 170 buildings and the noble Venetian families spent exorbitant amounts to show off their richness. Some of the famous palazzos standing along this canal include Palazzi Barbaro, Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ d’Oro, Palazzo Dario, Ca’ Foscari, Palazzo Barbarigo and Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, housing the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The churches along the canal include the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.
Until 19th century, only Rialto Bridge crossed the canal but now, there are two more bridges, the Ponte degli Scalzi and the Ponte dell’Accademia. A popular mode of transport here is the ferry ride across the canal at several points by standing up on the deck of a simple gondola called traghetto. A tour on this canal with a gondola ride allows the tourists to get a glimpse of all the famous buildings which emerge from water without pavement.
The canal is famous for the historical Regatta, a competition between Venetian boats watched by thousands of people from the banks or from floating stands, which is held on the first Sunday of every September. On November 21, Venetians thank the Virgin Mary for saving from the plague epidemic in 1630-38 with a pilgrimage to Santa Maria della Salute. Pilgrims cross Grand Canal on a temporary pontoon bridge from Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo, and enjoy stalls and traditional dishes.