Across the water from the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Square, the island of San Giorgio is an integral part of the classic Venetian vista. The white facade and tall bell tower of Palladio’s majestic 16th-century church were immortalised in paintings by Canaletto, Monet and Turner. The church is one of the few in Venice that does not charge an entry fee, and inside there are paintings by Tintoretto – including his Last Supper, painted in 1592–94 – Jacopo Bassano and Palma Giovane.
But Palladio’s masterpiece is only one of many surprising free attractions here. San Giorgo is the headquarters of the Cini foundation, whose arts centre, next to the church, hosts regular, free, exhibitions.
And during each Venice Biennale (ends 26 November 2017) this is a prestigious “collateral venue”. Tickets to the Biennale Gardens are €25, but on San Giorgio, free shows running through the autumn include a show devoted to one of Murano’s greatest glass makers, the artist Vittorio Zecchin, and one on the early 20th-century Italian actress Lyda Borelli. The only paid attraction is the bell tower, a reasonable €3 to take the lift to the top, with much less of a queue than for the San Marco tower, and a much better view.
• cini.it, vaporetto stop San Giorgio
