How To Have An Inexpensive Vacation In Venice
Despite its reputation as an elite getaway, some of the best moments of being in Venice are surprisingly accessible. You can ride the beautiful Grand Canal on an inexpensive river tram, a glass of prosecco at the bar is easy to buy for just 1.5 euros, and many must-see sights are either completely free or can be visited for a symbolic amount.
Budget cathedrals
Some of the city’s most famous landmarks are free. For example, the famous Cathedral of St. Mark (Basilica of San Marco) is free to enter. The cathedral, built in 828, is a real miracle of Byzantine architecture. It contains many priceless art objects that were removed during the Crusades from Syria, Egypt and Palestine. The interiors of the cathedral have over 8500 square meters of gilded mosaics. Free guided tours are offered by the diocese from April to October. The guides explain to the visitors what theological significance this or that mosaic has. For a symbolic amount of 2 euros, you can see the Pala d Oro, the famous golden altar of the Cathedral of San Marco with the relics of the apostle himself.
On the other side of the Grand Canal is the Basilica of the Virgin Mary of Healing (Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute), which also offers free guided tours. The octahedron basilica with a hemispherical dome was built in the 17th century by the architect Balthazar Longena. The design is reminiscent of Greco-Romanesque temples and is said to have mystical powers. The sacristy (entrance fee: 3 euros) is a miracle within a miracle. It displays 12 of Titian’s masterpieces.
Many Venetian churches, like the Basilica of Healing, contain priceless artwork. They are worth a visit too, especially if you have a single Chorus Pass (adult / concessionary: € 12/8; valid: 1 year; chorusvenezia.org), which entitles you to visit 16 churches, including the Cathedral of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari and the Church of St. Sebastian. Without a single ticket, you will have to pay between 2.50 and 3 euros to enter each of the churches.
Priceless landmark
The main treasure of Venice is the city itself, an architectural masterpiece of palaces made of Istrian stone floating in the canals. Take a map of the city and stroll through the winding streets. The streets leading from Piazza San Marco, such as Calle Larga XXII Marzo and Frezzaria, are full of vendors of handmade jewelry, antiques, glass and fashion boutiques.
Commercial galleries with free admission such as Galleria Traghetto and Galleria La Salizada display works by contemporary Italian masters of painting and photography. In the San Polo area, you can admire the frescoes of the Ruga degli Orefici arcades, while fishmongers and farmers are just around the corner offering their wares in the Rialto market, just like 700 years ago.
Away from the glittering windows, the fondamente (promenades) such as the Zattere promenade, Riva degli Schiavoni and the Fondamenta de la Sensa and Fondamenta dei Ormesini promenade in the Cannaregio area have many picturesque views of the lagoon or the mirrored surface of the canals.
It is best to take the river tram # 1 or # 2 along the Grand Canal. The waterbus offers a fantastic budget trip around Venice for as little as € 7. You will sail past about fifty squares, six churches and four locations in which scenes from the James Bond films were filmed. Thousands of years of history of the ancient city will sweep past you.
And if you can’t do without gondola riding, book an inexpensive half-hour trip to Tu.Ri.Ve (turive.it) for 31 euros per person instead of the usual boat trip for 80 euros.
Inexpensive exhibitions
Venice is one of the cities with the highest concentration of galleries and architectural monuments on our planet. Such a city, by definition, cannot be very cheap, and visits to museums and art exhibitions are relatively expensive. Entrance fees to museums range from 10 to 20 euros. But there is one exception – the amazing Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti, which hosts free exhibitions and various cultural events. State-owned museums such as Palazzo Grimani, Murano Glass Museum and Burano Lace Museum are free on the first Sunday of every month. It makes sense to plan your trip with this fact in mind.
If you plan to visit three or more public museums, including the Doge’s Palace, you can save money by purchasing a single Civic Museum Pass (full / partial: 24/18 euros; visitmuve.it). The ticket entitles you to free admission to nine state museums. If you plan to visit five or more museums, purchase the Museum Pass (adult / partial: 39.90 / 29.90 euros; valid for 7 days; veneziaunica.it). This ticket entitles you to visit 11 museums and 16 more churches.
