FREE SIGHTSEEING in Italy

Free things to see in Italy by city…all sights are a photographers dream

Unless there is something or some work of art that you simply must see then you do not even have to pay to enter a gallery or museum in Italy. There are many copies of the original statues up around the cities that are just as important and just as good to photograph.

Rome

All fountains are free to see and are simply gorgeous
Trevi
Piazza Navona-Fountain of the Moor, Fountain of the Neptune
Palazzo Farnese
Piazza Esedra
Fountain of Barcaccia (Bernini) at the base of the Spanish Steps
Fountain of the Acqua Paola
Piazza Barbarini - Fountain of Triton

All monuments are free:
Vittorio Emmanuelle
Pantheon
Most ruins
Spanish Steps

Most churches are free to enter in Rome and the Vatican City
Only take photos if there are no signs up saying no too and remember not to use your flash it ruins the paintings
Church of S.Maria in Cosmedia (The mouth of truth)

The river and the bridges are all wonderful to see

Even places like the Colosseum are fantastic for photo’s from the outside, you can get up nice an close to take photo’s. There is a wonderful arch just outside the Colosseum “The Arch of Constantine” this is free too. If you walk up the stairs to the Piazza del Campidoglio and head around to the left and behind the building you will find a lookout over the Ruins in the Palatino (Roman Forum), you can take photo’s from here. This sight looks especially wonderful as the sun goes down.

These are just a few of the many places we visited in Rome.

Florence

Piazzale Michelangelo
This is a fantastic sight and great look out over the city of Florence. You can get wonderful photo’s all day and especially at dawn, sunset and night. There are many colours to Florence.

Ponte Vecchio
The bridge with the buildings on it, actually all jewellery shops. It is beautiful (when there are no constructions going on). It is perfect over the Arno river and has a lovely reflection in it. At night when the lights are reflecting in the water below it is spectacular. The view of the bridge from Piazzale Michelangelo is breathtaking.

Palazzo Vecchio
Has many statues (although many are copies) to look at and photograph. The most famous of course is David, there is one of Percius holding Medusa’s head and many more. Also the building itself is lovely and you can enter it free of charge.

Fortezza da Basso
Just on the outskirts of the centre is an old fortress. There are quite often free exhibits in there for example: concerts, markets, antique markets etc…

Cascina gardens
This is a lovely park with fountains and gardens. It is quite large and there are markets every Tuesday along the river. You can get to the gardens on the tram just outside the Florence Santa Maria Novella station (the main train station).

All of the Piazza’s around Florence have something interesting in them: statues, monuments, churches, carousels, fountains, shops, markets, restaurants, cafes etc…

Many of the churches are free to enter and photograph (if not otherwise noted). But please remember to respect the clothing rules. No short shorts (men or women), no sleeveless tops (men or women) and not too much cleavage. In the churches that you pay for they will make you wear a hospital gown if you are not dressed appropriately.

All the buildings in the city and the country are beautiful. The architecture is so much different to Australian architecture not to mention there are hundreds of years difference to when they were built too.
The Italians may not have large “yards” but they know how to add plants and gardens to the little space they have on balconies and verandahs.

So when in Florence take the time to enjoy your surroundings, they are not just a bunch of old buildings they are steeped in history and still habitable and any one of the occupants can you tell you a story about it. The Italians are very passionate about their history and they tell the best stories either true or legend.

Venice

In Venice St Marks Basilica is free to enter (Hint Get there at least 30mins before opening time otherwise you can line up for hours to get through the front doors). 

The view of the canals are free and gorgeous.  If you want a photo in a gondola (it costs 80Euros for 6 people to spend 40mins in a gondola) ask if you can pay them 10-20 Euros to sit in the gondola for a photo and not go anywhere in it (find the ones on the narrow canals that sit there all day waiting for someone to take a ride, avoid the ones on the Grand Canal).

The Rialto Bridge (shown in many movies like Bond, Casanova, The Tourist) is Free and there are shops one either side of it. 

Near to the Rialto Bridge you will find some buildings that are leaning quite a bit because of the foundations these are great for photo opportunities.

Siena

You can walk around Siena and see alot of the churches and squares for free.  The main Cathedral and tombs cost to enter.

If you go to Siena in July try to arrive for the Palio a very famous horse race in the main square.  You will also see the festival of Flag waving.


There is a wonderful market with food and clothing near the main carpark.

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