Top things to do in Venice

The floating city: 118 islands, one impossible dream.

• Piazza San Marco — The basilica's gold mosaics, the Campanile view, the Doge's Palace — book the basilica and palace ahead.
• Doge's Palace & Bridge of Sighs — The Gothic palace: the Golden Staircase, the prisons across the bridge.
• Grand Canal (Vaporetto 1) — The slow boat down the canal: the palazzi parade for the price of a vaporetto ticket.
• Rialto Bridge & Market — The market halls in the morning (closed Sundays), the bridge at golden hour.
• Murano, Burano, Torcello — Glass furnaces, the rainbow houses, the ancient cathedral — the lagoon islands day.
• Gallerie dell'Accademia / Peggy Guggenheim — Venetian painting vs modern masters across the Grand Canal.
• Cannaregio & the Ghetto — The quiet sestieri: the old Ghetto, Fondamenta della Misericordia's wine bars.

Free things to do in Venice

Venice is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

• Getting lost — The sestiere lanes: free, the whole point.
• Basilica di San Marco (entry) — Entry to the basilica is free (book ahead); the Pala d'Oro and terrace are paid extras.
• Rialto Market (morning) — Browsing the market: free.
• Zattere promenade — The Dorsoduro waterfront walk with Giudecca views.
• Libreria Acqua Alta — The famous bookshop of bathtubs and gondolas: free to browse.
• San Giorgio Maggiore (vaporetto + church) — The island church: the campanile view rivals San Marco's, shorter queues.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

• Carnevale di Venezia (February (pre-Lent)) — The masks, the costumes, the balls: the world's most photographed carnival. Book a year ahead.
• Festa del Redentore (third weekend of July) — The Redeemer's feast: the pontoon bridge to Giudecca, the legendary Saturday-night fireworks.
• Regata Storica (first Sunday of September) — The historic regatta: costumed parade then the gondola races on the Grand Canal.
• Festa della Sensa (May (Ascension)) — The Marriage to the Sea: the doge's ritual reenacted, the boat procession.
• Biennale (art/architecture) (alternating years) — The world's great art (odd years) and architecture (even years) exhibition — the Giardini and Arsenale.

And the national calendar:

• Ferragosto (15 August) — The Assumption holiday: Italy empties to the beach. Cities go quiet; coastal towns fill.
• Carnevale (February (pre-Lent)) — Masked balls, parades, fritelle — the pre-Lent carnival season, most famous in Venice.
• Easter (Pasqua) / Easter Monday (Pasquetta) (March/April) — Religious processions and the traditional Pasquetta picnic/outdoor day.
• Christmas / Epiphany (December–6 January) — Presepi (nativity scenes), Christmas markets, and La Befana on 6 January.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Football

Venezia FC: the arancioneroverdi, playing at the Pier Luigi Penzo — the world's most beautiful stadium setting, on Sant'Elena island reachable by vaporetto. The lagoon derby days are special.

Rowing is the ancient sport: voga alla veneta, the gondoliers' technique, raced at the Regata Storica. The marathon (October) finishes in the city.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Venice

The day-tripper access fee system keeps evolving — check current rules before visiting. Big-ship routing via Marghera is the standing arrangement. Book San Marco/Doge's Palace timed entries the moment you book travel.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

More to explore in Venice