Not every Venice bridge can be written up in your trusty guidebook.  Sure, everyone knows about Rialto Bridge or the multitude that can be found along the Grand Canal, but often times (and especially in Venice) the out of the way sections of the city offer some of the greatest rewards.  One of these small bridges in Venice is the Ponte del Lovo.  Though it is probably disingenuous to consider this Venice Bridge a very secluded spot – located in between St. Mark’s and Ponte Di Rialto, only the city’s poorly arranged streets will keep you from crossing over Ponte del Lovo. 

Though small in stature, this is one of the busier small bridges in Venice – thus the ample cafes nearby are ideal spots for people watching.  Here you can find the city’s oldest pastry shop, Guanotto.  If you are a spritzer enthusiast (of course you are), Guanotto is notable for being the beverage’s birthplace, a mixture of bitters, white wine and soda water.  And if that’s not enough to draw you in, there are plenty of cocktails and other drinks to keep you interested. 

If you want a break from always-rising prices in Venice, you can escape to the Rosticceria Teatro Goldoni.  Don’t expect fine Italian food, but you can still manage a tasty meal here – it is spread out like a cafeteria, complete with pre-prepared dishes waiting for you – but it’s of much higher class than other Rosticcerias.  Glass separates you from the songs of the gondoliers that pass nearby, but the cannelloni alla Bolognese will help to assuage the pain.  Then you can stand beneath the graffiti on Ponte del Lovo and gawk at the passing gondolas all day.

You can also gawk at the many shops that are nearby this Venice bridge – the space between St. Mark’s and the Rialto Bridge is chock full of a number of high quality shops featuring everything from the latest fashion to high-end jewelry to Murano glass and Carnavale masks. 

As with any of the small bridges in Venice, it probably won’t have the great views found along the Grand Canal, but it will give you a different glimpse of the city – a more restrained, relaxed atmosphere to enjoy the sun glinting off the greenish Venice water.  There will still be plenty of tourists, though.  They’re pretty hard to shake, no matter where you are in the city.