What to do in three days in Venice? In fact, you can do a lot. I’m telling you from my own experience where to go, what to see, where to stay, what free attractions are available, and how to save money on transportation and museums in Venice.
Most travelers probably dream of visiting this open-air museum city. Here, instead of ordinary houses, ancient palazzos line the canals. Instead of cars, boats and water buses travel along the canals.
I was in Venice in the summer, but I always dreamed of coming here in the low season. Walking the streets or around St. Mark’s Square in rubber boots during Aqua Alta – high water.
But I saw summer Venice, bright and noisy. I’m going to tell you about it. And how to try to save money in one of the most expensive cities in Europe.
How to get to Venice
Venice has its own airport, but Wizzair or Ryanair also fly to the neighboring low-cost Treviso-airport.
How do I get from Treviso Airport to Venice?
From Treviso Airport, Venice can be reached by direct shuttle bus – one-way fare is 12 Euros, round-trip fare is 22 Euros. Tickets can be bought on the website of the ATVO bus company website or at the ticket office located inside the airport.
There are cheaper options, but with a transfer – the ACTT Line 6 bus. Tickets are also sold at the airport building, but the stop is outside the airport – you need to go beyond the parking lot and checkpoints towards the city of Treviso. Then by train – you can buy a ticket on the Italian railroad’s website. Train with a change in Mestre, a mainland suburb of Venice. when buying a ticket, select the destination – Venezia Santa Lucia. The schedule is available on the website MOM .
The total cost of such a ticket will be: ACTT bus – 1.5 Euros + train ticket – 5 Euros = 6.5 Euro s.
Season – when to go to Venice
Tourists come to Venice all year round – the city is beautiful both under leaden clouds and in summer, in the bright heat.
The high season is summer and February, during the carnival.
In summer , it is crowded with tourists and quite hot. I have read many times about the unpleasant odor from the canals. But I was there in July and the water was clear and very clean. As for the carnival, it is certainly interesting to see it, and even better to participate by preparing your own costume.
The low season is December and January. At that time, Venice experienced (and still sometimes experiences) floods called the Great Water, Acqua alta. At this time, you can enjoy quiet walks around the city in rubber boots.
The most comfortable time to travel to Venice is in early fall or late spring – in September, May and June. The air is fresh, the days are long and sunny. The nights are quite warm, and there are not many tourists in the city yet.
Hotels and apartments in Venice
There are many hotels and apartments – from expensive to budget. If you are planning to travel to Venice in the low season, you can easily find affordable accommodation – hotels and apartments directly on the island.
In high season, you can stay on the mainland, in the Mestre. But get ready for the fact that Mestre looks nothing like Venice. But compared to the historic center, hotels and rooms in Mestre are cheaper and there are parking lots. However, there are no beautiful canals and fine restaurants, and in this case, you will only be able to see daytime Venice, and Venetian sunrises and sunsets are not included in the program.
Hotels in Mestre:
- Venice Sanella Rooms – is a good option for a company or family with children.
- 216 Venice – simple, clean rooms for those who plan to spend the night in Mestre.
- Guest House Train Station – good rooms and location near the Mestre train station.
There are good transport links between Mestre and the island of Venice. There are regular trains and buses from early morning until late evening, the trip takes about 15 minutes, and the one-way ticket costs 1.5 euros one way.
Tip: To find the location of your hotel or apartment, check out the building’s exterior on Google Maps beforehand so you don’t get lost among the buildings and doors.
And yet, to get the most out of your trip to Venice, it’s best to stay in its historic center. Spending more on a hotel will save you money on public transportation. In addition, Venice is especially beautiful in the early morning or late evening. By this time, most tourists have left the city, so you can walk along the half-empty promenade until dawn and admire the quiet canals.
More useful information: Venice – where is the best place for tourists to stay
Keep in mind that the further away from Piazza San Marco, the cheaper it is. The cheapest option for accommodation is to rent a room in an apartment in one of the city’s districts – Cannaregio.
Hotels in Cannaregio or Hotels in Castello – from 80 € for double occupancy in a hotel or apartment.
