Italy, Venice

15 Unusual Things to Do in Venice, Italy

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of all the main sights to see on a trip to Venice – the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and so on. Let’s face it, these days it’s harder to find people who haven’t been to Venice than people who have. Don’t get me wrong, there’s good reason this magnificent city draws swarms of visitors from all over the world each year. But, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the entirety of your getaway shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd of people. If you fancy adding some sights to your itinerary that are a little less-known, and a little more off the beaten path, this is the list for you! I’ve put together my list of 15 unusual things to do and see, to help you plan your trip to Venice a little differently from the rest!

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1. Walk Across the Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs is certainly one of the most famous sights to see in Venice. The bridge from which you can view the Bridge of Sighs is almost always swarming with people! However, what a lot of people don’t know is that you can actually walk inside the Bridge of Sighs yourself. The bridge is actually a two-way corridor, connecting the Doge’s Palace to the prison on the other side of the canal. You can access the bridge from inside the Doge’s Palace, which in itself is a fascinating museum and gallery to explore. On the way back across the bridge from the prison is when you’ll have views of the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore out through the tiny windows of the bridge. Crossing the Bridge of Sighs is one of the best unusual things to do in Venice, which not many people know about!

2. Enjoy Live Classical Music in St. Mark’s Square

During the summer, there are often bands playing classical music on small stages outside of the main cafe’s in St. Mark’s Square. Luckily, you don’t have to be dining there to enjoy this beautiful music!

3. St. Mark’s Basilica by Night (Basilica di San Marco)

St. Mark’s Basilica, which stands proudly in St. Mark’s Square, is an incredible sight to see, both from the outside and on the inside. The interior is completely covered with mosaics, mostly in gold which makes them glisten in the light. However, unbeknownst to most is that you can go on a tour of the Basilica at night. On these exclusive night tours, you will enter the basilica in darkness. They then switch the lights on to illuminate the mosaics so that you can fully appreciate them. This tour is a magical way to witness the basilica in all of its glory, whilst avoiding the daytime crowds. This is definitely one of the most unusual, and impressive, things to do in this incredible city!

4. Look Out Over St. Mark’s Square from the Basilica Terrace

Also unbeknownst to most tourists is that the front of St. Mark’s Basilica has a magnificent terrace offering views out across the square. The terrace can be accessed through St. Mark’s Museum. After walking around inside the Basilica, before the exit you’ll pass a door to a very narrow, steep staircase. This leads up to the museum upstairs. St. Mark’s Museum houses many valuable items from the Basilica over the centuries, as well as the balcony terrace.

The balcony runs the length of the front of the Basilica, and wraps around a little at both sides. This means you can also enjoy views of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basin from up there. The Basilica Terrace is an incredible and unusual thing to do in Venice. So many people visit the Basilica daily without ever knowing of its existence! Entry to the Basilica is free, and entry to St. Mark’s Museum upstairs costs €5.

5. Enjoy a Drink on a Boat Outside a Bar

There’s certainly no shortage of bars in Venice. In other words – no shortage of places to get your Aperol Spritz and Cicchetti fix! ‘Fondamente Misericordia’, a beautiful street which runs alongside a canal, is a particularly good area for finding typically Venetian bars. There’s one bar in particular worth a mention called ‘Al Timon’. This bar is unique as it has a boat docked outside for customers to sit on to enjoy their drinks. At times, there’s even a band playing live music from the boat. This spot is frequented by both locals and students, and is a lot of fun to visit. It is definitely one of the more unusual things to add to your Venice itinerary!

6. Visit the Acqua Alta Bookshop

The Acqua Alta Bookshop is a fascinating little treasure trove of books written in multiple languages, stacked from floor to ceiling on every wall. It even has a gondola full of books which runs down the middle of the store! There’s an outdoor area at the back, complete with a staircase made of books. Don’t forget to climb up to look out at the canal behind! You may even bump into the resident cats, who enjoy napping in amongst the books. The Acqua Alta bookshop is another fun and unusual thing to do in Venice. It is tucked away on a tiny street in the north of the city. Locate the book store by searching for ‘Libreria Acqua Alta‘ on Google Maps on your phone.

7. Flooded Crypt of San Zaccaria

The church of San Zaccaria is located just a short walk from St. Mark’s Square. The walls of this church are almost completely covered by enormous paintings – an incredible sight to see in itself. But what’s even more fascinating about this church is that it has a flooded crypt under it. The crypt is always flooded with at least a few inches of water. During particularly high tides the crypt is even inaccessible, as the water level rises above the walkway through the crypt. The water gives a beautiful mirrored effect, and makes this church pretty unique from any other in the city.

The flooded crypt of San Zaccaria is one of the most unique things to witness in the city. Entrance to the church is free, and to the crypt is just a few euros. It has always been quiet whenever I’ve visited. Remember to be respectful of the church on your visit. Many local Venetians still use it as a place of worship.

