5 Free Things to do in Venice with Kids

Venice’s meandering canals, narrow alleys and bridges was a family trip dream. But, visiting the Venetian islands can also be quite expensive. So, we made efforts to look for free things to do in Venice with kids (or without too).

Our family has been to Venice three times. We got lost in the streets a lot during that time. Of course, gondola rides and day trips to neighboring islands like Burano and Murano are a must. Check out these things to do on a budget while exploring the city of canals.

1. Explore Rialto Market

Markets are one of the best ways to experience local culture. Venice’s outdoor market, filled with fresh, colorful produce and so much seafood, is located a few yards from the famous Rialto Bridge. Venetians, including restaurant chefs, have been buying their food here for centuries.

It was interesting to watch the locals shop and see how much items we have at home cost here. The kids enjoyed looking for fruits, vegetables and seafood we haven’t seen before.

The covered fish market is behind the produce market. We thought this was the most interesting part of the market. So much seafood goodness and the seafood lover in me was drooling. Some nearby restaurants offered to cook fish bought at the market.

The market was clean and laid out well. We enjoyed watching the fishmongers expertly slice fish for the customers. You can go early to see the seafood being unloaded and displayed.

If you can, try to go here with a food or cooking tour for the best perspective. Please don’t touch the produce since the vendors frown upon it.

Just let them know what you want. The markets are open Tuesday to Saturday. The fish market is closed on Mondays.

Read about our visit to the Rialto Market.

2. Visit Churches

Like many Italian towns, beautiful churches are ubiquitous in Venice. We have taken my kids to enough European churches over the years that they have appreciated visiting them.

You don’t have to be religious or have a religious affiliation to appreciate the beauty, history and architecture of these Italian churches. These churches almost feel like we were visiting art galleries and museums too.

We love going into the small churches and finding a unique or colorful fresco or altar. But, the most popular one to visit and a can’t miss attraction is the massive St. Mark’s Basilica or Basilica di San Marco in St. Mark’s Square. This is truly an incredible church.

The church has over 85,000 square feet of mosaic done over eight centuries and most of them in gold. It was first constructed in 828 and a magnificent example of Byzantine architecture. Take some time to examine and marvel at the façade and statues.

It’s not free to enter anymore and lines/queues can be quite long during high season. But, it is worth the wait and small fee to see the interior. Visitors can go in for free for prayers, Mass and Services by entering by the ‘Porta dei Fiori’ (North-side, Piazzetta ‘dei leoncini’).

Another treasured church is Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute that sits on the banks of the Grand Canal. During the 1600s, a third of Venice died from the plague.

The Venetian Senate promised to build a church in the honor of the Virgin Mary if they spared the city from any more suffering and the plague.

The church was completed in 1687, and now a feast is held annually every November 21. They built a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal around this time.

It is also an incredible church and fills the Venice skyline with the familiar domes. We highly recommend going inside to see the beautiful altar and several masterpiece paintings.

Restrictions: Please dress appropriately when visiting the churches. Cover your shoulders and knees.

3. Be Entertained

There are constantly many concerts, especially inside churches, for visitors to attend in Venice. Of course, most of them aren’t free but some can be as low as a few euros.

On some occasions, there are some free concerts. It helps to constantly check the flyers and posters posted outside churches, museums and cafes.

If you’re here during the summer, keep an eye out for Venezia Suona. This festival, held annually in late June or early July, hosts many bands representing various genres. You can hear and see them all over the city.

During our visit last summer, a teen group from Florida touring Italy entertained us. They sang a few songs in the square much to the delight of the tourists.

So, you never really know where you’ll stumble into a free impromptu concert. You may even find them on piazzas or bars while walking around.

4. Discover Museums

Museums don’t necessarily come to mind when visiting Venice but they actually have some very interesting and unique ones and some are free to visit at certain times.

We stumbled upon the Music Museum, which is housed inside the San Maurizio Church and not too far from St. Mark’s Square. It’s free to enter but offers so much. The museum is dedicated to the making and construction of musical instruments, particularly strings like violins, cellos, and harps.

There is a wonderful collection of well-preserved musical instruments here and the displays were quite interesting. It makes one really appreciate the craftsmanship and labor in creating musical instruments.

Soothing classical music accompanied our visit which made the atmosphere and visit even more ideal. It’s a great place to wander to when it’s hot or rainy outside.

While the world-renowned Peggy Guggenheim Collection isn’t free, if you’re planning to visit the museum with kids anyway they offer a free program. It’s Kids Day every Sunday from 3-4:30 PM for children ages 4 to 10 years old.

Children have opportunities to learn, experiment and participate in interactive activities. Other languages are provided for those who don’t speak Italian.

If you’re visiting during Culture Week in April, many of the state museums in Venice including the Accademia Galleries and Archeological Museum of Venice offer free admission. These state museums also offer free admission on the first Sunday of each month.

5. Walk the Bridges and Get Lost

Venice has about 400 bridges connecting 118 outlying islands with 175 canals. There are four bridges that cross the Grand Canal but the most crowded and photo hot spot is Rialto Bridge.

It was the only means to cross the Grand Canal for 300 years since it opened in the late 1500s. With three walkways, it offers one of the best views of the Grand Canal and one of the best places to see all the activities.

One of our favorite things to do in Venice is to get lost. It is the best way to truly see the charming alleys and pleasant surprises after walking the bridges and crossing the canals. Wander the narrow streets and sightsee for free.

It’s a lagoon so you can’t get too far. We always found many signs pointing us back to the Rialto, St. Mark’s Square or the Santa Lucia train station. And you’re also walking off those calories from all the delicious pasta and pizza you’re most likely consuming while in Venice.

*Any other free things to do in Venice with kids to add?

Check out these tours in Venice!

This is a part of a series called Five Free Family Friday a collective guide of free family-friendly attractions from places all over the world.  If you’d like to contribute with the free attractions in your home city, I would love your guest posts. Thanks!

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