Location: Venice
Top Things to do in Venice
What to do and see in Venice, Veneto: The Best Free Things to do
With its gondolas, canals, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable romantic ambiance, Venice is definitely a city for one's bucket list. Waterfront palazzos, palaces, and churches make drifting down the Grand Canal feel like cruising through a painting. To really experience Venice you must go to the opera or to a classical music performance, nibble fresh pasta and pastries, and linger in the exhibit halls of an art gallery. Label lovers will drool over the high-end shopping in Piazza San Marco.
Restaurants in Venice
1. Gioielleria Eredi Jovon
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 483 reviews
Jewelry shop and cameo factory on the Rialto Bridge in Venice Real genuine Italian cameos: antique, custom, shell, blue agate, locket, pendant, brooch, ring, earrings, necklaces,wedgewood, black,coral, murano glass, venetian blackamoor, silver, gold, interesting museum pieces
Reviewed By 244emmap - London, United Kingdom
I ordered the gondola ferro comb I love it Service was excellent arrived very quickly. The jewellery and craftsmanship is excellent I will be buying from the shop again and hope to visit as soon as I can get back to the beautiful city of Venice Thank you ????
2. Centro Storico di Venezia
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,219 reviews
Reviewed By L9034OAcarlosb - Lisbon, Portugal
Find your own path through that maze of bridges, canals, alleys and monuments which makes the heart of the Centro Storico. Leave your luggage at the hotel, and hit the streets. You won`t regret a single second. Enjoy.
3. Piazza San Marco
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36,943 reviews
It is said that Napoleon called San Marco "the drawing room of Europe." And it is a breathtakingly beautiful place. But the square has long been a lure for massive numbers of pigeons, drawn by the massive numbers of tourists who readily feed them. While the tourists happily post for photos amid the flock, there are concerns that the birds' presence--and what they leave behind--will damage the centuries old architecture and art work.
Reviewed By usctrojantravelgirl - Los Angeles, United States
I’ve visited St. Mark’s Square many times but truly enjoyed this visit. While the piazza was crowded and even flooded during high tide, the waters quickly diminished, the weather was beautiful and there are enough opportunities to get the perfect photos!
4. Ponte dei Sospiri
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,050 reviews
This historic bridge connects the Doge's Palace with its prisons and was named for the condemned prisoners who crossed it to meet their executioners.
Reviewed By Erfurt - Jupiter, United States
The Bridge of Sighs is world renown, it is packed with tourists coming and going, there is a lot of pushing and chaffing going on, everyone wants to take a photo of this scene, and the once who take " selfies " really jam up this beautiful sight best seen from the bridge where this photo was taken..The Bridge of Sighs is made from white limestone passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. A MUST see...
5. Basilica di San Marco
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28,574 reviews
Blending the architectural styles of East and West, Venice's magnificent basilica was consecrated in 832 AD as an ecclesiastical building to house the remains of St. Mark.
Reviewed By 627brendand
We visited this beautiful church and were blown away by the opulent gold mosaic artwork and beautiful sculptures and architecture. It was a personal goal to visit San Marco and the square so it was for us a dream come true. The disappointing thing was the general level of dishonesty around Venice by business people. To buy anything was a complete rip off, even a coffee and croissant was extortionate. You had to always check your change as we were deliberately short changes several times and my wife was also pick pocketed in Milan the very hour we arrived in Italy. So be careful with your money and I wouldn’t eat or buy any food in tourist areas. Also when we arrived at the train station in Venice the square was under about 12 inches of water. People were everywhere selling waterproof waders to put your feet in. 20 Euro later ...These promptly leaked and we were soaked anyway after 5 minutes of use. This was dishonesty on an industrial scale. Also no one told us that if you simply waited about an hour the tide would recede and you could walk around on dry ground. This basic information was simply not available to tourists. My advice would be, go for the beauty and amazing art and be very careful, as there is unfortunately a rip off culture everywhere.
6. Torre dell'Orologio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,216 reviews
This 14th-century clock stands on the north side of St. Mark's Square,and is known by its large clock face displaying the hours of the day, phases of the moon and movement of the sun through the signs of the Zodiac.
Reviewed By massimoswitz - Opfikon, Switzerland
Beautiful clock tower in front of the basilica of San Marco that every hour you hear the Moors ringing the bells.
7. Giudecca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 614 reviews
Giudecca is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, in northern Italy. It is part of the sestiere of Dorsoduro and is a locality of the comune of Venice.
