Scala Contarini del Bovolo
Scala Contarini del Bovolo
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural Buildings
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
The tallest spiral staircase of Venice is a perfect synthesis of different architecture styles (Renaissance, Gothic and Venetian-Byzantine). It was commissioned by Pietro Contarini in late 1400 as a decorative element of the adjacent family's Palazzo. Even today there are several hypotheses about the authorship of the manufacturer. The monument can be considered a unique architectural jewel in the lagoon, the new Renaissance expression that was establishing in the city. The Scala is connected to the palace by three floors lodges. At the top there is the Belvedere with a wonderful view of Venice, from here you can see the domes and the Campanile di San Marco, the Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo, and even the Teatro la Fenice.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: San Marco
The most famous sestiere (district) in Venice has one of the world's most famous squares, St. Mark's (Piazza San Marco). Anchored on one end by the basilica, clustered around it are restaurants, museums, shops, orchestras playing in the square, pigeons, the grand pink Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), the soaring campanile bell tower, an astrological clock tower, plus gorgeous cafes and restaurants like Florian and Quadri. Piazza San Marco is beloved by Venetians themselves. They book a table anytime, which offers a buffer from the fray. This grand outdoor drawing room attracts Venetians for a stroll too, especially late in the afternoon when the hoards of daytrippers thin out. It's simply a grand place to meet.
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See what travelers are saying
  • Alyeska13
    The Netherlands552 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous building in a tiny little square that feels like a secret
    Wow! This beautiful building is in a tiny square off the beaten path, but it is so lovely that it’s worth finding! It’s definitely not a secret place, but for some reason, once you find it, it feels like one even if people are there! Maybe because it’s so small? We went toward the end of our trip kind of last minute, but I’m so glad we did. It ended up being very close to our apartment, and we would never have even known it was there if we hadn’t used google maps. There were people there, but at the time we went it wasn’t overrun with tourists like everywhere else seemed to be. We decided not to climb it because we were exhausted after everything we’d done that day, but I would definitely like to the next time we visit. (Also, our apartment was on the 5th floor, so we had been doing at least 20 flights a day already. My husband was glad I didn’t already have tickets because he didn’t want to climb more stairs! ) The square itself is much smaller than expected, and the building has a wrought iron fence around the tiny, grassy yard in front of it. We saw a number of people climbing it and looking out of the top terrace. There also looked like there was an attached museum. We honestly were too tired at that point to enjoy it much, but it’s really beautiful from the outside. There was a tour group there, but even with them it seemed like a secret spot!
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 18, 2023
  • WanderingOttersons
    Denver, Colorado1,380 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great architecture and views from the top
    The unique external spiral staircase is the primary draw for this place. for most who wish to see the building, a quick stop outside would be enough. We chose to pay the ticket price to climb to the top and take in the views. Decide for yourself your choice. The price is about €9 and what you get is a small gallery on one of the floors that was housing modern art on the day we were there and then a walk to the top of the tower. It’s not a lot but I will say that the views from the top are pretty nice.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 19, 2023
  • Menekag
    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam1,469 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating architecture
