Northern Districts, Locals' Venice
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Free Things To Do In Venice
Churches and parks, each with the rule that comes attached. Plus 17 pay-what-you-want walking tours with local guides.
Free today, no condition attached:
- Santa Maria della Salute (basilica) open all year
- Piazza San Marco free to walk at all times
- Rialto Bridge free at all times
- Ponte dell'Accademia free to cross
- Zattere promenade free at all times
- 17 free walks, 16 on GuruWalk and 1 on freetour.com
- 38 places checked against their own rules
- No price anywhere: reserve free, tip at the end
Where Are The Free Things To Do In Venice?
12 free places across Venice, numbered to match the list beside the map.
Tap or click the map to pan and zoom. Numbers match the list.
Santa Maria della Salute (basilica)
The main rotunda is free to enter, without ticket or offering.
Free walk from here: Heart Of Venice, Bilingual GuideCampo Santa Maria Formosa
The public square is free at all times; the Chorus church on it is paid.
Free walk from here: Northern Districts, Locals' VeniceJewish Ghetto (Campo del Ghetto Nuovo and surrounding streets)
The campo and surrounding streets are public and free to walk; museum and synagogue tours are paid.
Free walk from here: 3-Hour Hidden Venice WalkPiazza San Marco
The public square is free to walk at all times; surrounding sights are separately ticketed.
Free walk from here: Northern Districts, Locals' VeniceRialto Bridge
Public bridge across the Grand Canal, free to cross and photograph at all times.
Free walk from here: Northern Districts, Locals' VenicePonte dell'Accademia
Public wooden bridge over the Grand Canal, free to cross.
Free walk from here: Heart Of Venice, Bilingual GuideCampo San Polo
Public square, free at all times, and the start of a free walk.
Free walk from here: Rialto And Secret Spots WalkMurano island
The island is free to walk and browse; the Glass Museum is paid.
Zattere promenade
Public waterfront promenade along the Giudecca Canal, free at all times.
Free walk from here: Overlooked Highlights WalkLibreria Acqua Alta
Free to walk in and browse; books and souvenirs are optional purchases.
Free walk from here: Northern Districts, Locals' VenicePonte degli Scalzi and Santa Lucia station forecourt
The public bridge and station square are free to cross and use.
Free walk from here: 3-Hour Hidden Venice WalkCampo Santa Margherita
Public square, free at all times.
Free walk from here: Heart Of Venice, Bilingual Guide
Free Walking Tours In Venice
Local guides, no ticket, no fixed price. You reserve a spot for free and tip what the walk was worth at the end.
Heart Of Venice, Bilingual Guide
8.9/10 · 2,142 freetour.com reviews
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Small-Group Jewish Ghetto Walk
4.95 · 39 GuruWalk reviews
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Which Free Things To Do In Venice Fit Your Day?
Three taps, and the shortlist rebuilds from all 17 walks.
A starting shortlist of the best-reviewed walks. Answer a question to rebuild it around you.
Northern Districts, Locals' Venice
4.82 · 3,020 GuruWalk reviews · free, pay what you want
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Reserve free on GuruWalk
Heart Of Venice, Bilingual Guide
8.9/10 · 2,142 freetour.com reviews · free, pay what you want
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Reserve free on freetour.com
3-Hour Hidden Venice Walk
4.76 · 1,911 GuruWalk reviews · free, pay what you want
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Reserve free on GuruWalk
Free Things To Do In Venice Indoors: Museums And Churches, And When
Piazza San Marco is free to enter; the Basilica, the Campanile and the museums around it are each separately paid. The Gallerie dell'Accademia is free on the first Sunday of the month with no booking and costs EUR 20 on other days. MUVE civic museums such as the Doge's Palace have no first-Sunday scheme, and their free days are for residents of the Metropolitan City only. Church spaces can carry a charge, so ask at the door.
