Under the Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Under the Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

The Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy
The Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

The Rialto Bridge, in the heart of Venice, is probably the most iconic image of this enchanting city.  With its 24-foot high arch designed to allow galleys to sail under it and its 12,000 wooden pilings, walking across it transports you to another age. Built in 1588, it spans the Grand Canal with three walkways that are always thronged with tourists and residents. But this area has been the center of commerce for an even longer time. The Open air market under the arches of the bridge has been here since the 11th century.

Produce arrives at the market on boards, Rialto, Venice
Produce arrives at the market on boards, Rialto, Venice

This colorful, unique market is the perfect place to feel the atmosphere and heart of Venice. Visit during Carnevale, and you are greeted by merchants attired in costume from Medieval times, vying with each other to attract customers amongst the pile of produce and fish. But even at other times the hustle and bustle, the colors and the aromas will fascinate you.

The activity starts before dawn when barges steam up the Grand Canal carrying the produce and goods for the market. They pull up along the walls of the market where men with handcarts wait to unload them and wheel the goods to the stalls where they are washed, polished, buffed and arranged artistically to tempt the discerning shopper.

The market is divided into two parts; the Erberia is the vegetable market and the Pescheria is the fish market. As you walk through the stalls of the Erberia, an enormous variety of brightly colored, neatly arranged produce (all grown in the neighboring areas or on one of Venice’s 117 islands) tempt you. Blood red oranges heaped carelessly, green and purple artichokes nestled side by side, mushrooms of every color and description in wooden boxes; colorful chili peppers overflowing from cones of white paper; bright orange melons; dark purple plums; juicy nectaries, the list goes on and on.

Piles of melons at the Venice market, Rialto
Piles of melons at the Venice market, Rialto

In the Pescheria, rows and rows of stands with freshly caught fish are arranged with their heads pointing to the bridge; crustaceans of every description are laid out symmetrically; squid and eels caught that morning in the Adriatic Sea or Lagoon look almost alive, their colors accentuated by the reflections in the crushed ice on which they are laid.

Beyond the produce and fish, you will find butchers, bakers, cheese shops with an enormous variety of creamy, yellow fresh cheeses; and wine shops filled with bottles of the local wine as well as colorful bottles of exotic liqueurs.  The air is filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, aromatic basil, and the briny scent of the sea. As you walk through the stalls, vendors will offer you a sample of deep purple figs or bright red tomatoes (you may never want to eat a supermarket tomato again after tasting these). At the cheese counter, take a sliver of fresh Parmiggiano (Parmesan) cheese to savor with a handful of grapes. Everywhere you turn you will be tempted. But don’t tarry. By noon the produce is sold and the market is closed for another day.

Piles of eels for sale at the Pescheria Rialto market, Venice
Piles of eels for sale at the Pescheria Rialto market, Venice

The Rialto market is the only place to shop for food if you are renting an apartment in Venice. But even if you are staying in a hotel, enjoy the spectacle and the samples and who knows? Your supper may be in the eye of those Venetian chefs who buy at this market too

IF YOU GO
To get to the Rialto Bridge and the market, take the No 1 Vaporetto (water bus) and get off at the Rialto stop. Cross the bridge and go to the right on the opposite bank where you will find the Market. It is open from Monday to Saturday, 0800 to 1200 except for the Pescheria which is open Tuesday to Saturday from 0800 to 1200.

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