Venice is no doubt one of the most expensive cities in Italy, and in Europe. People often complain that it’s difficult to find a place to eat that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, or that accommodation is really expensive. This is true, but it is possible to experience Venice on a budget! I’d like to share a few suggestions on how to enjoy Venice for under 25$ a day!
If you come to Venice by train from an other Italian city, you’ll get off at Venezia Santa Lucia, right in the middle of the historical city centre. By comparison, if you fly to Venice, you’ll have to pay a bus fare, 6€ if you’re coming from Marco Polo airport and a whopping 10€ if you’re coming from Treviso airport, which is further away and used by Ryanair.
Of course, you can use Venice airport water taxi too!
In spite of the steep prices, there are some good news about visiting Venice: many attractions have no entrance fee. St. Mark’s Basilica, for instance, is free to enter! Inside you’ll find golden mosaics in the Byzantine style that will remind you of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Take in as much as you can of Saint Mark’s Square and Palazzo Ducale. The Bridge of Sighs, the famous clock tower, and the view over the island of San Giorgio Maggiore are all priceless.
The pleasure of visiting Venice comes nevertheless in wandering its streets, and in getting lost on purpose. When you’ve seen San Marco, Rialto and the Accademia Bridge, head for the less crowded areas. Set off to explore less touristic neighboorhoods like Cannaregio or Castello. My favourite areas are Madonna dell’Orto in Cannaregio and Ponte dei Greci in Castello. It’s quieter there, and there are no mask shops to distract you from the beauty of the canals.
For lunch you could grab a couple of tramezzini (triangular sandwiches) at Bar La Toletta, located in the sestiere (neighboorhood) of Dorsoduro, close to the university area. They cost 1,60€ each on the go, with plenty of fillings to choose from. I usually buy 2 of them for a total of €3,20.
There is a fountain nearby where you can refill your water bottle for free. I can personally assure you that the water is good! There are two great places to eat your lunch nearby: one is a patch of green – a rare thing in Venice – in Fondamenta Bonlini, right next to Squero San Trovaso, where they build and repare gondolas. The other one is at Zattere, a spacious street with a beuatiful view of the Giudecca. This is where in summer lots of locals, and some tourists too, love to sunbathe if they don’t feel like going to the beach.
There are lots of things to explore nearby. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is free to visit, for instance, and has a magnificent view over the lagoon. This iconic Venetian church was built in the seventeenth century as a votive offering to the Virgin Mary, because the city was being decimated by the plague. A stroll in the Jewish ghetto, or around the Arsenale – where the ships used to be built – are other areas not to be missed.
For a very cheap dinner, you could go to Taverna del Campiello Remer, close to Campo Santi Apostoli, where from 17.30 to 19.30 you can stuff yourself at the all-you-can-eat buffet for 5€, with a drink included in the price. Oh, and make it a spritz, the local aperitif drink. The place is at the end of a tiny calle (street), so I’ll suggest that you ask a local to find it (try a shop owner)! The location is superb, overlooking the Grand Canal, and with a very nice atmosphere.
To save money on your accommodation you could stay in one of the campsites outside of Venice. If it’s summer you could sleep in a shared tent for as little as €8,50. You’ll need to pay €1,30 for a ten-minute bus ride to Venice itself. The shuttle service offered by the campsite is likely to be more expensive and less straightforward than the local bus so don’t be fooled!
How do you like this idea of spending a day in Venice on the cheap?
In today’s post, Stefania of The Italian Backpacker is sharing with us some budget travel tips on how to enjoy Venice for under $25 a day. For those who are not familiar with her blog, Stefania grew up in a small village an hour away from Venice, in Italy. She also studied foreign languages at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, where I lived for some years. She has a great passion for traveling, blogging and sharing her expert knowledge on living and traveling in Venice. If you have not heard of her already, make sure to check out her blog.
51 thoughts on “Enjoy Venice For Under $25 A Day!”
How do I like the idea of spending a day in Venice on the cheap? I freakin LOVE it!!! Europe has scared the bajinkas out of me, it seems sooooo expensive, but its awesome to know I can visit for so much less. I know its cheesy, but I really like the idea of wondering through market places to buy masks for my friends and family back home.
How do you like this idea of spending a day in Venice on the cheap? Yes, I certaintly would! Italy is one of my favourite countries and I’ve been to many parts of it but somehow, I never got as far as Venice but I’m thinking of a luxury train journey for my husband’s “0” party in a couple of years!
I always thought of Venice as a very expensive destination, but it’s good to know you can survive on $25 a day here too! Good to know that a lot of the attractions are free to enter too :)
Who knew Venice could be so affordable?! That’s a great tip about refilling your water bottle from the public fountains. I wouldn’t have considered that, and that kind of savings can really add up!
Absolutely!
I have often heard how expensive Venice is, so these tips are a great way to visit this beautiful city on a budget. I will definitely check back here if I ever make it.
Me too!
A note for everybody: don’t confuse the vaporetto (water bus) and the water taxi!!! They are two very different things. A water taxi is a VERY VERY expensive way to move around Venice: it costs 50€ or more for a ride and maybe 100€ from the airport to the hotel. A water bus is 7€ for non residents.
I’ve not been to Venice and would like to go one day but one of the things I’ve always been wary about is just how costly I have heard it is so it is great to get some tips here about how to eat cheaply and which sights we can see without spending a fortune! Definitely be bookmarking this for a future visit there!
Great tips, Venice isn’t an easy place to go budget! I would definitely recommend going out of season as the summer crowds can be unbearable!
Sure,I mention that in one of my posts on Venice. Avoid July and August!
Hahaha! I’m heading there soon!
That is so cool that you can visit Venice for $25 USD per day. I think I would personally spend a little bit more because I just want to do a lot more activities.
Absolutely fantastic, huh?
Congratulations! That’s what gaming blogs should write about more often.
I’ve been to Venice over 6 times and the last time I really want to find somewhere to stealth camp. I found it on one of the remote island (maybe Burano). It wasn’t easy to find a place where nobody would find me, but it worked! Very trampy! :D
Venice is a great place, I wish i had read this article earlier. I have spent more than 400$ a day in Venice itself during my european tour.