    It is an interesting structure for sure with an outside staircase. It is the history surrounding the building which was the house of a noble family in Venice in the 15th century. The architecture is beautiful. It’s hard to find unless you know what you are looking for and does only require a quick stop to admire it from the outside as I have read there isn’t much to see inside. You can climb up for a fee but we were short of time and energy
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 19, 2023
  • Elina Michaelidou
    London, United Kingdom584 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A unique place to visit
    The Scala del Bovolo is a very interesting place to visit, especially for taking photos. I was expecting some form of museum along the floors but there is actually only one small room for exhibitions and the main focus is the view from the top which didn’t disappoint. We spent around 30 minutes there.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 9, 2023
  • Asiyah Noemi K
    Pula, Croatia5,046 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful spiral staircase
    Venezia always amazes with its hidden gems. That is how Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo with its wonderful spiral staircase enchants every visitor. This palazzo has been visitable since February 2016, and painting exhibitions and chamber music concerts are often held here. This small palazzo is best known for its external multi-arch spiral staircase known as the Scala Contarini del Bovolo. The Venetian word “bovolo” means snail and refers to the shape of a spiral snail shell (Scala del Bovolo). The staircase leads to an arcade, providing an impressive view of the city roof-tops. The palazzo is located in a small, less-travelled calle (street) near Campo Manin, about halfway between Campo San Bartolo, at the foot of the Rialto, and Campo Santo Stefano. The palazzo was designed and built in its current form in the 15th century by the architect Giovanni Candi as one of the city residences of the Contarini family. Giorgio Spavento is believed to have been responsible for the addition of the grand spiral staircase on the exterior in 1499. The beautiful spiral staircase has eighty steps and is 28 meters high. It spans six floors and is made of red bricks and white stone (arches, columns and balustrade). In the 19th century, Domenico Emery became the owner of the property and then the palace was transformed into an accommodation for guests. One of these guests was the German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel. He discovered important celestial bodies by making observations with his telescope from the top floor of the tower. This has given more fame to the palace with the spiral staircase. Because of its beauty and attractiveness, the Palazzo del Bovolo was chosen by Orson Welles as one of the main locations (Brabantio's house) for his 1952 adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, and the staircase is prominently featured in the film. The entrance price is correct, so we are in the magically beautiful Venice.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 22, 2023
  • 3Caldwells
    Ipswich, United Kingdom124 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful climb
    An absolute gem found whilst Geocaching. A reasonable price to enter the tower and enjoy the view as well as appreciate the art exhibition. It’s quite a climb and on a wet Day I was a little concerned of the slippery surface. But the roof top view was so worth the effort.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written March 11, 2024
  • Jinty059
    Glasgow, United Kingdom185 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quirky, beautiful, staircase.
    Managed to find this beautiful building with the help of a good detailed map of Venice, well hidden away up tiny alleys, but some street signage to keep one right. Took lots of photos but did not climb up the spiral staircase. Knees would not have survived after walking for days around Venice. Worth a visit.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,593 reviews
Excellent
824
Very good
578
Average
141
Poor
36
Terrible
14