If you arrive in Venice between May and November, you can enjoy one of the cultural events of the annual Art and Architecture Biennale, which offers many opportunities for art lovers. While the entrance cost to the main pavilions is not that low, just under a hundred events (90 the last time) are completely free.
Saving on food: cicheti
Even in simple osterie (taverns), food in Venice costs a little more than in other cities in Italy. However, the cicheti (Venetian tapas) served at lunchtime and between 6 pm and 8 pm are tasty, nutritious and relatively cheap. From regular meatballs and salted cod croutons to asparagus from Bassano.
You can have a snack for 1-6 euros in the following establishments:
- All’Arco – Light market snacks with fabulous Prosecco. The establishment is located near the Rialto market
- Osteria alla Vedova – the best meat balls (meatballs) in town
- Dai Zemei – dishes prepared with imagination from different products
- Osteria al Squero – classic Venetian tapas. An establishment with views of the gondola repair shop
- Vino Vero – modern cicheti with biodynamic wines
Happy hour booze
Happy hour in Venice starts around 6 pm at bacari (hole-in-the-wall bars). If you’re nimble enough, you can grab a 60 euro cent glass of wine at Bacareto Da Lele and the local social club Cantine Aziende Agricole.
Campo Santa Margherita and Campo Cesare Battista also attract students, tourists and locals with happy hour discounts. But for a drink with locals, head to the Rialto Market in Al Merca or Cantina Do Spade, Bacaro Da Fiore in San Marco and Cantione Gia Schiavi in Dorsoduro. Or check out Al Timon in Cannaregio and Bacaro Risorto in Castello.
Budget hotels
Although rooms at the famous Gritti Palace cost € 500 per night, a room can be found much cheaper in Venice. The number of budget proposals has grown significantly over the past ten years. It’s easy to find good deals on airbnb.com or rent a room at one of the authentic B & Bs such as Casa Baseggio, Allo Squero and B&B San Marco. The room will cost 40-100 euros.
Good news for travelers visiting Venice with little money. Choose from a variety of new low-cost hostels and refurbished rooms in places of worship with canal views and in the heart of the city. Stylish rooms at Generator Hostels or modern rooms at Gen Venice on Giudecca Island with views of the Zattere promenade are relatively cheap. Nearby are the restored Redentore monastic cells with views of the cypress garden. The former student residences Ostello Jan Palach and We Crociferi await guests.
Cheap travel
If you intend to use the vaporetto (water bus) more than three times a day, you do not have to spend 7 euros for each one-way ticket. It makes sense to purchase an ACTV Tourist Ticket (1 day – 20 euros, 3 days – 40 euros). You can buy it at any HelloVenezia ticket office. People between 14 and 29 years old with the Rolling Venice Card (€ 4, sold at the tourist office) can buy a 3-day Traveler’s Card for € 20.
The cheapest way to get from Marco Polo Airport to the city is to take the bus to Piazzale Roma. The trip will cost 6 euros. However, if you need to get somewhere other than the square, it is often better to take the Alilaguna shuttle boat (alilaguna.it). These boats dock at all major waterbus stations in Venice, including San Marco, Rialto, New Promenade and Zattere promenade, as well as the islands of Murano, Certosa, Lido and Giudecca. The ticket costs 14 euros one way if bought online (just one euro more than a bus + waterbus). But there is no need to make a change and buy a ticket on the eternally crowded square of Rome. Sit at the airport pier. It is 10 minutes from the airport building. Be guided by the road signs.
If you are arriving at Treviso airport, the cheapest way to get to the city is to take the Barzi Bus Service bus (ticket costs 10 euros one way; travel time: 40 minutes; runs every half hour) to Tronchetto. And already from Tronchetto it is easy to get to where you need by river tram.
