Venice was a city I’d been wanting to visit for a while but was put off by the extortionate cost that everyone talked about. However, flying into Venice before heading down to the Dolomites for some trail running seemed like too good of an opportunity to miss. And to be honest, I was very pleasantly surprised by how cheap it was (6 euro Aperol Spritz and 5 euro breakfasts?!?).
So, while I can’t talk about the price of accomodation which I admit may up the price of the trip considerably, I CAN say that Venice is completely doable on a budget for food and transport.
Transport
Getting from Venice airport to the city centre and train stations is so easy! There’s a direct airport bus to the main square, where you can also get trams and trains around the city. You can
In terms of the newer part of Venice, it IS big. However, trams, buses and trains mean that the city is fairly well connected. Unfortunately for me, as I was trying to get my train to the Dolomites, the tram broke down. I had a lovely chat with some girls studying there who helped me find other trams but I would suggest that if you’re in a rush, skip the trams and focus on trains or buses.
What to do in Venice
The old part of Venice is well worth walking around – you’ll see so much (and possibly get lost), find cheap Aperols and pizza, see the canals from so many different angles and actually be able to feel the atmosphere that sometimes gets a little lost in the central tourist area. You should still definitely go to St Mark’s square but you’d be best to spend most of your time actually exploring the side streets and drinking coffee.
If you really want a check list to make sure you see things:
- Rialto Bridge
- Bridge of Sighs
- Doge’s Palace
- St Mark’s square
- A canal (they’ll be everywhere. It’s Venice.)
What to eat in Venice?
Again, this is a fairly short article – I arrived in Venice early morning from Brussels (really cramming in a Eurosummer city break this year) and was heading to the Dolomites mid afternoon. But while in Italy: coffee, croissants and orange juice for breakfast is a must. The cafe I stopped at was perfectly positioned before you walk into the old town, with a great view and really friendly staff who let me charge my phone there after my night in the airport.
My Personal Thoughts on Venice
I really really liked Venice a lot more than I thought I would! It seemed very authentic and quiet in the old town for what is a stereotypically touristy city and it really wasn’t that expensive. At some point, I would love to go back with a bit more time but onwards to the Dolomites for some trail running in the next post!
Looking for other European city break ideas?
I’d literally JUST come from Brussels a day before this which was great (and cheap flights). Within Italy – Rome is a classic (on the list, haven’t yet been) but Genova and Bologna are both amazing too! Close by, you’ve got Croatia where you can party in Split, chill out and see all of the national parks near Zadar or go and see some museums in Zagreb!
