Free Sights and Attractions in Venice, Italy

Venice for Free

Piazza San Marco or Saint Mark's Square is the main tourist destination in Venice. Around it are important monuments, elegant historic buildings and expensive cafes, some with live music in the evening. You can hear the music for free as you walk around but sitting at a table is very expensive. Take a peek at the famous Caffe Florian, popular since 1720. You can visit Basilica San Marco, Saint Mark's Cathedral, an impressive Byzantine style monument with ornate mosaic decoration covering the interior walls and ceiling.

The Rialto Bridge,a very picturesque bridge, has been the main bridge crossing the Grand Canal since 1591. It's usually packed with tourists. On the bridge are covered arches with shops. Near the bridge is the Rialto Market, a good place to visit in the morning. This lively food market with lots of little stalls has been in operation for about 1000 years. If you're there early you can see fresh fish being unloaded from the boats. In the Rialto Market area you can see what was probably Venice's first church, San Giacometto, founded in 471 and rebuilt in 1071, about the same time the Rialto Market was built.

Venice has more than 150 canals ranging from the Grand Canal, the city's main thoroughfare, to tiny canals that are barely accessible to small boats. The canals are lined with old houses, often decked with flowers. Wandering along the streets by the canals is a pleasurable past-time. You're likely to get lost but that's part of the charm of Venice. Find a bridge on a quiet canal and watch the gondolas glide under it or head to the Grand Canal and watch the many boats that ply the waters of Venice.

The octagonal Basilica Santa Maria della Salute is one of the most photographed churches in Venice. The Baroque church, built in the 17th century as thanks for the end of the plague, sits on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro neighborhood and is visible from the entrance to Piazza San Marco. Dramatic steps leading to the entrance are made of white Istrian stone and more than 100 figures adorn the church's buttresses. The massive interior is awe-inspiring and contains several Titians. For the festival held on November 21, a temporary bridge is laid across the Grand Canal and Venetians walk across it to the church.

The word ghetto originated in Venice with the creation of the Jewish ghetto in 1516. Thousands of Jews were forced to live in a segregated area of Venice in what was Europe's first segregated Jewish community. There are two parts to the ghetto, the Ghetto Vecchio (old) and Ghetto Nuovo (new). Multi-story apartment buildings were built with low ceilings to accommodate the dense population and they can still be seen as you walk around. Two of the five historic synagogues are still in use, the Byzantine style Schola Spagnola, used in summer, and the Baroque Schola Levantina, used in winter.

Near the Renaissance Scuola Grande di San Rocco art museum in the San Polo sestiere you'll find the free and interesting Museo della Musica. Besides a good collection of instruments and an exhibit about violin making, the museum gives an interesting look at the life of Antonio Vivaldi, composer and musician from Venice, in an exhibit called Antonio Vivaldi e il suo tempo.

Venice is a window shoppers delight. Many small shops have inviting window displays. Top items are blown glass (from Murano Island), jewelry, and beautifully decorated carnival masks. In the San Marco neighborhood there are many upscale designer shops. The Strada Nova, the wide main street of the Cannaregio district, is a mix of souvenir shops and shops used by locals. Art galleries and antique shops are found in the Dorsoduro district. Avoid buying items from vendors on the streets who may be selling counterfeit goods. You can be fined for purchasing these.

Venice has colorful festivals throughout the year. One of the best celebrations is Carnevale, lasting about two weeks. Although many events are expensive, you'll see lots of free entertainment on the streets and canals, including gondola and boat parades along the Grand Canal, mask parades, elaborate costumes, and a huge fireworks finale. The historic regatta in September is an exciting historic boat race and parade of boats. The Festival of San Marco on April 25 honoring Saint Mark, the patron saint of Venice, starts with a huge procession to San Marco Basilica.