First Sundays, Resident-Only Free Days And What Each Museum Regime Covers
The Gallerie dell'Accademia, a state museum under Domenica al Museo, is free on the first Sunday of the month with no booking. MUVE civic museums work differently: their Musei in Festa free days are for residents of the Metropolitan City of Venice only, and no first-Sunday scheme applies. St Mark's Basilica sets its own tariff under the Procuratoria di San Marco, so it never rides along with a museum free day.
| Museum or monument | Rione or area | Normal admission | Free to everyone when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice access fee (Contributo di Accesso) | Historic centre (Citta antica) | EUR 5 per person if paid up to the fourth-to-last day before the visit, EUR 10 if paid in the four days before. Fine EUR 25 to 150 plus the EUR 10 fee. Proof is a QR code from cda.ve.it. | A paid fee for day visitors, charged ONLY on listed calendar days and hours. |
| Domenica al Museo (state museums, first Sunday of the month) | Across Venice | Paid on other days | National scheme: STATE museums are free to everyone on the first Sunday of the month. In Venice the museum's own page confirms it for the Gallerie dell'Accademia (no booking required). |
| Musei in Festa (MUVE free days) | Across Venice | Full price for non-residents. | Free admission days at the MUVE civic museums, but ONLY for residents of the 44 municipalities of the Metropolitan City of Venice and Mogliano Veneto. Tourists still pay. |
| Vaporetto (ACTV / AVM) fares | Across Venice | Standard 75-minute ticket EUR 9.50; 24 h EUR 25; 48 h EUR 35; 72 h EUR 45; 7 days EUR 65. Airport bus single EUR 10. | Public water-bus transport is not free. There is no free boat service for visitors. |
| Church or monument | Rione or area | What is free | What you still pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria della Salute (basilica) | Dorsoduro | The main rotunda (rotonda maggiore) is free to enter, without ticket or offering; the minor rotunda is reserved for prayer and services. Open all year for prayer and visits. | Sacristy, choir and minor sacristy ticket EUR 6 full, EUR 4 reduced; dome ticket EUR 8 full, EUR 6 reduced (basilica's own terms page). Sacristy closed Monday and Tuesday. |
- Doge's PalaceSan Marco St Mark's Square Museums Ticket (Doge's Palace, Museo Correr, National Archaeological Museum, Marciana Library monumental rooms): EUR 35 standard, EUR 30 if bought online at least 30 days ahead; reduced EUR 15 (ages 6 to 14, students 15 to 25, over 65, Venice Rolling Card, ISIC). Paid civic museum run by MUVE (Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia).
- Museo Correr, National Archaeological Museum and Marciana Library rooms (St Mark's Square)San Marco Included in the EUR 35 standard / EUR 30 online (30+ days ahead) St Mark's Square Museums Ticket. Paid. Reached only with the St Mark's Square Museums Ticket (the same single ticket as the Doge's Palace). Not a separate free stop.
- Bridge of SighsSan Marco Crossing it is part of the St Mark's Square Museums Ticket route. The interior crossing is part of the Doge's Palace itinerary and needs the Doge's Palace ticket.
- Gallerie dell'AccademiaDorsoduro Full price EUR 20.00 (museum's own page). Open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 19:00, ticket sales end 18:00. Paid STATE museum. Free to everyone on the first Sunday of every month under the Ministry of Culture's Domenica al Museo scheme, no booking required (stated on the museum's own page).
- Peggy Guggenheim CollectionDorsoduro Adults EUR 17, seniors over 70 EUR 14, students under 26 EUR 9. Open daily 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesdays and 25 December. Private museum with its own pricing.
- Ca' d'Oro (Galleria Giorgio Franchetti)Cannaregio Closed. State museum currently CLOSED to visitors for restoration and re-installation. Normally eligible for Domenica al Museo, but nothing can be visited now, so no free-entry claim can be made.