Reviewed By Oakandco - Birchington, United Kingdom
Less than five minutes on a vaporetto and you can flee the maddening crowds of San Marco and find yourself on a little oasis of calm - with, arguably, the best ground level views in the whole city. Granted, there's not a lot of life on the island of Giudecca, but if you're pondering where to stay, heavily entertain the idea of being here. Not only is it peaceful, but you can sit at one of a number of cafes and restaurants eating a meal a few euros cheaper than on the 'main islands' and be perched about a foot (literally) from the lapping waters of the Giudecca canal (which means you too can gasp at the ridiculous size of the cruise ships as they make their slow progress too and from the terminal further up the canal). Your view? Across the canal to the main square...truly beautiful at night on a warm late summer's evening. In addition to a number of vaporetto stops, perhaps most crucially there's a supermarket which sells bottles of prosecco for 4 euros and limoncello for even less. Almost, on its own, worthy of making the trip.
8. San Polo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
Venice district that offers many interesting historic sites such as the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, thought to be the oldest church in Venice.
Reviewed By Raffiella11 - Leicestershire, United Kingdom
True heart of the city, centres around the Rialto Bridge/bustling Rialto market,dense in history/culture, secluded Palazzo’s down narrow alleyways, if only we knew where they were/we would love to see inside. Overflowing with tourists on the bridge taking photographs and just wandering around, most not knowing any history of the area. Take time to read about San Polo’s history it is totally fascinating, and things you see will make more sense.. At the bottom of the Rialto Steps is a double sided array for very tacky tourist stalls. Wander away from the area of the market, there is a vast array of local food/wine & clothes shops. Do not miss the Spice Street it has been here since the 16th century when spices were brought from Asia, plus fabulous cheese shops, bakeries etc . Do not miss the oldest church in the city, San Giacomo di Rialto, opposite is the statue which most tourists miss of Gobo – the hunchback. Looking towards arches, is wine bar/restaurant Banco Giro this is the site of the first bank in the world. There are other bars nearby but Banco Giro is far the best. My advice while walking around, look up at the buildings, and there are fabulous sights to be seen. Walking on the Fondamenta dell O'lio at the side of the Grande Canale takes you into the heart of San Polo. Narrow alleyways, pretty canals, peaceful squares,,local venetians are going about there daily life, unusual churches, some fabulous individual designer shops. It also has masses of the most interesting musuems, some on the side of the Grande Canal, others hidden away. Last year we visited Palazzo Mocengo, near the San Stae stop – 17th century furniture/costumes – well worth a visit This district has a great array of fabulous restaurants whether looking for a casual lunch, or a more upmarket dining experience, you just have to find them. We often take this walk which leads us into Campo San Cassian, we just keep on walking - my advice is just get lost. Sometimes you can be totally alone, walking down narrow alleyways, and coming across a huge door with an amazing door knocker – unkown it is probably the most fabulous Palazzo behind the large wooden door, with lavishly decorated huge rooms, they all have a rear door which gives access to a small canal, where they have a boat. We actually got lost, found a lovely osteria where we had a fabulous pizza/plus wine. Still lost we came across the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari church, the exterior is very plain, once inside it is totally mind-blowingly fabulous – we have been trying to find this church for years. If you take the Vaparetto from the market going north on the Grande Canale, sit back, take in the wonderful sights of Palazzo’s - all different shapes/styles, which have been there since the 16/17th century. Some are breathtakingly beautiful, others rather grey and unloved.
9. Campo del Ghetto
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,294 reviews
Dating back to the 16th-century, this is the oldest Jewish Ghetto in the world with its five synagogues, which are the oldest still existing.
Reviewed By 303SteveA303 - Bath, United States
When you describe the experience of visiting Venice, it seems to always include St Mark', the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal and perhaps a day in Murano across the lagoon. We stayed in the Canneregio neighborhood and enjoyed a part of Venice that is a little removed from the main tourist areas. It is also where the Jewish ghetto is and we found it to be a very interesting place to wander about and explore. The story of Jews in Venice is fascinating. Our visit to the Jewish museum on the Campo del Ghetto Nuovo gave us a better understanding of the role that Jews played in the social and economic history of Venice. The tour they offer of the old synagogues in the ghetto is also excellent to help understand the religious traditions Jews brought to Venice. As in other parts of Venice, there are canals, narrow streets, and squares; but here there are also old gates intended to lock in residents of the ghetto after dark. There is also an excellent kosher restaurant, Gam Gam, nearby that serves some really good food and should not be missed. Right down the street from the restaurant is a wonderful pastry shop .... another reason to visit the ghetto.
10. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,763 reviews
Designed by Baldassare Longhena in 1631-83, the church's façade is embellished with 125 statues, which form a sharp contrast to the somber interior.
Reviewed By massimoswitz - Opfikon, Switzerland
Round basilica with huge dome with several paintings and in the sacristy you can visit Titian's masterpieces.
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