San Giorgio Maggiore Church

Great place, a bit far away from standard tourist routes. There is even a little modern art exhibition at the basilica. Unfortunately, the bell tower was closed for renovations.

It’s a church that we see all the time from San Marco square. We took the boat to visit this time. There is a temporary exhibition during the restoration of their two main paintings. Instead of the original ones, they put two modern art paintings. Thé contrast is somehow interesting. The church is free entry by the way.

San Giorgio Maggiore offers a stunning escape with incredible views of Venice and its lagoon. The island itself is easily accessible by water bus. The San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower provides a unique panoramic experience. For a €6 fee, an elevator whisks you to the top, where you're treated to breathtaking vistas of Venice, including the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Campanile, and the Church of the Salute. Many consider the panorama from this vantage point to be the best in Venice. The church is known for its bright interior and paintings by Tintoretto. The facade, designed by Andrea Palladio, is a sight to behold.

A Masterclass in Renaissance Architecture and Cultural Serenity San Giorgio Maggiore offers an intellectually enriching and aesthetically rewarding experience for those seeking to engage with Venice’s artistic and architectural legacy beyond the well-trodden paths of the city centre. Situated on a tranquil island directly across from St. Mark’s Square, the church is easily accessible via Vaporetto, yet offers a far more contemplative atmosphere than many of Venice’s more frequented landmarks. Designed by the renowned architect Andrea Palladio, the basilica exemplifies the rationality, symmetry, and clarity of High Renaissance architecture. Its Istrian stone façade—majestic in its classical harmony—evokes the language of ancient Roman temples while remaining firmly rooted in Christian liturgical form. The interior is striking in its luminosity and volumetric balance. The spatial clarity of the nave and choir draws the eye naturally to the altar, surrounded by masterworks of Venetian painting. Most notably, the church houses several late works by Jacopo Tintoretto, including The Last Supper and The Jews in the Desert, which are distinguished by their dramatic composition and expressive chiaroscuro. His Entombment of Christ, located in the side chapel, is a deeply moving meditation on mortality and was reportedly the artist’s final work. In the Bollani Chapel, Sebastiano Ricci’s Madonna and Child with Saints (1708) adds a Rococo flourish to the otherwise sober elegance of the interior. The campanile (bell tower) is perhaps the island’s most underrated asset. For a modest fee (€6), visitors may ascend via elevator to a viewing platform that provides arguably the most comprehensive and breathtaking panorama of Venice. From this elevated vantage point, one can enjoy unobstructed views of the Doge’s Palace, the domes of Santa Maria della Salute, the rooftops of the Giudecca, and the vast expanse of the Venetian Lagoon. The serenity of the experience is enhanced by the tower’s relative lack of tourist congestion, offering an almost meditative contrast to the crowds at St. Mark’s Campanile. Complementing the religious and artistic significance of the site is the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, which hosts academic conferences, exhibitions, and cultural programs throughout the year. Nearby, Le Stanze del Vetro presents cutting-edge exhibitions dedicated to Venetian and international glass artistry. The island also features a charming waterfront café and a labyrinthine garden—ideal for reflection and rest. San Giorgio Maggiore is a site of remarkable cultural, spiritual, and visual significance. It seamlessly integrates sacred space, artistic mastery, and contemplative environment. A visit here is not merely a sightseeing excursion but an invitation to engage deeply with the intellectual and aesthetic currents that define the Venetian tradition.

Pretty cool church and not crowded at all mid day on a Sunday. Tower was closed for repairs but the church is free and they have a free museum in the back featuring murano glass

Historical & Iconic Church in Venezia One of the iconic churches in Venezia, the view is obviously better from San Marco but this is a really nice building!

Really pretty church, amazing decorations and architecture. Entry to the church is free although I highly recommend going up the tower because the view on Venice is breathtaking. There's an elevator so you don't need to take the stairs and the price is good in my opinion. You can see San Marco and Basilica Santa Maria very well from there.

Very nice basilica. The San Giorgio Maggiore island is far less busy than the city center, and you can get there with a short vaporetto ride! Going up its campanile is not free but offers a great view of Venice. It is good for a short visit if you stay for more than a day.

