The Bridge of Sighs

This is “one of the finest examples of baroque bridge architecture in the world,” writes Elizabeth Salthouse at L’Italo Americano. Spanning around 11 metres, there are fabulous details in its design, including over 20 faces carved along the bridge’s lower arch. Though highly decorative, with its white limestone built into lattice-like screens covering two small rectangular windows, the footbridge came to serve a practical purpose, writes Melanie Renzulli for TripSavvy. Swiss sculptor Antonio Contino designed and built the bridge in 1600, which has become a “symbol of love in a city that drips with romance.”  

Many people think it gets its name from the “sighs of love-struck couples,” explains L’Italo Americano. “It’s partly due to the romantic poet Lord Byron who translated the 17th century Italian name into English in the 19th century lending it a dreamy allure.” It's said that if a couple in a gondola kisses as they pass under the bridge at sunset as the bells of St. Mark's toll, their love will last forever. Access to the Bridge of Sighs is available only through booking the Itinerari Segreti.