- Murano Glass Museum, Burano Lace Museum and Torcello MuseumMurano, Burano and Torcello MUVE Island Museums ticket EUR 20 full, EUR 10 reduced, valid 3 months, one admission to each of the three. Paid MUVE museums on the islands. The islands themselves are free to walk; the museums are not.
- Ca' Rezzonico, Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo and Casa di Carlo GoldoniDorsoduro and San Polo MUVE 'Museums of 18th Century Venice' ticket EUR 20 full, EUR 10 reduced, valid 3 months, one admission to each. Paid MUVE civic museums. No first-Sunday scheme on the MUVE ticket page.
- Jewish Museum of Venice (Museo Ebraico)Cannaregio Paid museum and synagogue tours. The Campo del Ghetto Nuovo outside is free (see parks).
- Scala Contarini del BovoloSan Marco Full EUR 9, reduced EUR 7 (Venezia Unica ticket page). Paid timed visit to the spiral staircase. Not free.
Free Things To Do In Venice, At A Glance
15 places people ask about, answered the way each operator answers it.
| Place | Verdict | The condition | Free walks within 1 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doge's Palace | Paid | Residents, young children, disabled visitors, ICOM members | 7 |
| Museo Correr, National Archaeological Museum and Marciana Library rooms (St Mark's Square) | Paid | Paid museum ticket required | 11 |
| Bridge of Sighs | Free With Conditions | Interior crossing needs the Doge's Palace ticket | 8 |
| Gallerie dell'Accademia | Free With Conditions | First Sunday of each month | 8 |
| Peggy Guggenheim Collection | Paid | Children under 10 and members only | 9 |
| St Mark's Basilica (entry) | Paid | Paid; exemptions for listed groups | 9 |
| St Mark's Basilica add-ons: Pala d'Oro, Museum, Loggia dei Cavalli and Terrace | Paid | Paid extras on basilica ticket | 9 |
| St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) | Paid | Tower ticketed; the square below is unticketed | 11 |
| Basilica dei Frari | Paid | Contribution requested; concessions for children, residents, disabled | 15 |
| Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Zanipolo) | Paid | Offering required for tourist visits | 9 |
| Giardini della Biennale | Free With Conditions | Public park only when no Biennale exhibition | 0 |
| Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop terrace | Closed | Closed | 11 |
| Venice access fee (Contributo di Accesso) | Paid | Paid fee on listed days | 11 |
| Domenica al Museo (state museums, first Sunday of the month) | Free With Conditions | First Sunday of the month | 8 |
| Musei in Festa (MUVE free days) | Free With Conditions | Residents of the Metropolitan City of Venice only | 7 |
Walk counts are the free walks' meeting points within 1 km of each place, measured from their coordinates.
Free Things To Do In Venice This Season
What Walkers Say About Venice Free Tours
Real GuruWalk reviews of the guides, quoted as written. They review the walks, not this site.
I really enjoyed the walk with Riccardo, he kept facts and information moving along and was honest and open for questions. I enjoyed being out of the crowds and letting someone guide us to the interesting places with information along the way.
4.82 across 3,020 GuruWalk reviews
Nice tour at a comfortable pace taking you to places you likely would miss. Interesting stories of Venice history and it’s people.
4.84 across 1,668 GuruWalk reviews
You will see a different side of Venice . Highly recommend!
4.76 across 1,911 GuruWalk reviews
Exceptional guide who was passionate and informative. She brought to life the history of Venice.
4.89 across 1,189 GuruWalk reviews
The Venice Access Fee: Who Pays And When?
