10 of the best free things to do in Venice

Venice is improbably, incomparably beautiful – an ethereal, mercurial dreamscape of floating palaces, basilicas and bell towers. It’s also one of Italy’s most expensive destinations, with costs to match its allure. The good news is that you don’t need deep pockets to fall under La Serenissima’s spell. From glittering Byzantine mosaics to mouthwatering markets, palace concerts, and sharply curated galleries, some of the city’s most inspiring experiences won’t cost you a euro. Some are world famous, others known to few more than savvy locals. Here's our pick of the best free things to do while you're in Venice.

1. Explore Rialto early in the morning

For centuries a trading hub bustling with spices, silks and merchants from across Europe and beyond, Rialto is one of Venice’s oldest, most fascinating quarters. Today, it’s also one of the most overrun with tourists. To savor it without the crush, head in between 7 and 8am, when the Rialto Bridge stands blissfully empty, and the Grand Canal below stirs from its slumber. Nearby at the ancient Rialto Market, vendors stack their stalls with the day’s catch and fresh produce – a glimpse of a Venice that still belongs to the locals.

Planning tip: The streets around the market claim some excellent, well-priced cicchetti (Venetian tapas) bars, including Al Mercà, All’Arco and Cantina Do Mori.

2. Go to Mass in the Basilica di San Marco

Hard to miss and impossible to forget, the Basilica di San Marco doesn’t just dominate Venice’s most famous square – it’s a glittering testament to human brilliance. Basic entry costs €3 (US$3.40), with an extra €5 (US$5.60) granting a dazzling close up of the jewel-encrusted Pala d’Oro. It is free for the faithful to attend Sunday morning Mass, where the congregation sits beneath its shimmering golden domes, and hear the stirring Cappella Marciana choir, harmonizing for over 700 years. During Mass, enter via the Porta dei Fiori on Piazzetta dei Leoni; check the Basilica website for times.

Planning tip: At Gran Caffè Lavena on Piazza San Marco, espresso and spritz are a steal if sipped standing at the counter.

Gianantonio Fumiani’s artwork on the ceiling of Chiesa di San Pantalon. Isogood_patrick/Shutterstock Isogood_patrick/Shutterstock

3. Gasp at a record-breaking artwork

Venice is awash with masterpieces, and one of the most astounding is free to admire. Sprawling across the entire ceiling of the Chiesa di San Pantalon, Gianantonio Fumiani’s Martyrdom and Apotheosis of St Pantalon (1680–1704) is the world’s largest oil painting – a 3D trompe l’oeil triumph stitched from 40 canvases. Sit down, look up, and lose yourself in its dizzying scale and detail, figures bursting from the ceiling like chiselled, real-life models. Some say Fumiani fell to his death while finishing the work – a legend others dispute.

Planning tip: The church also houses Paolo Veronese's last known work – a 1587 altarpiece depicting the Miracle of St Pantalon. Bring a €1 coin for the light box.

4. View priceless textiles in a Renaissance palazzo

Fawned over by designers and historians alike, Venetian textile house Rubelli holds one of Italy’s most distinguished fabric collections. A rotating selection is on show at its San Marco showroom, tucked inside a restored Renaissance palazzo (mansion). Email a few weeks ahead to request a private viewing of these exquisite pieces, woven across centuries and continents, and threaded with tales of artistry, trade, artworks, and the Rubelli family itself.

Planning tip: Visits normally run from 40 to 90 minutes, depending on your time and level of interest.

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice. ESB Professional/Shutterstock ESB Professional / Shutterstock

5. Wander the stunning Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

When the Virgin delivered Venice from the plague of 1630–31, the city responded with a thank-you gift for the ages: the showstopping Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. Designed by baroque starchitect Baldassare Longhena and looming over the mouth of the Grand Canal, it remains one of La Serenissima’s most glorious landmarks. The dome and art-slung sacristy charge admission, but the basilica itself – which includes a reputedly magical, healing marble-vortex floor – is free to wander.

Planning tip: At 3:30pm on weekdays, atmospheric vespers echo through the basilica, played on an 18th-century organ.

6. Contemplate contemporary art

It’s not all chubby cherubs on the Venetian art scene, as modern-art spaces like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo Grassi, and newcomer Palazzo Diedo attest. Not that you need to fork out to see contemporary works that provoke and inspire. Rendezvous with Italian and international artists at standout SPARC*, established by the founders of the Venice Design Biennial Week, and check out African talent at nearby AKKA Project. Heading in during the city’s famous Biennale? Entry to the Giardini della Biennale and Arsenale isn’t free, but many offsite exhibitions are.

Planning tip: Keep an eye out for Untitled Association – Venice Art to Date, a free pamphlet stocked in galleries listing current exhibitions across town.

Venice's Giardini Reali. Jaione_Garcia/Shutterstock Jaione_Garcia/Shutterstock

7. Unwind in the Royal Gardens

Venice may not scream "green", but even this dense, amphibious beauty harbors leafy, soothing patches. The most central is the Giardini Reali, a manicured oasis just behind Piazza San Marco. Lovingly restored by the Venice Gardens Foundation, it’s a blissful retreat from the area’s crowds, with shaded benches, wisteria-draped pergolas and the gentle sound of birdsong. Find inspiration in terracotta-potted plants, fill up your water bottle at the lion-headed fountain, and kick back with a good book or playlist of Venetian symphonies.

8. Enjoy a free concert

Thrifty Venetian music lovers know all about the Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello. The city’s premier music school hosts free concerts from September to early July, featuring students and accomplished guest performers. With a repertoire ranging from 18th-century Mozart to 20th-century Szymanowski, recitals take place in the lofty ballroom of Palazzo Pisani a Santo Stefano, a Venetian palace second only in size to Palazzo Ducale. No booking is required – simply check the schedule and show up.

Ponte dei Sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs), Venice. serenarossi/Shutterstock ©serenarossi/Shutterstock

9. Promenade the waterfront like a verified Venetian

Italians love a good passeggiata (stroll), and Venice offers two of the country’s finest seafront promenades. The first – Riva degli Schiavoni – shoots east from Piazzetta San Marco to the Arsenale, skirting past Palazzo Ducale and the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), with views of Longhena’s iconic basilica and Palladio’s Renaissance showpiece, the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore across the water. The second – Zattere – runs along the southern edge of Dorsoduro, passing the Tiepolo-frescoed Gesuiti church, historic warehouses turned art spaces, and tracing a path to the mouth of the Grand Canal. People-watch, lagoon gaze, and pinch yourself silly – you’re in Venice!

Planning tip: For maximum visual impact, walk the Riva degli Schiavoni east to west, and the Zattere west to east. In summer, aim for an early morning or evening wander.

10. Feed your mind at the Teatrino

While entry to Palazzo Grassi requires a ticket, its neighbouring Teatrino di Palazzo Grassi – an auditorium revamped by Tadao Ando – hosts free evening events throughout the year. Check the website for an eclectic lineup that includes literary readings, music performances, LP listening sessions, experimental films, and talks with artists and authors, many tied to Palazzo Grassi’s current exhibitions. Bookings are generally not required – just show up 20 minutes early and grab a seat.

Planning tip: Nearby deli-grocer Alimentari De Rossi makes tasty panini to order – perfect for a quick, cheap bite.