Venice might not be a place that immediately springs to mind as a value destination but, if you fancy an affordable luxury break in the City of Bridges, then read on. We spoke to our friends at Cosmos Holidays and came up with a few ideas that will help you save money without compromising you stay.
Time your visit
Visit Venice in the Autumn or Winter and, not only will you avoid the crowds, but you’ll also enjoy lower prices. Just be careful to avoid the Carnevale festival which usually takes place in February and early March.
Get an ACTV card
Aside from walking everywhere, this is the most economical way of getting about Venice. With an ACTV card, you can hop on and off vaporettos (waterbuses) and explore the waterways at your leisure. If you use it a few times, it’ll soon pay for itself when compared with paying for multiple single journeys, and it’s hugely cheaper than the private water taxis.
Buy some pizza
There are a lot of overly-priced restaurants in Venice. For a change, why not buy a pizza and a bottle of wine, and eat and drink al fresco as you dangle your legs over the side of the Grand Canal at sunset? Try it… no expensive restaurant will come close to the experience!
Visit free attractions
There is so much to see and do Venice, and a lot of it can be done for free or at minimal cost: Saint Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market, and Basilica Santa Maria della Salute to name just a few.
Go for a drink
We’ve already mentioned how dining out in Venice can be expensive and it would stand to reason that the same might be true of drinking. Perhaps surprisingly, this is much more affordable, and goes some way to explaining why you can find the locals drinking at all times of the day!
