An obvious way to skip the crowds is to visit Venice during the winter when rain and fog deter most tourists.  If you can’t plan your trip during the off-season, try to visit during the week.

A third — and particularly helpful — tip for avoiding the crowds in Venice is to visit the main sights during the off-peak times. As a general rule, it’s best to visit attractions when they open in the morning, during the lunch hour or right before closing. Read on for more specific information.

More tips for Venice:
• 5 Best budget hotels in Venice
• 10 Things to do in Venice on the cheap
• 5 Cheap hotels in Venice with canal views

How to avoid crowds at Venice attractions

Here are some of the city’s top attractions, along with the best times to visit them:

Palazzo Ducale (Doges Palace) and the Bridge of Sighs

St. Mark’s Square
Open: 9 am – 7 pm (9 am – 6 pm from November – March)
website

The Palazzo Ducale was the center of power during the times of the Republic of Venice. Every room is full of amazing frescoes. After feasting your eyes on the beautiful paintings and architecture, consider checking out the Secret Itineraries Tour. The tour takes you through the palace’s dungeon and torture chamber, which is connected to the palace by the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs).

Best Times To Visit: Stop by the Palazzo when it opens at 9 am, between 12:30-1:30 pm (when tourist groups are having lunch) or about an hour before closing time.

Hotel Picks: Accommodations near Palazzo Ducale

Museo Correr (Archaeological Museum)

San Marco 52, 30124 Venice
Open: 10 am – 6 pm (10 am – 5 pm from November – March)
website

The Museo Correr is Venice’s civic museum. Here you’ll find exhibits that offer a fascinating insight into the art and history of the city.

Best Times To Visit: When the museum opens at 10 am, between 12:30 – 1:30 pm, and about an hour before closing time.

Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica)

St. Mark’s Square
Open: 9:30 am – 5:15 pm (2 pm – 5:15 pm on Sundays and holidays)

The Basilica di San Marco, perhaps the city’s most famous sight, is an amazing monument made unique by both its wealth of history and the magnificence of its façade and interior. The basilica is famous for housing St. Mark’s relics.

Best Times To Visit: Avoid Sunday mornings and holidays since the Basilica will be used for mass service. There is always a big queue at the entrance, no matter what time, but now you can book your ticket in advance to skip the line.

Hotel Picks: Browse accommodations near St. Mark’s

Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Tower)

St. Mark’s Square  (opposite the Basilica)
Open: 9:30 am – 9:15 pm (closed during inclement weather)
website

A visit to this amazing church tower affords a great bird’s eye view of Venice.

Best Times To Visit: Avoid lunchtime, and get there very early in the morning or just before closing time.

The Rialto Bridge in Venice. Photo: Photo: Ekaterina

Rialto Bridge and its markets

The Rialto Bridge is located in the oldest (and most central) quarter of Venice, and it has been a bustling hub for centuries. The area is always packed with tourists, be it summertime or wintertime.

Best Times to Visit: Go early in the morning before 9 am. Not only will you see the local fish and vegetable market, but you can also enjoy a relatively peaceful scene at the bridge. You should also visit late at night after 10 pm, as the majority of tourists will be heading to bed or eating dinner.

Hotel Picks: Accommodations near Rialto Bridge

Gallerie dell’ Accademia (Academy Galleries)

Vaporetto stop Accademia, just off the Accademia Bridge
Open: Monday, 8:15 am – 2 pm; Tuesday – Sunday: 8:15 am – 7:15 pm
website

The Gallerie dell’ Accademia boasts a rich collection of Venetian paintings from the Byzantine and Gothic periods as well as work from Renaissance artists such as Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Tiziano and Gianbattista Tiepolo.

Best Times To Visit: I do not want to repeat myself, but as before, be there early (before 9 am) or go an hour before closing times (although this will obviously give you less time in the museum). Groups usually go during the day.

Hotel Picks: Affordable accommodations near Academy Galleries

Bonus Tip: Book online, and explore other areas

My final tip on avoiding crowds is to book your tickets online. For the majority of museums in Venice, you can do this on www.veneziaunica.com. Also, explore other areas of the city, away from the main sites. By treading off the tourist past, you will see my Venice.

The post Venice: How to avoid the crowds at the city’s main attractions appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Hotels, restaurants and gondola rides can quickly and adversely affect your budget.

So we decided to list 10 favorite activities that Venice offers for under €15. Who says Venice has to be expensive?

Venice travel tips
• The Best cheap hotels in Venice: 7 picks from our guide
• Italy 10-Day Itinerary: Rome, Florence and Venice
• 5 Budget hotels with canal views

10 Cheap things to do in Venice

Let’s start with some activities for art lovers:

1. Visit the Gallerie Dell’Accademia

The Accademia is the world’s greatest museum for Venetian Renaissance art. It hosts an amazingly rich collection of Venetian paintings from the Byzantine and Gothic 14th century. Feast your eyes on works by Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, and Tiziano, not to mention Tiepolo and Canaletto, Guardi, Bellotto and Longhi.

