Free Venice

San Giorgio Maggiore Island

One of the most famous and beautiful panoramas of Venice can be seen from here, as the island is directly opposite the Doge's Palace and the Grand Canal. The Cathedral of San Giorgio Maggiore, designed by Andrea Palladio in 1555, is also worth a visit (admission to the cathedral is free). It houses several paintings by the famous Tintoretto, including The Last Supper and The Gathering of the Manna of Heaven.

Opening hours: daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Contarini del Bovolo Staircase

This attraction is little known among tourists, and that's because it's lost away from the tourist trails - not far from the Rialto Bridge. The arched staircase that encircles the tower of Palazzo Contarini ends in an observation deck that offers a marvelous view of the city.

Opening hours: from April to October daily from 10:00 to 18:00, from November to March on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta (Gesuati Cathedral)

This grand Baroque cathedral is attractive not so much because you won't be charged a cent for admission, but because the Gesuati Cathedral boasts a fine collection of paintings and sculptures. In the main hall of the church there are works by Titian and Tintoretto, and in the sacristy there are two dozen paintings by Giacomo Palma the Younger.

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00.

Orsoni Color Library

This library (or rather color library) is lost among the alleys of Cannaregio, not far from the old Jewish ghetto. And it is famous for the fact that only here has survived the only working furnace in Venice, in which to this day is created smalt (a special colored mosaic of glass). It was also here that gold leaf was produced, used in the construction of many of the world's architectural masterpieces (such as St. Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City, Barcelona's Sagrada Famiglia, Paris' Sacre Coeur and, of course, the Basilica of San Marco in Venice).

You can get to this factory-museum by booking a free guided tour (just call +39 041 2440002 in advance). During the tour you will be told how the smalt is made and you will be taken to the Color Library, a collection of thousands of pieces of glass that play with all possible shades of color.

Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark

The fabulous facade and intricate mosaic panels decorating the cathedral are worth seeing here. There is a fee to enter the basilica, but most of its opulent decoration is outside and no one is preventing you from enjoying it to the full. However, you'll have to pay for a tour of the San Marco Museum, the Treasury or the Pala d'Oro's Golden Altar.

Opening hours: Basilica Monday-Saturday from 9:45 to 17:00, Sunday from 14:00 to 16:00
Museum: daily from 9:45 to 16:45

Tour of gondola construction

Have you long wanted to know how the famous Venetian boats are made? Then welcome to the gondola shipyard in Piazza San Marco. This is one of the three Venetian docks that are still in operation - gondolas are repaired and built there. It's a great place to visit with children: kids will love the opportunity to watch the craftsmen at work and examine the materials used to build these mini-ships. And adults can learn a lot about one of the symbols of Venice.

There are several places in Venice where you can have a great time with your kids without paying a dime.

Astronomy show

At the Planetarium on the Lido, amateur astronomers put on entertaining and informative shows for all the little geeks aged six and up. The event takes place every Sunday from October to May, starting at 16:00. Admission is free.

Free family beaches

Most of the beaches in Venice have a fee, but some (like Blue Moon and Alberoni) are free to visit and perfectly adapted for family vacations. Alberoni is also a seabird sanctuary.
Both beaches are located on the Lido sand spit.

You can book a hotel in Venice with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

If you want to see the real Venice as the Venetians themselves see it, you should try a tour of the city by enthusiastic local guides. For free, they'll take you to new, off-the-beaten-path places unknown to most travelers, and in addition, they'll tell you all sorts of useful things that only the locals know.

The most popular free tours of Venice can be found here:

Free Tour Venice

Tour times: 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00 daily (tour in English).

Venice Free Walking Tour

In order to be included in the group, you must make a reservation online in advance (only in case of a change of plans, be sure to notify by email or phone call that you are canceling your reservation).

Enjoy your vacation!