Campo San Barnaba

Located in Venice's lively Dorsoduro sestiere, the Campo San Barnaba is a little square named after the San Barnaba Church that stands by it. This Neoclassical church was dedicated to the Apostle Saint Barnabas and dates to 1776. It was reconstructed based on designs by Lorenzo Boschetti. It features a 11th-century campanile with a pinecone-shaped spire that is slightly detached from the main church. The Casin dei Nobili (Aristocracy Casino) served as a lively gaming house during the 1700s. The church has been deconsecrated and now houses art exhibitions. Its facade was depicted as a library when it was featured in the 1989 film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”.

Campo San Barnaba is home to a couple of snack stalls where you can grab a bite to eat, as well as a fruit store around the corner at the Fondamenta Gheradini. Pizzerias, gelaterias, and bars line the square, as does a small book shop. If you want to try on traditional Venetian masks, there is a shop just across the Ponte Barnaba that sells beautifully crafted masks. Street artists often perform in Campo San Barnaba, and it has a laid-back atmosphere at the heart of a predominantly student district.

Campo San Barnaba is just a short stroll from the Ca' Rezzonico Vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal, which is located adjacent to this famous palace museum. It’s also within easy walking distance of the Palazzo Giustinian and the University Ca’ Foscari. 

Campo San Barnaba is a residential square as much as a visitor destination, and evening noise from its bars is a consideration for the people living around it. The deconsecrated church now hosting exhibitions operates on its own visiting hours, separate from the square itself.

The square sits in Dorsoduro, close to several of Venice's major museums.

• Getting there: a short walk from the Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal.
• Nearby: Ca' Rezzonico, Palazzo Giustinian, and Ca' Foscari University are all within easy walking distance.
• On the square: food stalls, a small book shop, and a mask shop just across the Ponte dei Pugni.