Admission: €15; €2 for reduced admission or €10 for early morning arrivals before 9 am
Free entry: 1^st Sunday of the month (no online tickets) and for visitors under 18.
Hours: Mon 8:15 am – 2 pm, Tues to Sun 8:15 am – 7:15 pm (ticket office closes one hour earlier)
Entrance: Near the Vaporetto Stop: Accademia – Line 1 and 2

Website

2. Tour the Museo Arte Orientale Ca’ Pesaro

The Museo Arte Orientale Ca’ Pesaro offers one of the most important collections of Japanese art from the Edo period in Europe. The collection was acquired by Prince Henry II of Bourbon during his travels to Asia, between 1887 and 1889. You can admire more than 30,000 artifacts, like swords and daggers, Japanese armors and precious porcelains, with wide sections dedicated to Indonesian and Chinese art.

Admission: €14, reduced €11.50
Hours: Nov to March: Tues to Sun, 10 am – 5 pm, April to October: Tues to Sun, 10 am – 6 pm
Entrance: Near the Vaporetto Stop: San Stae, line 1

Website

Now for some religious activities:

Basilica San Marco is a must-see on a Venice vacation. Photo: Ivan

3. Visit the Basilica San Marco

Boasting an incredibly rich ensemble of domes, columns, statues and mosaic-covered interiors, the Basilica San Marco (“St. Mark’s Church”) is the true heart of Venice and the final resting place of Saint Mark. There are always long queues outside, but you can follow our guide on how to avoid crowds.

Admission: Church only €6, Church and St. Mark’s Museum €15, Church and Pala d’Oro €12, Church and Loggia Dei Cavalli €10, Bell Towers €12
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9:30 am – 5:15 pm; Sunday, 9:30 am – 5:15 for Museum and Loggia Dei Cavalli, 2 p.m. – 5:15 pm for the church
Entrance: Near the Vaporetto Stop San Zaccaria – Lines 2, 51 and 41

Website

4. Take a tour of the Jewish Museum and synagogues

This is the world’s first ghetto and it hasn’t changed since it was created back in the Middle Ages. The Jewish Museum of Venice was opened in 1953 and displays valuable artifacts, sacred furnishings and the nuptial contract of the Jewish community that for centuries has lived in this neighborhood. The tour also includes a visit to the five synagogues of the city, all founded during the 16th century.

Admission: €14, reduced €12, guided tours €15 or €2 in advance
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10 am – 5:30 pm; Friday, 9 am – 3 pm
Entrance: Near the Vaporetto stop Ponte delle Guglie, Line 41, 42, 51, 52 or S. Marcuola, Line 1 or 2

Website

5. Visit the Chiesa dei Frari

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice, a religious treasure situated in the middle of the Venice, makes up one of the largest groups of buildings in the city. The massive church, commonly called “Frari,” dominates the area of San Polo with its Gothic forms and creative use of bricks. Inside, gaze at amazing masterpieces by Titian, Donatello, and many more local artists.

Admission: €5, €2 reduced
Hours:  Monday to Friday 9 am – 7:30 pm; Saturday 9 am – 6 pm; Sunday 1 pm – 6 pm
Entrance: Near the Vaporetto stop San Toma, Line 1

Website

Take a vaporetto ride for a low-cost tour of the Venetian canals. Photo: Mark

How about some outdoor activities, with perfect spots for panoramic photos of Venice?

6. Take a ride to San Giorgio Island

This important Benedictine monastery was built on the small island of the same name by Andrea Palladio. It is designed around the church and two cloisters. Since 1951, it has been run by the Giorgio Cini Foundation. Take the short vaporetto ride to the island and enjoy the view.

Admission: Free for church, €6 for Bell Towers
Hours: April to October 9 am – 7 pm, November to March 8:30 am – 6 pm, Sundays closed for mass from 10:40 am – 12 pm
Getting there: Vaporetti Line 2, Isola di San Giorgio stop

Website

7. Walk the beaches of Lido

Take a boat out to the sandy beaches of Lido, where the city’s aristocrats used to stroll during the summer. If you head over during the Venice Film Festival, you might chance upon some movie stars. The beach is free and there are some very nice restaurants in the area.

Getting there: Lido Line 1, Lido stop

8. Park it

Immerse yourself in one of the few green spots in Venice: the Giardini, created by Napoleon (after knocking down many old churches and convents) when he conquered the city in 1807. The rubble was used to create a small hill, which now hosts the Padiglione della Biennale.

And last, but not least, two of my own favorites:

9. See how gondolas are built at Squero San Trovaso

This boatyard is located along the Rio San Trovaso and dates back to the 17th century. This squero (“boatyard”) is one of the few still operating in Venice and you can watch for free from the outside.

Also, note the unique boathouse, the building shaped like a mountain house. The reason for its sloping shape is twofold: Both the carpenters and the timber came from Cadore (a mountain area of the Dolomites); and secondly, the slope was useful in case of rain, and serves as storage for tools.

If you want to take a tour and see gondolas being built and repaired, you need a group of at least 25 people. The tour usually lasts 30 minutes. Email ahead to info@squerosantrovaso.com for more information.

