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Our Top 7 Things to do in Venice on a Budget
Our Top 7 Things to do in Venice on a Budget
There are so many things to do in Venice, it’s difficult to choose which ones are worth some of your precious holiday time and are good value. We’ve picked out our favourite 7 things, some of which are free and others that we thought were worth paying for.
1. Visit the lagoon islands
Will’s favourite activity of the trip was the tour of three of the lagoon islands, which cost us £15.85. For this price we were able to visit Murano, Burano and Torcello which surround the main island of Venice (we even got free biscuit samples on one of the islands!). You can also get to these islands by water taxi if you don’t want the time restriction that a tour can bring.
Murano is an island where the famous Murano glass is made. They still have many working furnaces and we enjoyed watching a demonstration showing glass blowing and sculpting techniques.
These furnaces were relocated from the main city to avoid fire’s breaking out and destroying the city. They also wanted to keep the Murano glass making techniques secret, so they isolated the craftsmen, making it difficult to share these techniques outside of the island (very sneaky).
The next island on the tour was Torcello which was home to the very first settlement in Venice. This island feels very rural, and the walk to the main plaza is a simple path along the canal with many fields around. In the town centre there are several ruins from the old settlement. There is also a tower which you can pay to go up if you have the time.
The final island we visited was Burano which felt the busiest of the three. It holds a fishing village with beautiful coloured houses (imagine an Italian speaking Balamory!).
These were originally painted so that the fishermen could find their brightly coloured homes when the air was thick with fog. The island is also known for its lace production. There are still many women on the island who make lace by hand, in the traditional style. We were able to see a lace demonstration whilst we were there, and the time and detail that goes into each piece is insane!
2. Do a walking tour
This was my favourite activity of the trip. Walking tours are a great way to learn some of the history of the city you are visiting, and often the guide will point out or explain things within the city that you might never have thought about otherwise.
This is all done whilst burning off the calories from all that pizza you’ve eaten! If you plan to do a walking tour, we recommend booking it for the start of your trip as it really adds context to your visit and often you receive tips for places to go or ways to save money within the city. The walking tour we took in Venice was free (you just pay a tip at the end) and we really enjoyed it!
3. Visit St. Maria Della Salute
This church is unique in Venice due to its shape. Traditional Venetian churches are cross shaped if you were to look at them from above, whereas this one is octagon shaped. Unable to find a suitable architect in Rome or Venice, a competition was held to find a new designer. The new design was introduced by the 26-year-old competition winner.
Entry to the church is free, just remember to be respectful as it’s still an active place of worship. On your visit we recommend stopping for a minute or two to sit on the steps leading up to the church and enjoy the stunning views along the grand canal.
4. St. Mark’s Campanile
The St. Mark’s Campanile sits on a corner of St. Mark’s Square and is the bell tower to the Basilica. This iconic red tower soars above the roof line so you won’t miss it when wandering around the city (even Will spotted it)! Access to the top of the tower costs €8 and if you love a good panorama, is well worth the price! There is a lift to the top so if you’re like me (with knees of tissue paper) and struggle with steps, there’s no need to worry.
Once at the top, there are 360° views of the city, and looking out across the water you can see many of the smaller surrounding islands.
It’s worth noting that, although there is an entry fee for this, the queue is much shorter than the one for the Basilica. So, if you are short on time and trying to choose between the two, we recommend this option as you will get in faster and have longer to enjoy the activity itself, rather than queuing outside!
5. St. Mark’s Basilica & Square
This magnificent cathedral stands at the eastern end of St. Mark’s Square (I don’t do directions, so I had to check this with Will!). The domed building is definitely the most famous of Venice’s churches and once you’ve seen its impressive architecture, it’s easy to understand why! The interior is covered with gold and brightly coloured mosaics and you can view the detailed paintings depicting biblical scenes inside each of the domes.
Entry is free, however, there are a few things to note. Firstly, no bags are allowed within the building and the cloakroom is located across the square. Don’t make the mistake we saw several people make, of queuing and then losing your spot at the front because you didn’t leave your bags. Drop your bags off at the cloakroom first and then queue! The queue may look overwhelmingly long, but don’t worry, it moves fairly quickly. Ice cream is always a good idea, but we especially recommend buying a scope or two when standing in a hot queue!
Another thing to think about beforehand, is that since this is a traditional Catholic place of worship, shoulders and legs must be covered. If you turn up and aren’t dressed appropriately, you can purchase a shawl for €2 at the entrance (this only seems to apply to women though as Will was wearing shorts the same length as mine and was allowed in!). The final thing we want to share is that, although admission is free, the parts of the Basilica you are allowed to see are restricted. There is the option to pay a few Euros to gain entry to each additional part. So, if you see people on the balcony surrounding the Basilica as you queue or walk past and think that looks like a good place for a view of the city, bear in mind that it will cost extra. If it’s a view you want, we recommend St Mark’s Campanile, it’s only a few Euros more and the views are phenomenal!
6. Gondola Ride
I know this is a classic tourist thing to do, but how could we go all the way to Venice without having an iconic gondola ride?! These can be pricey, but we managed to find a ticket online that was within our budget, costing only £24.17 each for a 30 minute ride. We really enjoyed being able to relax and let the gondolier navigate the narrow canals whilst we took in all the classic Venetian architecture.
Our tips for getting a gondola ride cheaper is to share with other people, a private tour will cost much more. When walking around Venice, there are many gondola points where you will be charged €80 for half an hour. If you are a group of 4 or 5 then this will be the cheapest option if you divide the cost. If there are only 2 or 3 of you or you are travelling by yourself, then the only budget option is to share a ride by booking through an agency that will find other people to fill your gondola.
7. Doge’s Palace
The palace is almost overshadowed with St Mark’s Basilica being right next door, but it is definitely not one to miss. At €14 for students, the Doge’s palace provides a reasonably priced option to learn all about Venice’s illustrious history right from its early beginnings to the modern day. The palace is massive, and every room is covered in canvases depicting key moments in Venice’s past.
Something we regret is not doing the audio guided tour. There is plenty of information up on boards and posters around the palace but with so much to take in visually, we think the guide is worth it for the extra €5. If you have children with you (or someone with a short attention span like Will), the audio tour may take too much extra time. We spent two hours in there just walking around without stopping to listen to key facts (Will was starving by the end)!
The palace stays open till 11pm and we found that going at night meant we could walk around freely without getting caught up in the crowds.
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