Looking for free things to do in Venice? Here are four.
CHURCHES
Entrance into the Basilica de San Marco is free, although there are charges to see the museum and other areas. In the square, window shopping, people-watching and posing with the pigeons, if you dare, is free. http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/ Entrance to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute — St. Mary of Health — is completely free. The church was built after an outbreak of the plague in the 17th century and has an ornate dome and artworks by Titian and others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_della_Salute
LA BIENNALE
This is cheating a bit because the Biennale is an art festival held only every two years. But if you’re visiting Venice you should definitely check to see if it’s on. The main exhibit costs money, but there are scores of ancillary exhibits scattered throughout the city that are totally free and a lot of fun to explore. I found some very interesting exhibits in the 2013 free showings, especially the Azerbaijan exhibit which featured lots of interactive pieces. This art work shown consists only of a relatively small frame of twisted wire, the light shining through it creates the elaborate drawing projected on the wall. http://www.labiennale.org/en/biennale/index.html
THE MUSIC MUSEUM
I stumbled on this on a rainy November afternoon and it was perfect. Warm, not too crowded, and filled with the sound of beautiful music. Might not be quite so fun on sweltering summer day, but if you are into classical music, you will be intrigued by this collection of instruments from the 17th to 19th centuries. The museum is in a beautiful setting, the Church of St.Maurizio, about a 15-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square, and celebrates Venice’s musical history. http://www.interpretiveneziani.com/en/museo-della-musica.php
FREE WALKING TOUR
This one gets mixed reviews. Kind of depends which guide you get, how much you like walking and whether you were able to find the meeting point easily or not. However, bottom line, it’s free, people! Go to the website to sign up and expect bookings to be heaviest during peak season. http://freetourvenice.com/
BONUS TIP: For a good map of the city, visit http://www.veniceonline.it/Maps/Maps.asp .