An obvious way to skip the crowds is to visit Venice during the winter when rain and fog deter most tourists.  If you can’t plan your trip during the off-season, try to visit during the week.

A third — and particularly helpful — tip for avoiding the crowds in Venice is to visit the main sights during the off-peak times. As a general rule, it’s best to visit attractions when they open in the morning, during the lunch hour or right before closing. Read on for more specific information.

More tips for Venice:
• 5 Best budget hotels in Venice
• 10 Things to do in Venice on the cheap
• 5 Cheap hotels in Venice with canal views

How to avoid crowds at Venice attractions

Here are some of the city’s top attractions, along with the best times to visit them:

Palazzo Ducale (Doges Palace) and the Bridge of Sighs

St. Mark’s Square
Open: 9 am – 7 pm (9 am – 6 pm from November – March)
website

The Palazzo Ducale was the center of power during the times of the Republic of Venice. Every room is full of amazing frescoes. After feasting your eyes on the beautiful paintings and architecture, consider checking out the Secret Itineraries Tour. The tour takes you through the palace’s dungeon and torture chamber, which is connected to the palace by the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs).

Best Times To Visit: Stop by the Palazzo when it opens at 9 am, between 12:30-1:30 pm (when tourist groups are having lunch) or about an hour before closing time.

Hotel Picks: Accommodations near Palazzo Ducale

Museo Correr (Archaeological Museum)

San Marco 52, 30124 Venice
Open: 10 am – 6 pm (10 am – 5 pm from November – March)
website

The Museo Correr is Venice’s civic museum. Here you’ll find exhibits that offer a fascinating insight into the art and history of the city.

Best Times To Visit: When the museum opens at 10 am, between 12:30 – 1:30 pm, and about an hour before closing time.

Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica)

St. Mark’s Square
Open: 9:30 am – 5:15 pm (2 pm – 5:15 pm on Sundays and holidays)

The Basilica di San Marco, perhaps the city’s most famous sight, is an amazing monument made unique by both its wealth of history and the magnificence of its façade and interior. The basilica is famous for housing St. Mark’s relics.

Best Times To Visit: Avoid Sunday mornings and holidays since the Basilica will be used for mass service. There is always a big queue at the entrance, no matter what time, but now you can book your ticket in advance to skip the line.

Hotel Picks: Browse accommodations near St. Mark’s

Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Tower)

St. Mark’s Square  (opposite the Basilica)
Open: 9:30 am – 9:15 pm (closed during inclement weather)
website

A visit to this amazing church tower affords a great bird’s eye view of Venice.

Best Times To Visit: Avoid lunchtime, and get there very early in the morning or just before closing time.

The Rialto Bridge in Venice. Photo: Photo: Ekaterina

Rialto Bridge and its markets

The Rialto Bridge is located in the oldest (and most central) quarter of Venice, and it has been a bustling hub for centuries. The area is always packed with tourists, be it summertime or wintertime.

Best Times to Visit: Go early in the morning before 9 am. Not only will you see the local fish and vegetable market, but you can also enjoy a relatively peaceful scene at the bridge. You should also visit late at night after 10 pm, as the majority of tourists will be heading to bed or eating dinner.

Hotel Picks: Accommodations near Rialto Bridge

Gallerie dell’ Accademia (Academy Galleries)

Vaporetto stop Accademia, just off the Accademia Bridge
Open: Monday, 8:15 am – 2 pm; Tuesday – Sunday: 8:15 am – 7:15 pm
website

The Gallerie dell’ Accademia boasts a rich collection of Venetian paintings from the Byzantine and Gothic periods as well as work from Renaissance artists such as Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Tiziano and Gianbattista Tiepolo.

Best Times To Visit: I do not want to repeat myself, but as before, be there early (before 9 am) or go an hour before closing times (although this will obviously give you less time in the museum). Groups usually go during the day.

Hotel Picks: Affordable accommodations near Academy Galleries

Bonus Tip: Book online, and explore other areas

My final tip on avoiding crowds is to book your tickets online. For the majority of museums in Venice, you can do this on www.veneziaunica.com. Also, explore other areas of the city, away from the main sites. By treading off the tourist past, you will see my Venice.

The post Venice: How to avoid the crowds at the city’s main attractions appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Venice, city of gondolas and canals, can get expensive. Thankfully, however, it need not break your budget. Here are five free things to do in Venice:

Hang out in Piazza San Marco.

While we don’t recommend Cheapos splurge for the touristy restaurants and cafés lining San Marco’s square, we do think that parking yourself just outside the Basilica to people-watch is one of the best free things to do in Venice. Head inside to the Basilica (open from March to October, Monday through Friday from 9:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and on Sundays from 2-4:45 p.m.; from April to September, Monday through Friday from 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 2-5 p.m.), and take in 10th-Century relics for just €1.50. Snap a few photos. Just don’t feed the pigeons. These days, that pastime is off-limits.

Cross the Ponte di Rialto.

The Rialto Bridge could be the most famous bridge in Italy (we hear you grumbling, Florence!). It also affords one of the best canal views in the city, and is a perfect starting point for travelers ready to lose themselves in Venice. Spend some time wandering through the well-known Rialto Market—which is closeby—and where fishmongers and fruit and vegetable dealers convene daily (from early morning until nearly 11 p.m.). Browse the wares for free or haggle with a seller.

Take in a free concert.

Unfortunately, in Venice, free concerts and expositions are not widely promoted. Check for flyers in cafes and bars or look for posters hanging outside churches and museums. During culture week in May, many museums also host free events and exhibits.  For free concert listings in Italian, visit the “Music in Venice” site.

Or, check out the official site for Venice’s Suona festival (scheduled for July 6th this year), a day-long city-wide event, coinciding with the European Fete de la Musique, in which all of Venice’s squares host free concerts. Also, try the tourist center next to St. Mark’s Square, where they often have “what’s on” flyers and pamphlets.

Go to church.

Venice is packed with churches and many of them are free and open to the public daily. After you’ve seen the majestic San Marco’s Basilica, check out two of our other favorites: Santa Maria della Salute, a gorgeous, picturesque church dedicated to the Madonna, which frequently hosts free concerts, especially during the months of January and February. Next, visit the 13th-Century Gothic church of S.S. Giovanni e Paolo. Here, make sure you check out Paolo Veronese’s ceiling frescoes.

Get lost!

Hey, in Venice it’s cheap—and easy!—to get lost. Wander the cobblestone streets, absent of motorized vehicles, and traverse bridges, meander the canals, and get a real sense for the city’s 15th-Century layout. Losing yourself in the architecture of the city is one of the best ways to see the real Venice and to experience it as it was meant for travelers. In any case, try as you might, you won’t be able to avoid getting lost during your trip to Venice. You might as well make it “part of the plan.”

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