The Grand Canal is Venice's largest waterway. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city.

Running through most of the city, it "starts" from the lagoon at the train station, makes a large S-shape through the central parts of Venice, and ends by the Canal of San Marco at Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square). Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute stands at the junction between the two canals.

Its banks are lined with some of the most beautiful buildings of the city, amongst the many palazzos and churches are the Ca' Rezzonico, Ca d'Oro, Ca' Foscari, Palazzo Barbarigo and the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, housing the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Because most of the city's traffic goes along the Canal rather than across it, there are only three bridges, the most famous of which is the covered Rialto Bridge.