As you may imagine, Venice is not cheap. With the insane tourist counts that the city has to deal with every day, lots of money has to be put into running the services and maintaining Venice itself. But what if you’re on a very tight budget but you still want to see it? Today, we’ll show you that it’s still totally possible to see Venice with very few additional costs beyond the essentials. Let’s take a look at Venice on a budget!
Cheap holidays in Venice
How to save money in Venice?
Soon enough, Venice will try becoming the very first country in the world with an entry fee (though only for daytrippers). Don’t fret, though – you can still see plenty of the city for free or for very cheap – we estimate that you can spend two days on visiting just the cheap stuff. The basics is this: we mostly get around the city on foot and visit the attractions without entering them. And what better place to begin than…
St Mark’s Square
The best free attraction in Venice?
St Mark’s Square is the literal showpiece of Venice. While the square in and of itself is a great place, you’ll also find many of the best sites here: Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Caffe Florian, the Campanile (Bell tower) and the Torre dell’Orologio. And seeing all these wonderful places costs you whooping nothing.
You can read more about St Mark’s Square here.
Rialto Bridge
One of Venice’s most famous places
The Rialto Bridge is the most well known bridge in Venice, situated right in the centre, over the Grand Canal. In 1181, the first iteration of the bridge was built, a pontoon bridge, though it was replaced by a wooden bridge soon after. Today’s structure was erected in 1591.
You can find the Rialto Market nearby and many stalls spread out even on the bridge itself. Of course, there’s no fee for entering the bridge, taking in the sights or taking a stroll around the area.
Ponte dell’Accademia
Another of the four bridges in Venice
Another one of the four bridges over the Grand Canal. This bridge, in our opinion, has one of the best views in the city. From its highest point, you can see the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute with the bay as the backdrop. It’s a wonderful place to watch the sunset. As the name suggests, the bridge is right next to the Gallerie dell’Accademia.
St Mark’s Basilica
The temple on St Mark’s Square
St Mark’s Basilica, formally the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, is one of the most famous examples of Italian-Byzantine architecture. The basilica is a beautiful work of art with plenty to show on the outside, without even seeing the interior. As for admission, there’s currently an entry fee even if you take the main gate (it’s €3, €6 for a skip-the-line), though visitors can enter for free using the side entrance during religious events. You can read more about the Basilica here.
Liberia Acqua Alta
Bookshop in Venice
This is a more unusual place to visit in the city, as it’s no grand monument, church or anything of the sort. It’s just a bookshop. Of course, it’s no ordinary bookshop, as it’s a rather eccentric place. You’ll find plenty of cats inside, and a whole staircase constructed with books. You can also get some cheap souvenirs here, such as unique postcards, though, of course, you can enter and feel the place for free.
Rialto market
A budget attraction in Venice
The Rialto Market is located in the centre of Venice, very close to the Rialto Bridge. You’ll find sections for vegetables, fruits, fish and pretty much anything you could want from a market. For us, as cheapskates, we can use the market as mostly a place for vibes – a good place to meet the locals and get a glimpse of the slowly eroding life of the actual residents of Venice.
Water buses in Venice
A cheap attraction in Venice
This is, sadly, not a free attraction in Venice, but it’s really not too pricey, certainly not as bad as gondolas. The water buses and ferries are only a fraction of that and they can still provide you with much the same route through Venice. You can read more about water buses in Venice here.
Currently, a ticket for 75 minutes costs €9.50.
Bridge of Sighs
That’s where the name comes from, yes
The Ponte dei Sospiri or the Bridge of Sighs is a small bridge connecting the Doge’s Palace with the nearby prison. Its name comes from the lovely story that the little window on the bridge was the last peak into the outside world that the prisoners had before incarceration. The reality is sadly a bit disappointing. You can admire the Bridge of Sighs for free from the Ponte della Paglia and the Rughetta S. Apollonia.
Murano and Burano
Murano and Burano
Murano and Burano are two islands near the centre of Venice. You’ll have to get there somehow, so there’s the cost of the transport, but the cost of actually touring the islets is nothing at all. They’re lovely, usually way less crowded than the centre and are known for the Murano glass made here. If you get sick of the constant crowds and you’d like a lesser known part of Venice, go here.
Beaches in Venice
Venice Lido
Believe it or not, we have beaches in Venice. Sort of. They’re all on Lido or near Ca’ Savio, but they’re practically right there. And they’re quite good. They’re wide, sandy and with plenty of equipment to back them up. Not sure if you’re going to want more water after days of Venice but, if you do, then that’s a great option for you with no added cost at all.
Gardens in Venice
Giardini della Biennale
Venice is not all that known for being much of a green city, at least not in its centre. There’s, however, a place where you can seek respite – the Parco delle Rimembranze and the Giardini della Biennale, both located in the south of the old part of Venice. They’re beautiful, with lots of greenery, shade and tranquillity. You can find plenty of pavilions, works of art and palazzos around the parks. You can also get here via the boulevard with a divine view of the centre of Venice, so it’s two in one!
The centre of Venice
A free attraction in Venice
Quite an obvious one, but it’s Venice itself, which will easily last you a few days of sightseeing on its own. The streets of the centre of Venice are one massive maze of pearls of architecture, engineering, culture and art. You’ll find many buildings that you may already be familiar with here: Ca’ d’Oro, San Simeone Piccolo, Ponte della Costituzione and many others. If you’re into beautiful architecture and unique atmosphere then the best free attraction in Venice is just Venice.
Free Sundays in Venice
Free admission to museums
If you want to see more while not spending any extra money, we recommend planning your holiday to include the first Sunday of the month. Why? Because that’s when entry to many of the best attractions in Venice is absolutely free. This applies mainly to permanent exhibitions, not seasonal events or extras in the museums.
In Venice, the First Sunday rule includes:
- Galleria dell’Accademia
- Giorgio Franchetti Gallery at the Ca’ D’Oro
- Archeological Museum of Venice
- Oriental Art Museum at Ca’ Pesaro
- Grimari palace Museum
- and more!
As such, it’s a great opportunity to actually visit some places in Venice while still on a tight budget. We hope we’ve convinced you that, though you do miss out on some experiences, you can still gather plenty of other ones in the meantime without going bankrupt.
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