Alyeska13
The Netherlands552 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
Wow! This beautiful building is in a tiny square off the beaten path, but it is so lovely that it’s worth finding! It’s definitely not a secret place, but for some reason, once you find it, it feels like one even if people are there! Maybe because it’s so small? We went toward the end of our trip kind of last minute, but I’m so glad we did. It ended up being very close to our apartment, and we would never have even known it was there if we hadn’t used google maps. There were people there, but at the time we went it wasn’t overrun with tourists like everywhere else seemed to be. We decided not to climb it because we were exhausted after everything we’d done that day, but I would definitely like to the next time we visit. (Also, our apartment was on the 5th floor, so we had been doing at least 20 flights a day already. My husband was glad I didn’t already have tickets because he didn’t want to climb more stairs! ) The square itself is much smaller than expected, and the building has a wrought iron fence around the tiny, grassy yard in front of it. We saw a number of people climbing it and looking out of the top terrace. There also looked like there was an attached museum. We honestly were too tired at that point to enjoy it much, but it’s really beautiful from the outside. There was a tour group there, but even with them it seemed like a secret spot!
Written June 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

3Caldwells
Ipswich, UK124 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
An absolute gem found whilst Geocaching. A reasonable price to enter the tower and enjoy the view as well as appreciate the art exhibition. It’s quite a climb and on a wet Day I was a little concerned of the slippery surface. But the roof top view was so worth the effort.
Written March 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Menekag
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam1,469 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
It is an interesting structure for sure with an outside staircase. It is the history surrounding the building which was the house of a noble family in Venice in the 15th century. The architecture is beautiful. It’s hard to find unless you know what you are looking for and does only require a quick stop to admire it from the outside as I have read there isn’t much to see inside. You can climb up for a fee but we were short of time and energy
Written September 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MustTravel
Lucca, Italy114 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We wanted to visit the Hidden Staircase for a few years now and finally had the opportunity to visit the first week of June 2021. We booked our tickets as with Covid restrictions only 10 people per appointment is allowed. The climb to the top to view absolute spendour of Venice was easy. The view is amazing and you can spot a few important landmarks from the top. I would definately recommend a visit to the Scala Contradini del Bovolo.
Written June 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CrazySpiti
Saint Paul, MN84 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Couples
Impressive in photographs, even better in person. There is a small fee to enter the building. The ticket office staff seemed a bit bored and weren’t attentive by or friendly. We had no problem buying a last moment ticket and enjoyed taking in the view of some of the modern artwork within the museum. The staircase had an amazing view and the stonework was unique.
Written September 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Asiyah Noemi K
Pula, Croatia5,046 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
Venezia always amazes with its hidden gems. That is how Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo with its wonderful spiral staircase enchants every visitor. This palazzo has been visitable since February 2016, and painting exhibitions and chamber music concerts are often held here. This small palazzo is best known for its external multi-arch spiral staircase known as the Scala Contarini del Bovolo. The Venetian word “bovolo” means snail and refers to the shape of a spiral snail shell (Scala del Bovolo). The staircase leads to an arcade, providing an impressive view of the city roof-tops. The palazzo is located in a small, less-travelled calle (street) near Campo Manin, about halfway between Campo San Bartolo, at the foot of the Rialto, and Campo Santo Stefano. The palazzo was designed and built in its current form in the 15th century by the architect Giovanni Candi as one of the city residences of the Contarini family. Giorgio Spavento is believed to have been responsible for the addition of the grand spiral staircase on the exterior in 1499. The beautiful spiral staircase has eighty steps and is 28 meters high. It spans six floors and is made of red bricks and white stone (arches, columns and balustrade). In the 19th century, Domenico Emery became the owner of the property and then the palace was transformed into an accommodation for guests. One of these guests was the German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel. He discovered important celestial bodies by making observations with his telescope from the top floor of the tower. This has given more fame to the palace with the spiral staircase. Because of its beauty and attractiveness, the Palazzo del Bovolo was chosen by Orson Welles as one of the main locations (Brabantio's house) for his 1952 adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, and the staircase is prominently featured in the film. The entrance price is correct, so we are in the magically beautiful Venice.
Written December 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

𝓝𝓪𝓽𝔂 ® 👑
Moscow, Russia118,360 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Couples
The palace was built in 1499 for Pietro Contarini, Marco Contarini and Giovanni Battista Contarini, senators of the Venetian Republic, representatives of the oldest patrician family. The palace is also known for the fact that in 1859 the lithographer and astronomer Tempel, Ernst Wilhelm Leberecht Wilhelm Tempel made his first astronomical observations from the observation tower with his own telescope. Here, on April 2, 1859, he discovered the comet C/1859 G1, and on October 19, 1859, the Merop Nebula in the Pleiades cluster.
Written December 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MoldNurseteacher
Mold43 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Despite la Scala being relatively close to St Mark’s it is remarkably well hidden. In fact, we found it on our second attempt and what an impressive and unusual edifice it is. Almost like a mini version of the Tower of Pisa the climb to the top is refreshingly perpendicular and gives lovely views over the Venetian rooftops and skyline. There was a modest but fascinating exhibition on a lower floor which enriched our visit.
It’s set in a small, peaceful square showing off its Byzantinesque style. So different and well worth a brief trip from the intensity of the crowds elsewhere.
Written April 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jose Antonio Vivanco
Madrid, Spain18 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021 • Couples
The place is nice and the views fantastic.

No guided tour unless you are a young beautiful blondie. In that case the guy taking care of the place gives you a fantastic explanation about the picture.

The person in the tickets office told me that they do that when they have nothing to do which was the case when me and my wife went up. She justified her colleague.

So basically one woman justifying it and other one enjoying the favour treatment.....
Written November 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ShVa2023
4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
The building itself is beautiful and well worth visiting from the outside for free. The views at the top are underwhelming, take 1-2 minutes to see and mostly rooftops of residential homes. Use the ticket money to buy a nice gelato or slice of pizza instead.
Written July 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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