Venice's Top 11 Free Sights

ABOVE: A tourist grabs a shot of the Piazza San Marco. INSET BELOW: A wedding gondola on the Grand Canal, and the Santa Maria della Salute Church.

by Durant Imboden

Venice, Italy has a reputation for being expensive, but don't be discouraged: Many of the city's most interesting sights are free. By spending the bulk of your time on the places and experiences that are discussed in this article, you'll have money left over for the things that really matter to you--whether your tastes run to cultural attractions like the Doge's Palace and the Accademia art gallery or to restaurants, bars, hotels, and shopping.

Most of the sights on the next 11 pages won't cost you a single euro. In a few cases, you can pay for options (such as an inexpensive traghetto ride across the Grand Canal) or you'll need to buy a waterbus ticket to get where you need to go.

Tips:

• At the end of this guide, you'll find a printable "Top 11 Free Sights" list. Print it out and tuck it into your tote, camera bag, or guidebook to use as a cheat sheet when you're in Venice.

• For more sightseeing advice, click the "Related articles" links on each page or see our main Venice Sightseeing Articles Index.

• The Association 360 Gradi offers free walking tours twice a day year-round.

To begin planning your tour of Venice's Top 11 Free Sights, click here or use the navigation menu below:

Since 1997, we've helped 30 million travelers plan trips to Venice, Italy.   About Venice for Visitors Why hotel location matters in a city with 400+ bridges:   Our #1 Venice hotel warning   10 hotels near airport buses   16 hotels near cruise ships   43 hotels on the Grand Canal   Vacation apartments   Directions & maps: 200 hotels   Venice for Cruisers