8. Ascend the San Giorgio Maggiore Bell Tower

Another unusual thing to do in Venice is climb the lesser known bell tower. This is located on the small island of San Giorgio Maggiore. San Giorgio Maggiore is located directly opposite from St. Mark’s Square, and can be seen from the waterfront. It can be reached easily with just a short ride on the vaporetto.

The entrance fee for this tower is cheaper than the St. Mark’s tower, though it is not quite as tall. That being said, the views are arguably better from the San Giorgio tower. The top of the tower is open, with no mesh safety barriers like the St. Mark’s tower, so the views – and your photos – are unobstructed. From one side of the tower you see all of Venice, whilst on the other side you see the Venetian lagoon and some of its smaller islands. Additionally, this tower gets fewer visitors – so you won’t be queuing for ages to enter. When you arrive on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, enter the large white church in front of you. Make your way to the back left corner of the church to access the entrance desk and elevator.

9. Torcello Gold Mosaic Basilica

The Santa Maria Assunta Basilica is located on the small, silent island of Torcello. This unusual church is the oldest monument in the region. It’s also one of the only places you’ll see gold mosaics rivalling those of the incredible St. Mark’s Basilica. This is certainly a lesser known thing to do in Venice, as the vast majority of tourists don’t visit Torcello. The island can be reached by vaporetto, and is located very close to the island of Burano. It would be a good idea to combine visiting these two islands in one day trip!

10. Admire Some of the Lesser-Known Churches 

Speaking of churches, the basilicas of St. Mark’s Basilica and Torcello are by no means the only impressive churches in Venice. Discovering the lesser-known churches of Venice is another fascinating unusual thing to do in the city. There are many different styles of churches, and the interior can differ greatly from one to the next. Many even have the works of famous painters decorating their walls. I recommend wandering into the quieter residential areas of the city, and you’ll no doubt stumble across many hidden away.

11. Explore the Island of Giudecca

The island of Giudecca is a long thin island to the south of Venice. I can be reached by just a short vaporetto ride across the Giudecca Canal. Exploring this island is an unusual thing to add to your Venice itinerary. It is overlooked by most tourists, making it a great place to escape the crowds. Take a few hours to explore a quiet residential area with lots of interesting buildings.

12. Skyline Rooftop Bar

Also located on the island of Giudecca is the famous hotel Hilton Molino Stucky Venice. On the eighth floor of the hotel is the Skyline Rooftop Bar, which offers stunning views of the city. The hotel has a rooftop pool, and they even hold summer pool parties, which are a lot of fun. Fortunately, you can visit the bar and rooftop events even if you are not a guest at the hotel! Sipping on a cocktail looking out over the city, or watching the sunset from this gorgeous location is the perfect unusual, and slightly more exclusive, experience to add to your Venice itinerary.

13. Visit a Venetian Gondola Boatyard

The ‘Squero di San Trovaso’ is a typical Venetian boatyard in which rowing boats and gondolas are constructed. It is located on the south side of the island, not far from the Giudecca canal. The boatyard offers hour-long tours during which you can learn about the history and traditions of Venetian gondoliers. You’ll even get to see gondolas being made and repaired up close. This is the perfect unusual thing to do in Venice, if you want to learn about an authentic Venetian craft! Alternatively, if you don’t fancy a tour of the boatyard, there is a great bar located opposite. It’s name is ‘Osteria al Squero’ and it’s very popular amongst young people and locals in the city. It’s very common to get a drink here and enjoy it outside along the wall of the canal, which looks out across the boatyard.

14. Enjoy the Lesser Known Squares

Of course we know by now that St. Mark’s square is a must-see on your trip to Venice. However, it’s by no means the only beautiful square that I recommend you pay a visit to. Why not take the side streets and wander off into the quieter areas of Venice away from the busy hotspots? I guarantee you’ll come across countless beautiful squares of all sizes. Better yet, many squares have benches you can sit and rest on when your legs get tired. Numerous squares even have water fountains running which you can drink from, so be sure to take advantage of that!

15. Find the Banksy Graffiti

Many people have no idea that Venice is home to it’s very own piece of Banksy street art. Discovering the piece by English artist Banksy is a must-see on any list of unusual things to do in Venice! His Venice piece is named ‘The Survivor’. It is located on the canal side of a building in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood of Venice. It can be viewed from the bridge which connects Campo San Pantalon and Campo Santa Margherita. The best spot from which to view the piece is by the bridge on the Campo Santa Margherita (south) side of the canal. You can easily locate it by searching for ‘Banksy Graffiti Art‘ on Google Maps on your smart phone. I chose not to include a picture below so that it’s a surprise for you when you find it! Good luck 😉

I hope you enjoyed this list of 15 unusual things to do in the city of Venice, and that it comes in handy with planning your getaway. Thanks for reading!

Abbey x