Website

10. Take a Cheapo Vaporetto tour

Take Vaporetto Line 51, relax and take in the view of the lagoon. The vaporetto circles around the city and connects the Lido to Fondamenta Nove, on the northern lagoon side of Venice’s historic center. From there, it continues through the Cannaregio Canal to the train station and Piazzale Roma before heading up the Giudecca Canal with stops at San Zaccaria, Giardini, and S. Elena on its way back to the Lido. The tour only costs the price of a normal Vaporetto ticket (€9.50, valid for 75 minutes), and offers some of the most breathtaking views of the city!

Website

Your favorite cheap activities in Venice

Have anything to add to our list of great things to do in Venice on the cheap? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post 10 Things to do in Venice on the cheap appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

There are a few ways to skip the lines and minimize your admission fees. Here’s a quick overview:

Advance booking for the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia

For those who are only able to spend a few days (or less!) in Florence, you’ll certainly want to hit the city’s two most popular museums: the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David.

Lines at both museums are infamously long and unpredictable. However, you can save time by pre-booking your visits to both museums online through the Uffizi’s website. Booking ahead will cost an extra €4, but you’ll choose a time (offered in 15 minute intervals) and skip the line. (Tickets must be booked at least one day in advance.)

While this can save you a lot of time waiting in line, those extra €4 charges can add up (especially as the ticket prices tend to get inflated by additional “temporary exhibition” charges). Thus, you’ll have to decide if the extra price is worth it.

The Uffizi and Accademia are the only museums in Florence with horrible lines, so there’s no need to shell out the cash for reservations at any of the city’s other museums.

The new Florence museum card

Unfortunately, there are limited options for those wishing to visit many museums, or for those staying in town longer who’d like to visit the same museum multiple times (the several museums and gardens in the Palazzo Pitti, for example, could easily take a few days to visit).

The Florence tourism office has recently made a big fuss about the upcoming launch of the “Firenze Card”, its new 72-hour museum pass. It will grant access to 33 museums for €50, will let you skip the lines and will offer free public transport during its validity.

Note: The card was scheduled to launch on February 14, 2011, but has been delayed until some point in March. (Once launched, we’re hoping they will also launch the card’s Web site.)

I think the card will be a step in the right direction and could definitely save money during a whirlwind visit. However, I find the €50 price tag a bit steep. Add it up: A trip to both the Uffizi and the Accademia will run a little under €30 (including reservations). Throw in a trip to Palazzo Pitti (Boboli gardens included) for €11.50 (combined ticket, valid three days), and the card still hasn’t paid for itself. Notable, the card doesn’t cover any churches (which often charge entrance fees).

The only way to figure out if the card is worth it is to plan which museums you’ll be visiting and add it all up. Who knows–it could work out for you.

Amici degli Uffizi card

The real saving grace however is the Amici degli Uffizi card, a friend to students, residents and tourists alike. When you become a “friend” (amici) of the Uffizi museums for a year, you receive a flimsy little card that grants free access to almost all the museums in Florence (including the Uffizi, Accademia, Pitti and many more). And yes, it also grants you the coveted “skipping-the-line” privileges.

“Amici” membership costs €60 for adults, €40 for youth (under 26) and €100 for families. I’ve found the pass to be very affordable and a real saver of time, money and worries. It’s easy to use; you just show your card and an ID to enter the museums.  You can purchase membership online or in person at the office located within the Uffizi.

Is it worth it for your trip? That obviously depends upon your schedule and your cultural ambitions. Again, add it up. It could really pay off to become a “friend.”

Cheapest “Museum Visit”: Google Art Project

Finally, if you can’t afford the admission to the Uffizi’s or even the plane ticket to Italy, check out the Google Art Project which has a realistic (and crowd-free!) virtual tour of most rooms at the Uffizi.

The post Should you book Florence museum tickets in advance? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Enter the sleek new website of the “Polo Museale Fiorentino,” the city’s governing board for 20 museums, including the Uffizi, the Accademia, the Pitti Palace, the Museum of San Marco, and more. On the site, you can take virtual tours of each museum, read about upcoming exhibits, verify opening hours, and map out locations.

But our favorite feature: The site now offers online ticket booking for all museums, allowing users to bypass the long queue and restricted entrance schedule.

How it works

The process is simple: You choose the museum you wish to book, pick a date, and then select an available entrance time. (At the Uffizi, for example, you may choose entrances in 15-minute intervals.) Proceed to the checkout, pay with a credit card (a €3 processing fee is added), and a confirmation will be emailed to you. Take this email with you to the museum (arriving, of course, during the scheduled time slot) and hand it over at the “pre-booked tickets” counter to pick up your tickets.

Yes, the site adds a €3 booking fee. But we’ll happily fork that over in exchange for a speedy (and guaranteed!) welcome.

Other museum ticket booking websites are out there, and we’ve recommended them in the past, but they tack on far more than €3 to your ticket. One of the most popular sites adds €11.50 to each ticket! Save it for post-museum Chianti, folks!

The post Florence: Book museum tickets online, skip the line! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.