The Venice access fee is a charge for entering the city on set days, not a ticket for any attraction, and it is not charged now. The 2026 trial ran on 60 non-consecutive days between 3 April and 26 July 2026 and applied to people over 14 entering the historic centre only. It cost EUR 5 if paid early and EUR 10 if paid in the last four days. Official dates and amounts for 2027 have not been announced.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Charged right now | No. The 2026 trial season ended on 26 July 2026. |
| 2026 trial | 60 non-consecutive days between 3 April and 26 July 2026, from 08:30 to 16:00. |
| 2026 amount | EUR 5 per person if paid up to the fourth-to-last day before the visit, EUR 10 if paid in the last four days. |
| Who pays | Everyone over 14 entering the Citta antica (the historic centre), mainly day visitors, unless excluded or exempt. |
| Where it applies | The historic centre only. Murano, Burano, Torcello, the Lido and the other lagoon islands were not charged. |
| Excluded by law | Residents of the Comune di Venezia, workers including commuters, students in the Citta antica or minor islands, and IMU payers and their households. |
| Exempt, but must register | Overnight guests in accommodation inside the Comune, Veneto Region residents, medical-care and sports participants, and relatives to the third degree of residents, plus further exemptions in the regulation. |
| Proof | A QR code from cda.ve.it, carried on the day. |
| Penalty | A fine of EUR 25 to 150 plus the EUR 10 fee. |
| 2027 | No official dates or amounts have been published. |
Murano, Burano, Torcello, the Lido and the other lagoon islands were never charged, so the fee only ever touched the historic centre. For 2027, no official dates or amounts have been published, and no figure can be stated here. Before any trip, cda.ve.it carries the current rules and the QR code registration. Anyone entering on a charged day without proof risked a fine of EUR 25 to 150 plus the EUR 10 fee.
Free Things To Do In Venice, Answered
Are the free walking tours in Venice really free, and how does tipping work?
Yes. Every walk on this site is free, pay what you want: that is the price. You reserve a free spot through GuruWalk or freetour.com, join the guide at the meeting point, and at the end you tip whatever the walk was worth to you. There is no fixed charge, no minimum and no amount printed here, because none exists. The guides are independent locals, and the tip is how they earn from the walk.
Which Venice sights are free to see, and which ones charge for entry?
The split matters in Venice. Piazza San Marco is free to enter, and so are the Rialto Bridge, the Ponte dell'Accademia, the Zattere and the streets of the Jewish Ghetto. The Basilica beside the square is not: it charges EUR 10, the Campanile charges EUR 15, and the museums are separate paid facts. On the islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello are free to walk while their museums and the Torcello cathedral sell tickets.
Is the Venice access fee charged right now?
No. The 2026 trial season ended on 26 July 2026, having run on 60 non-consecutive days between 3 April and 26 July, from 08:30 to 16:00. During the trial the fee was EUR 5 if paid early or EUR 10 in the last four days, for everyone over 14 entering the historic centre. No official 2027 dates or amounts have been published, so nothing is being collected at present and no figure for next year can be stated.
Is the Doge's Palace free on any day?
No. The Doge's Palace is a MUVE civic museum, and MUVE civic museums have no first-Sunday scheme. Their free days are reserved for residents of the Metropolitan City of Venice, so a visitor cannot count on one, and a standard ticket applies to everyone else. The state system is different: the Gallerie dell'Accademia, under Domenica al Museo, is free on the first Sunday of the month with no booking, and costs EUR 20 on other days.
Which of the free walking tours in English suits a first visit to Venice, and how are they rated?
For a first visit, two English-language walks cover different ground. The Original Free Walking Tour with Simona meets at Campo Santi Apostoli and is rated 4.88 out of 5 across 325 GuruWalk reviews. The Overlooked Highlights Walk, run by Venice Walking Tour from Campo Sant'Agnese, is rated 4.84 out of 5 across 1,668 GuruWalk reviews and leans toward hidden Venice. Both are free, pay what you want.
Do any free walks run in Spanish?
Six of the 17 walks, all on GuruWalk, run in Spanish only: the two San Marco walks plus four ITAKA tours walks, among them the Murano and Burano islands trip, which carries extra costs for the boat tickets. Two walks run in English and Spanish: Venicemania's Heart Of Venice, Bilingual Guide on freetour.com, and Scandic Tours' Hidden Gems, Bilingual Guide.