Buy yourself an all day vaporetto ticket, and take the ride to San Giorgio. We went in the church (free), and if you walk about half way, and then go left to the back of the building, to find the entrance to the Bell Tower. It's 8€ to take the elevator to the top. No lines, no crowds....just great views. And a free bathroom, at the steps to the elevator.

San Giorgio Maggiore is a Benedictine church built in the 16th century,. The architect is Andrea Palladio in a classical Renaissance style. The church's facade is made of a brilliant white marble. It is located on the island directly opposite Saint Mark's Square. The church of San Giorgio Maggiore is just a 5 minute vaporetto ride from the S. Zaccaria stop. The number 2 vaporetto takes you to the island and the church. A mass is held on Sunday at 11 am and conducted in Gregorian Chant. Entrance to the church and mass are free. The church is filled with great works of art like the "Adoration of the Shepards (Bassano)," The Last Supper" (Tintoretto) and" St, George and the Dragon" (Carpaccio) to name a few. The interior is of white Istrian stone and is illuminated by natural sunlight in a most magical way. There is a bell tower which has a lift. It costs 5 Euros and gives you magnificent views of Venice, St. Mark's Square, the Adriatic sea and on a clear day the Alps. It is significantly less visited than other sites and therefore has short lines or no lines at all. When you are at the top of the bell tower you are not crowded and can take your time with photos. Built by Palladio (1566) the architecture became the inspiration for the Thomas Jefferson Monticello.

What more could you ask for than an island church built by Palladio decorated by famous artists with commanding views from its companile? That is San Giorgio Maggiore. This church is worth the vaporetto ride over from St. Mark's Square. Most tourists just take pictures of this church in passing. The church is richly decorated by Tintoretto, Bassano, and Carpaccio. We have visited this church many times before; but, this time we decided to take the elevator to the top of the campanile (€ 6 each). Wow, we were treated to spectacular views of all of Venice. There was hardly a cloud in the sky; so, the views in all directions were wonderful.

I decided to take the tour boat over to the island church it was a great view of St Marks Square across the bay. I wish my church was built like this one I would go every week. The architecture is amazing and has to be seen in person to get the full effect. You can't beat the view of the square across the bay it's worth the boat ride.

You know that classic photo of a distant church in a lagoon with gondolas in front? That photo that always appears in travel websites? That church is the little-known S. Giorgio Maggiore! Located on an isolated island even from the nearby Giudecca, the only way you can reach this island is by private boat or the infrequent vaporetto route 2, so this island church is extraordinarily tranquil even when Piazza San Marco across the lagoon is crowded. While the church itself may be not worth the cross-lagoon ride, the bell tower view is, especially during sunset! For €6 (€4 reduced), you can access the top of the church bell tower via a modern elevator and see the view of the Venetian skyline that is perhaps even better than from the more famous St. Mark's Campanile! But even if you do not intend to pay for a bell tower view, the quiet bank where you can see St. Mark Square from a distant yet clear view without the crowd. Because of the infrequent vaporetto route, I recommend coming here only if you have plenty of time to afford getting stranded on this isolated church for a bit. I would not place this destination as a must-go, but its peace and quiet is certainly worth a ride if you can afford the time! --- tl;dr version: 1) Isolated island across from the bustling St. Mark's Square 2) Reachable only by few boats, so not recommended if you are short on time 3) Tranquil refuge from the bustle with a terrific skyline view on the bell tower

forget the campanile de San Marco, take the vaparetto to the other side of the canale grande to the Chiesa San Giorgio and the included tower. Free entry for the church and some euros for the tower, no waiting time without the water bus :-) a nice and quite place, a beautiful look over venice up to the beach (lido) and also the harbour with the very big cruise ship like costa and aida but bigger the MSC, twice as high on the horizon enjoy the view from the tower, the ar in the church and the area around

Fabulous, must do! It is so beautiful to see the church grounds, Giudecca, boat traffic, and the many island that Venice. It is a short 8 minute water bus ride from San Zacchariah stop. Wonderful, wonderful.