The Riva-degli-Schiavoni begins by the Doge’s Palace, immediately after the Ponte della Paglia (‘the bridge of straw’), and ends by the Ca-di-Dio embankment by the Arsenal. Today the Riva-degli-Schiavoni is the site of a sprawling market where local traders sell souvenirs and assorted bric-a-brac ranging from bags and sunglasses to toys, sometimes of questionable provenance.The embankment is a brilliant place for late evening or early morning walks, when the quality of light is such that a fluffy body of mist appears above the water.