Tip: when traveling to Venice, suitcases on wheels are not the best choice, since many bridges are equipped with ladders, plus in old buildings they are often steep spiral staircases and no elevators. For a trip of several days, a backpack is better suited. More information: Ticket to Venice – taxes for a visit
Transportation in Venice
Venice is a city on the water, it is a well-known fact. There are no highways here, only canals. You can get to the historic center of Venice by bus and train, and even by car, leaving it in a parking lot in the Tronghetto area for 22 euros per day. Then – on foot or by water transport.
Venice is a city that can be explored on foot. But if you need to get to the neighboring islands, you will need water transportation. In general, if you don’t know, Venice is located not only on 118 islands connected by 400 bridges, but also on the mainland in Mestre.
A romantic gondola ride costs 80 € for 40 minutes. A public gondola for several people for 2 € – tragetto– will take you from one bank of the Grand Canal to the other. Yes, the tragetto will seat about six people, but it’s not 40 minutes, it’s 5 minutes at most. But it’s a great experience to feel like a local and ride a gondola across the canal.
Vaporetto – what is it?
The Vaporetto is the main transportation along the canals of Venice and the islands of the Venetian Lagoon – Murano, Burano, Torcello, San Michele, Lido, Giudecca. Vaporettos are marine trams that run according to a schedule, both along the city’s canals and to the islands of the Venice lagoon.
The fare system is quite complicated, for example, a trip along the Grand Canal costs €7.5 and is equivalent to an excursion. Different lines have separate tariffs. If you pay for each ride in a vaporetto, it’s quite expensive.
But you can buy a travel ticket for unlimited travel 24 hours a day:
- 1 day -20,00 Euro
- 2 days – 30,00 Euro
- 3 days – 40,00 Euro
- 7 days – 60 Euros
For people aged 6 to 29, a three-day pass is sold – Rolling Venice, which gives a discount on transportation and museums – costing 28 euros.
Where to buy tickets: Marco Polo Airport, Santa Lucia Railway Station, Piazzale Roma – the place where buses arrive in Venice, at vaporetto stops: Accademia, Rialto, Fond.Nuove, Murano, Can Marco, Lido, as well as on the website http://www.veneziaunica.it or www.alilaguna.it – here you can buy and find the schedule.
Tip: It is mandatory to buy tickets. They are checked regularly, and the fines are very high: you have to pay not only the fare, but also the fine.
Where and what to eat in Venice
Do not eat in crowded places, as you are unlikely to taste authentic Italian cuisine, and you will have to pay a lot of money. It’s better to turn off the main streets and get away from the tourist trails. Unassuming trattoria and osteria are small local restaurants that often offer a multi-course menu.
Coffee and breakfast in Venice
Forget Starbucks – it’s not even close. Only coffee shops, pasticcerias, and bars. Coffee prices start from 1.5 euro s for espresso, and from 2 euros for cappuccino.
Italians prefer to have breakfast in a pasticceria. It’s a cross between a pastry shop and a bakery. Plus, they serve coffee right there – a cake from 1.5 to 3 euros.
Tip: Italians drink cappuccino only in the morning. After 12:00, it is customary to order espresso, lungo, and other types of coffee without milk.
Latte is Italian for milk. So when ordering coffee with milk, don’t forget to say Coffe Latte.
Lunches and snacks
Two-course set lunch plus a drink of your choice: a glass of wine. beer or a cup of coffee – from 20 €. Traditional Venetian bacaro eateries – here you can drink a glass of wine and have a snack with Venetian cicchetti sandwiches. Cicchetti is an analog of Spanish pinchos sandwiches with different fillings. They cost between 2 and 3 euros, depending on the neighborhood.
And pizzerias, with the possibility to take away pizza, will not leave you hungry. A small pizza to take away costs from 10 euros, a square or triangular piece – 3.5 euros. An average lunch or dinner in a Venetian restaurant starts at 80 euros for two.
Tip: The cost of drinks and coffee varies depending on where you drink them. The cheapest is at the bar (al banco). At a table in a cafe or on the terrace, the price includes service. The percentage for service and maintenance is coperto, which can cost 2-3 euros per person.
Bars and enoteca
Enoteca are small tasting bars where you can try several varieties of wine. (glass from 5 euros). When ordering wine in a restaurant, ask for vino della casa instead of bottled wine. Believe me, it will be delicious too, and the price will be much lower (from 5 euros for half a liter).
