Venice on a Budget

Venice on a Budget
It’s not easy but doable to explore Venice on a budget. Photo by Chili.

Venice on a Budget | Made up of 118 little islands, intersected by 150 canals, and linked by 400 bridges, Venice easily makes it into Europe’s top 3 tourist destinations – joining Amsterdam and Paris. And that’s the reason why Venice is also one of the most expensive tourist spots. A gondola ride in the “City of Bridges” costs you US$100 per person, a dinner at St. Mark’s Square will be pretty much $100 as well. To avoid a nervous breakdown of your wallet, here are some recommendations for your Trip to Venice.

Venice on a Budget Venice flooded
Venice flooded | By Paolo da Reggio (own work), wikipedia cc

Skip the Gondola. Buy 24-hour travelcards for Vaporetto instead. That is Venice’ public water taxi at $24 per person. You can enjoy pretty much the same views and you have unlimited rides. A single-trip-ticket will be $9.

Hungry? Walk away from St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge! Prices are ridiculously high over there. Instead get lost on purpose and buy cheaper food in nearby alleys.

Book your flights and hotels all-in-one. There are always reasonable package deals available online, with lots of two or three star hotels very close to the city center. If you spontaneously stop by and book at the counter you’ll be ripped off for sure.

Use Venice public transport instead of booking an expensive taxi from the airport to the city center. There are regular bus services available. Just look for ATVO / ACTV. These companies have desks in the arrivals area at Venice Airport.

Entrance to most churches in Venice is free of charge. Check the signs.

Venice on a Budget Venice Painting
Venice on a budget | You might indeed enjoy such gorgeous views when stepping into small side alleys in Venice. This painting is by Rafail Sergeevich Levitsky (1896): Morning Impression along a Canal in Venice. Currently owned by The Di Rocco Wieler Private Collection, Toronto, Canada.

italy book property here
Italy on a budget. Book your property here.

Venice on a Budget. By Chili & Chirp | Hugging horizons since 2004. Explore other travel destinations on a budget such as Florence or New York or Quebec or check out our Top 7 Dollar friendly Destinations.