Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Venice’s Best Hidden Gem
With all of its dark, narrow passageways and alleys to nowhere, Venice is a city built for hidden gems. I won’t pretend to know them all, but I do know one of the best: Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo!
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo fits the definition of a hidden gem in every sense of the word. It’s difficult to find. The square where it’s located is tucked away in a small corner of the city. It’s not nearly as visited as many of the more well-known tourist attractions in Venice despite how stunning it is.
But it is pretty hard to find, which is a major reason why it continues to be relatively unvisited by Venice’s hordes of tourists. In this guide, I’ll tell you all about Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, including how to even find this place without getting lost in Venice.
Updated September 2026
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will earn a small commission. This occurs at no added cost to you.
What’s So Special About Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
But first, let’s talk more about why you should go out of your way to visit Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
The square alone is worth the time it takes to find it. As you finally make your way into it after walking through a dark alleyway, you come upon a small residential square with a well in the middle of the square. It isn’t much, but it’s a very peaceful and relaxing spot away from Venice’s hustle and bustle.
Then, you turn around and see the elegant staircase spiraling up towards the sky. It features Renaissance, Gothic and Byzantine architectural styles that contrast nicely with the surrounding buildings.
Taken as a whole, it’s like something out of a dream, which isn’t a far fetch from how the rest of Venice feels.
In addition to just stepping into the palazzo to view the buildings, you can also climb the Scala Contarini del Bovolo for one of the finest views of Venice.
Climbing up the 133 steps of Scala Contarini del Bovolo offers visitors plenty of great views as you keep climbing. You also get a fine look at some of the more intricate details of the architecture.
Of course, the highlight is at the very top of the 28-meter staircase where you’re treated to one of the best views of Venice. From the top of Scala Contarini del Bovolo you can see the domes of St Mark’s Basilica and its famous belltower, Salute Church and various other belltowers. These sights pop up in the distance over Venice’s multicolored tiled rooftops.
It’s sure to be one of the highlights of your time in Venice!
So, what’s the difference between Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo and Scala Contarini del Bovolo? Palazzo is the name of the squire, while scala refers to the staircase. You may see these used interchangeably while reading about this part of Venice online.
Other Things to do During Your Visit to Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
In addition to climbing the staircase to take in the views, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo also features a small space with temporary art exhibits.
During our visit, the exhibit was showcasing a local Venetian artist. I only peeked my head in because we had a busy day planned. It’s a small exhibit hall, so if you have a few minutes, it can be a nice way to unwind after your climb up the tower.
The current exhibit is Mythos by Wallace Chan, a sculptor based out of Hong Kong. Mythos contains several sculptures and audio exhibits related to mythology, astronomy and philosophy.
Finding Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
Finding Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is part of the fun of visiting. That said, don’t expect to find exact directions here. I don’t want to ruin the adventure of looking for it by making it too easy. Its secretive nature is part of its allure – and what keeps it from getting too crowded.
Further, getting GPS directions on your phone is difficult because of all the tight passageways in Venice. These features give GPS units a fit. This is a big reason why it’s so easy – and wonderful – to get lost in Venice.
Here are a few tips that should help with your search.
- It’s located a bit southeast from Campo Manin. This is probably the most important landmark when trying to make your way to Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
- Be on the lookout for small signs on the sides of buildings pointing you in the direction of Venice’s landmarks. They’re easy to miss, but they’re your best bet for finding important locations and getting an idea of where you’re standing.
- Go to the end of each passageway before turning around. The small square Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is in looks like a regular residential square until you walk all the way in and turn around to see Scala Contarini del Bovolo hidden in a corner off to the side of the dark alleyway. It’s impossible to see unless you go all the way through this alleyway. That’s what I did when I first walked by this road.
Visiting Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
You can book tickets for Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo ahead of time to reserve a time for your visit. Reservations cost €9 and are good for 30 minutes. Your ticket includes both the staircase and the temporary art exhibit.
When we visited, people were able to purchase tickets at the entrance, yet I still recommend going online to reserve a time just to be safe. They only allow a small number of visits at a time. So, even if it isn’t crowded, you could still miss out on getting a ticket at the time of your visit if you don’t reserve a time beforehand. This will also save you a bit of time when visiting since you won’t have to wait in line to buy tickets.
Because it’s less touristed than other places in Venice, you should be safe reserving a time up to a day before your visit or even possibly the same morning.
The History of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
Venice’s Contarini family had the palazzo built in the early 15th century to be one of their residences throughout the city. Then, in 1499 another architect, historians think either Giovanni Candi or Giorgio Spavento, had the spiral staircase built.
Scala Contarini del Bovolo earned its moniker from the addition of this staircase. In Italian, bovolo translates to snail. Translated to English, Scala Contarini del Bovolo loosely means the snail-like staircase of the Contarini family.
The palace changed hands over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries, eventually becoming a lodging house where people could rent rooms. In 1859, Wilhelm Tempel was staying in Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo when he conducted astronomical observations from the staircase’s belvedere and discovered the comet C/1859 G1 and the Merope Nebula.
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is currently owned by the Public Institutions of Venetian Assistance. This welfare organization uses the building as its administrative headquarters.
Thank you for reading this post. Paul Passing Through is a labor of love to which I’ve dedicated a lot of free time. If you’d like to show your support for my blog, you can Buy Me a Coffee to help fund the future of Paul Passing Through. I appreciate any contributions!
Resources to Book Your Trip to Venice
Whether you’re looking for tours, hotels or flights, here are some tools to help get you started planning your trip to Venice to see Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo!
Look for activities and tours offered through GetYourGuide or Viator!
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out my travel essentials pages for more of my recommendations.
Pin This Post!
