Fondaco Rooftop Terrace: The Best Place To Watch Sunset in Venice

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Venice's Sunset at Rialto Bridge. All Rights Reserved.

The golden sunset from Ponte di Rialto, or the Rialto Bridge, in my humble opinion, is one of the most spectacular places in Venice. Some might say it is touristy. People shove their cameras in your face, there is no practice of courtesy as everyone there was all about capturing that perfect moment before the sunset.

How about signing yourself up for an exclusive rooftop sunset view? I got a tip-off from a local photographer about this beautiful rooftop at T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS, where visitors sign up for access to a 360-degree view of the beautiful Venetian city. #venicehacks  The building is located right behind the Rialto bridge and the iconic riverside view at dusk was amazing.

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice
Photo Courtesy of LVMH.
Photo Courtesy of DFS.

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, or in English, the Fondaco Rooftop Terrace is a historical-building-turned-modern-department-store located at this prime location of Venice. As DFS Group’s first store in Europe, you can find a curated collection of products here, from local produces like balsamic vinaigrette, truffle oils, to a decent lineup of luxury apparel brands here at this department store. It is a perfect site to visit if you’d like to do some shopping before soaking in the grandeur of Venetian’s sunset from the Rialto Bridge.

Right: Photo Courtesy of AFAR Magazine.

Pre-visit sign up to enter the rooftop is a must but it is free of charge, and you get to enjoy this scenery for 15 minutes, more than enough for a couple of photographs, selfies, and quick video snaps. You’ll be sharing this 15 minutes with another 40 to a maximum of 60 pax on the rooftop, which was alright. No shoving, not fighting for space. Peace.

The Fondaco Rooftop Terrace is located right behind Ponte di Rialto. Hence you’ll get a very identical view as you are on the bridge. While seeing the sunset right on the bridge is a nice experience, the rooftop offers a more organised experience, especially during the golden hours.

The only thing you should remember is to check your iPhone or Google to find out the estimated time for sunset and book early. Sunsets come way earlier in the winter so please take note of this too! We were there during the end of April (a relatively low season) and I was able to book a 615pm session on that day right in the morning. But I’d consider myself lucky. And we managed to catch the sight right at the magic hours!

The terrace opens from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm, with 6:15 pm being the last slot of the day, it would be the most popular slot of the day. The reservation of the slots opens one month in advance and is free of charge. Please go earlier than your reserved time as the sessions run on time and there’s usually a queue! Reserve your preferred timeslot here.

 

Attraction Details

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS
Calle del Fontego dei Tedeschi
Opening Hours: 10 am – 7 pm.
Reservation to visit Fondaco Rooftop Terrace

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