An aperitif is not just a stop for a glass of wine. If you order an aperitivo, you will be served a variety of snacks or even access to the buffet. Usually, the aperitif is announced on the stands in front of the cafe or you can check with the waiter. In Rome, Venice or Milan, you can find an aperitif + buffet for 10-12 euros.
Tip: Siesta is a tradition and an important moment that affects the work of cafes and restaurants. From 8:00 to 10:00 is breakfast time, then a break. From 12:30 to 14:00 – from 12:30 to 14:00 Lunch, then another break. From 18:30 or 19:00 to 22:00 dinner. Of course, in large cities, including Venice, there are establishments that are open from morning to in the evening and adapt to tourists. But most people stick to tradition siestas.
Entertainment and itineraries – what to do in Venice
Venice is compact and ideal for a romantic weekend. Three days will be enough time to immerse yourself in its atmosphere, visit all the important places and attractions, and have time to sail to the islands.
It is quite difficult to follow an absolutely clear route through Venice, along specific streets, and it is not necessary. Despite the fact that the streets are narrow and often confusing, it’s not difficult to walk around Venice, there are signs everywhere – the main thing is to be careful and mark the sights on the map.
The main ones are:
- St. Mark’s Square and Cathedral,
- Campanile (tower) in Piazza San Marco,
- The Doge’s Palace,
- Gallery of the Academy,
- Peggy Guggenheim Museum,
- Rialto Bridge.
Piazza San Marco
Any of the planned routes and the flow of people will lead you to the city’s most important square, San Marco, one way or another. Here you can take pictures with pigeons, drink a cup of expensive espresso in the oldest cafe Florian (6 euros).
There is a tower on the square – Campanile San Marco. For 10 euros, the elevator will take you to the observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the entire city, canals and rooftops of Venice.
Palazzo Dukale (ticket price is 31 euros) is located here on the square. The ticket includes visits to all museums located on Piazza San Marco, except for the secret rooms and prisons of the Palace – you need to pay the same amount – 20 euros.
Tip: the queues at the Doge’s Palace box office are huge – to avoid wasting time on them, you should buy a ticket online http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it.
Venezia Unica City pass
If you plan to visit a lot of museums, I recommend buying a Venezia Unica City pass to save money: Silver, Gold, Platinum. The Silver pass is valid for one day and includes a visit to the Doge’s Palace and 3 city museums in Piazza San Marco, plus 3 churches to choose from and the Querini Stampale Foundation.
The regular price is 36 Euros, the price for young people from 6 to 29 years old is 19 Euros.
The rest of the passes can be viewed and purchased at www.hellovenezia.com.
Basilicas and churches of Venice
In Venice, you can see as many churches as possible. It is unlikely that you will be able to do it all at once, but you should definitely see the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Frari Church. In the first church we see Tintoretto’s frescoes, and in the second church we see Titian‘sAssunta – The Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Water excursions by public transport
Organize your own tour of the Grand Canal – you don’t need to buy a ticket and listen to a guide. It is enough to take the vaporetto No. 1 at the Santa Lucia train station and ride along the circular route. During the walk, you can look at the ancient palazzos that go under the water at their bases, see seagulls and gondolas swaying on the waves, and breathe in the salty breeze.
It is better to set aside a full day to visit the islands of the Venetian Lagoon. To visit the islands of Murano and Burano, you don’t need to buy a guided tour – you can use a travel pass and travel around these islands on your own in 4-5 hours.
Murano Island
Murano is an island of glassblowers, and the famous Murano glass is made in glass factories on this island. You can simply stroll along the island’s canals, looking into the many shops with glass works of art and glass trinkets.
If you want, you can visit one of the glass workshops. Some factories give tours for free – the main thing is to get away from the pier and into the island.
To get to the island of Murano, you will need to use the vaporetto #4.1,3,13,12.
Burano Island
Burano Island is bright and unusual, with all the houses painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Burano’s brightly colored houses cheer you up even in bad weather. The island is famous for its lacemakers, who have been passing on the secrets of lacemaking from generation to generation since the 16th century. Numerous shops sell finished products.
On the island of Burano there is a sloping tower – the “sister” of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa . This is the 52-meter campaignilla of the San Martino church.
