Venice's Hidden Art Treasures (Self Guided), Venice

Among the first things springing to mind when talking about Venice, apart from the canals and gondolas, of course, is Art and Architecture. Indeed, Venice is one of the few cities in the world where Art and Architecture have merged in a stunning multiplicity of forms. The city is even renowned for its unique (Venetian) pictorial school famed by the likes of Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese, Castagno and other grands, whose influence had given rise to a plethora of other remarkable painters like Damasceno, El Greco and more.

Home to some of the world’s most iconic sights, the incredible floating settlement in the middle of the Venetian Lagoon can hardly leave anyone indifferent. The ancient artistic legacy and watery beauty of Venice has long attracted tourists (nowadays up to 20 million per year) from all over the world, which, particularly in summer, can get the city really clogged up with them. Even to an experienced traveler, Venice's enormous art scene, going back 1600 years, can be mind-boggling and expensive exercise to indulge in.

Yet, although for the most part you will have to pay handsomely to explore the visual side of Venice, there’s a lot more to this city, in terms of hidden art gems, than meets the eye. An ancient city with a mysterious history, Venice is packed with secret locations and unbeaten paths waiting to be uncovered, if you know where to look. And it won’t cost you a penny!

Here are some of the lesser-known attractions in Venice housing amazing works of art that are well worth seeking out:

Scuola Grande di San Rocco – the former religious confraternity, whose ornate ceiling is an astonishing masterpiece by Tintoretto;

Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini – home to one of the early works by Tintoretto (the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple) still extant;

Santa Maria della Salute – Venice's most famous church by image, emblematic of the city, with a small art gallery in its sacristy;

Saint George of the Greeks' Church and Museum of Icons – home to Damasceno frescoes and a wealth of ancient Greek-Byzantine icons and Orthodox sacred vestments.

If you want to beat the crowds in Venice and enjoy some of its hidden yet fascinating gems for free, get off the beaten track and lose yourself without getting lost on this self-guided walking tour!