Sottoporteghi (literally "carried under")are tunneling passageways through the dense urban fabric. They are ground-level open spaces, with construction over them. The simplest sottoporteghi are in the form of an archway built over the street, but they can be extended in length, or be open on one side as in a loggia.

1. Calle dei Malvasia Bridge over Rio dei Santi Apostoli, Cannaregio
Here is a water-side loggia, serving as both a landing and a pedestrian passageway.

2. Calle Gambara, west of Accademia, Dorsoduro
This is a brief archway over a narrow calle.

3. Sottoportego near S. Silvestro, San Polo
Short sottoporteghi are generally well-lit.

4. Sottoportegho leading to Corte dell'Anatomia at end of bridge, Santa Croce
Sometimes the only path off a bridge leads through a sottoportego. In this case, the passageway to a small irregular courtyard is not in line with the bridge.

5. Off Calle Tintor, Campo S. Giacomo dall'Orio, Santa Croce
As passageways get longer, the tunnel sensation is reinforced.

6. Calle de Mezzo, looking onto Rio del Megio, Santa Croce
Occasionally, such a passage will terminate at a canal, with or without the benefit of water stairs.

7. Calle Zambelli, Santa Croce
Here it is very clear how the tunnel was created from an existing passage that had been open to the sky. Note that across the courtyard at the end of the passage, there is another sottoportego.

8. Corte Oscura, Rio Terra dell'Isola, Santa Croce
This and the following picture show the two exits from a small courtyard, as they go through the buildings that surround the open space.

9. Corte Oscura
This particular exit is very dark and contains a right-angle bend.

10. Rio degli Ognissanti, Dorsoduro
A water entrance complete with a little free-standing loggia.

11. Abbazio S. Gregorio, Dorsoduro
This sottoportego is on a processional route, one of the main ways to reach the Salute church by land. Anthropologists find liminal (threshold) moments in most rituals, including procession. Here we have a physical threshold, extended beyond the typical short span involved in crossing a doorsill, which thereby intensifies the psychological effects of participating in the ritual.