Vaporetto No. 12 runs to Burano, departing from the Fondamente Nuovo stop and passing through the island of Murano.
I recommend reading it: Bright Burano Island (many colorful photos)
Trocello, San Michele, Lido Islands
The island of Torcello is a Venetian cradle, where once there were 10 thousand people. residents. Now a few fishing families live here – the malaria epidemic has mowed down the island’s inhabitants. The oldest cathedral in Laguna, Santa Maria Assunta, is located here. Once upon a time, the people of Torcello brought the body of St. Mark to this land. On the square near the Torcello Museum, there is the so-called “Atilla’s throne” where you can sit for free and make a wish, which is said to come true.
You can get to the island by vaporetto #9, 12.
San Michele is a deposit island. It is still the burial place of revered Venetians and a popular tourist spot where many famous people are buried: Joseph Brodsky and Igor Stravinsky, Christian Doppler and Sergei Diaghilev. On San Michele, there is a vaporetto #4.1 from the Fondamente Nuovo stop. The cemetery is open from 7:30 to 18:00 from April to September. In other months, from 7:30 to 16:00. The visit is free of charge.
The island of Lido is for those who want to combine walks in Venice with a beach vacation. In September, the weather in Venice is wonderful – the beginning of the velvet season and the sea is still warm, and the beaches of Lido are covered with clean sand.
Lido wears vaporetto #1, 10, 2.1
Free attractions in Venice
- The Cathedral on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore: The Last Supper and the Gathering of the Manna from Heaven by Tintoretto are kept here. There is also an alternative observation deck. For 5 euros you can take an elevator to the cathedral bell tower, which offers views of San Marco and the Doge’s Palace. (One stop from San Marco at vaporetto #2)
- Entrance to the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute on the island of Giudecca is free. By the way, this is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Venice.
- Free observation deck on the roof of the Venezia terrazza T Fondaco shopping center. You need to book a visit in advance on the the website of the shopping center. You are allowed 15 minutes to visit, and the limit is no more than 40 people in the inspection room at a time.
- The openwork staircase in the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is an ideal place for photos and selfies. To get to it, you need to follow the yellow signs to Accademia from Campo San Bartolomeo Square at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. Walk until you reach the Campo Manin square, where a small panel, which is easy to miss, indicates the direction to the Ladder. (4299 Corte dei Risi, San Marco)
- Orsoni’s“Colored Library” – There is not a single book in this building hidden among the alleys of the Cannaregio neighborhood. It is an old and only workshop in Venice that still produces smalt, a special colored glass mosaic. The “color library” contains a collection of thousands of glass pieces of all shapes, colors and sizes. (1045 Corte dei Vedei, Cannaregio)
What is forbidden to do in Venice
Venice has a number of municipal laws and ordinances that are subject to severe fines for violation.
- You cannot use bicycles on the embankments – a fine of €100
- It is forbidden to feed pigeons – fine from 50 to 200 €
- A fine of €100 to €200 is imposed for garbage thrown past a trash can in a public place
- Swimming in canals will be fined €500
- Walking around Venice in a swimsuit or with a naked torso is prohibited – a fine of €200.
- You can’t eat outside the cafes in Piazza San Marco. As well as along the porticos and on the steps of the New Prosecutor’s Office, Ala Napoleonica, and the Sansovino Library. There is a €200 fine on the Piazzetta dei Leoncini, along the arcade of the Doge’s Palace, on the Piazzetta San Marco and on the pier.
- In Venice, you cannot sleep on benches in the park and spend the night in the open air – a fine of €50
- Toilets in Venice are expensive (from 1.5 euros), and you still need to find them. For this reason, many people defecate directly into the canals – the fine for this action is €400
I recommend reading it:
- Tropea – beach vacation in Calabria, Italy
- Rome in winter – what to see in three days
- Italy for the first time – answers to questions for those preparing to travel
- Budapest in winter – what to see in three days in the capital of Hungary
Useful links for travelers:
Car rental – cheap car rental options in Ukraine Rentalcars.com
Hotels – traditionally booked through Booking
Insurance can be purchased on the website Hotline.Finance . It contains all the offers of Ukrainian insurance companies.
