This is how much I spent in Venice

Venice, oh Venice… you’re such a dream. Until you look at the price tag, then you’re more of a nightmare. Funny enough I seem to have a love for expensive destinations, or so it seems. Not only did I move to London last year, I also continue to visit one expensive destination after the other. Unfortunately, Venice is no exception.

I always like the challenge of visiting an expensive destination in such a way that you get a luxurious experience for a smaller price. A little bit of flexibility, a little bit of playing with numbers… and before you know it you’ll be eating pizza along the canals of Venice while the sun is shining on your face. Priceless (but, ummm… don’t forget to pay). Here’s an overview of how much a weekend in Venice will cost you.

Transport

Ryanair flight Venice:  €102 (I flew from The Netherlands, but Venice is really cheap from the UK with EasyJet too!)

Parking: €42

Bus from Venice airport to the city: €36

People Mover: €6

Gondoletta pass for 2 days: €60

Accommodation

3 nights in a hotel: €280

Hotels

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For those on a budget, there is the Hotel Universo & Nord. The rooms are cute, comfortable and simple in design and are located in the city center.  

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If you want a bit more worth for your money, I recommend you to check out Venice Homes & Holidays. They offer apartments for a great price, spread throughout the beautiful city centre of Venice. The rooms are spacious, have a great view and include a dishwasher (for those who don’t like doing dishes). It is especially perfect for couples.

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When you want to go all out there is also Hotel Ai Reali – Small Luxury Hotels in the World. They provide the most luxurious and beautiful rooms, including big romantic beds, sofas and beautiful bathrooms. You will feel like a real King and Queen in an antique Venetian palace. You can’t get a more romantic getaway than this.

Food

Total of 3 days: €211,6

Entertainment

Nothing :) – Venice is great for just strolling around, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on experiences. If you’re looking for some great tips for Venice, I recommend reading Kirsten’s Dutch article.

Total: €737,60

Per person: €368,80

Yeah… we already knew beforehand this wasn’t going to be a cheap trip. We booked last minute, it’s an expensive city, and we’re two people who love delicious food… ;-) One of the things we easily could’ve saved money on was parking at the airport but although repeatedly asking the boyfriend to take care of it, he got it done the day before we left, and well… then you get private parking with caviar :-) (You can understand this was a delightful conversation that was not at all bitchy).

We probably could’ve saved some more money by booking our hotel more in advance too, although I think the price we paid for this location was fine. The hotel itself was creaky, but the view and the location made up for it. Our biggest expense after this was food… which isn’t surprising. We were eating out three times a day, a bit too many of which were pasta and pizza (and a glass of wine every now and then) :-). You can probably save up at least 50 euros, maybe even 100, if you decide to cook at your hostel/apartment a few times, book your parking spot on time, and stay at a cheaper hostel.

During a trip I always choose a main focus, and for Venice this was definitely food. It’s a city where you don’t have to do so much. Just strolling around and enjoying the view is enough, and most of all for free. So we decided to not save up on food. Although we thought it was going to be a busy city trip for my birthday, it became a 3-day mini holiday full of delicious food, sun and a beautiful city. Ever since I’ve been recommending Venice to everyone as a mini holiday destination. Emphasis on mini… because your wallet won’t survive a long stay! ;-)

More Italy inspiration? Read this post on amazing cities to visit in Italy!

If you have more time in northern Italy…

Try visiting nearby places and cities! You could easily spend as little as one or as many seven days in Lake Garda or Milan!

Did you think Venice was an expensive city?