I’m here to encourage you not to skip this enchanting city, and to offer you five easy ways to save money in Venice as an incentive.

1. Book a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica in advance

After wandering aimlessly through the maze of Venice (which, incidentally, is totally free), the next thing on any must-do list should be St. Mark’s Basilica. This striking cathedral with its onion domes, brilliant golden mosaics, and undulating floor anchors its namesake piazza and, in some ways, the whole city. The basilica itself is free to enter, which makes it not only a general must-see but a delight for Cheapos.

During the high season, however, the basilica’s popularity is evident the second you walk into St. Mark’s Square – the lines can stretch nearly as far as the Grand Canal, especially once the cruise ships pull into port for the day. To avoid the long wait in line, you can certainly set your alarm and queue up early – but if you’d rather sleep in, you can book an entry to the basilica in advance online.

Now, the booking service charges €1, so you might be wondering why a free attraction is made cheaper by paying €1 for it – and that’s a fair question. What that €1 saves you is time, which is an incredibly precious commodity when you’re on vacation. If I can pay €1 to avoid waiting an hour in line, that gives me an extra hour to use elsewhere in Venice – and that’s a pretty big deal. If your time is worth less than €1/hour, then we need to talk.

(Note that the reservation service is only available April-October – the rest of the year, the lines aren’t usually long enough to justify booking ahead.)

2. Get a Venice Discount Card for transportation

Venice, like many popular tourist cities around the world, has a few discount cards available that offer cheaper or free entry to attractions. Those cards often feel like they’re not a deal because it’s a chunk of money up front, but in many cities they can save you a bundle. In Venice, it’s the transportation-only cards that are likely to be the best deal.

Because so many people only stay in the city for a couple of days and most don’t have many “sights” on their must-see list, it’s more likely that you’ll spend money on vaporetto tickets than you will on museum entry fees. Those vaporetto tickets are way more expensive than they should be, if you ask me – €6.50 for a ticket? That’s ridiculous, even if each ticket lasts an hour. Wander too long and you’re stuck buying another ticket.

Rather than forking over €6.50 per ticket, you can get a 12-hour transportation card for €16 or a 24-hour card for just €18. If you’ll be flying in or out of Venice, you can even get a card that includes a one-way transfer to/from the airport for an additional €3. These cards are good for the trips out to nearby Murano, Burano, and Torcello, too. You can browse these cards (the prices vary a bit by the season) and book directly from the Venice Connected site.

3. Grab a group for that gondola ride

Taking a gondola ride seems like the thing to do in Venice – the kind of thing that, if you skip it, makes you feel like you haven’t really been to the city. (I’m all for skipping it entirely, but I’m in the minority on that one.) If you’ve got your heart set on a gondola ride but don’t think you can afford it, I’ve got two options for you.

First, you can take a quick gondola ride across the Grand Canal for a whopping €1-2 by hopping in a traghetto. These are gondolas that ferry passengers back and forth across the canal at points where there’s no nearby footbridge, and Venetians ride them all the time. This is a short ride – in fact, they’re so short that the Venetians don’t even bother to sit down – so it’s not at all the romantic gondola ride you’re imagining, but it’s certainly cheapo and very local.

Second, you can go with a group. Gondola rides are priced by the ride itself, not by the number of passengers in the gondola, so if you’ve got a group who’s willing to split the cost then it’s immediately much more budget-friendly. You can ask at gondola stations about joining a group, or you can book a spot on a group ride ahead of time (the latter is more expensive at €40/person, but if you’re traveling solo it’s worth considering).

Remember also to be aware of the gondola rates before you go, too. The current gondola fares are €80 for a 40-minute ride before 7 pm., with each additional 20 minutes costing €40 – knowing the official rates will help you avoid gondoliers who are trying to gouge you.

4. Go church-hopping

St. Mark’s Basilica is gorgeous and rightfully the most famous church in Venice – but glance around the city skyline and you’ll see plenty of other towers with crosses on top. Some of those churches charge a small entry fee, but many are completely free to enter – and free is a very good price.

San Giorgio Maggiore is a Palladio-designed church on its own island off the Giudecca, which you can see from the square in front of the Doge’s Palace. The church dates from the mid-16th century and has two Tintoretto paintings. Santa Maria della Salute lies almost opposite the Doge’s Palace across the Grand Canal, an octagonal white church with a dominant dome. The Salute dates from the mid-17th century and houses works by both Titian and Tintoretto. San Zaccaria may not have as impressive a location, but the crypt here dates from the 9th century and is home to the graves of eight doges.

Each of these churches mentioned offers a combination of art and history, plus an excuse to step inside if the weather’s not great, and none of them will cost you a thing except a few minutes of your time.

5. Don’t sit down for a snack in St. Mark’s Square

Venice is notorious for its mediocre and overpriced food, and it’s a well-deserved reputation. You can find good food in Venice, but it’s often still on the expensive side. Nowhere is getting a bite to eat more unnecessarily costly, however, than in the bars around St. Mark’s Square.

I’m all for paying for ambiance in some places, and when the cafe bands are in “dueling” mode St. Mark’s Square is a feast for the ears as well as the eyes – but the prices on simple things like coffee or a hot chocolate, let alone a cocktail, are beyond outrageous. Rather than paying a premium for a seat at one of those costly cafes, wander into the square from a nearby gelateria and enjoy a leisurely stroll around the grand piazza. The only thing you’ll miss out on is a seat, but you’ll have enough money leftover for a second (and third) gelato – and that’s always a good thing.

Oh, and don’t try sitting down in the piazza anywhere but on an official seat, either, as that’s strictly forbidden. There are even “decorum police” who sometimes patrol the square and hand out fines. Yes, really.

About the author: Portland-based travel writer Jessica Spiegel is the resident Italophile at BootsnAll, the indie travel resource. Venice is one of her favorite places on earth, so don’t try to tell her it’s overrated. She also loves Naples and New Orleans, so clearly she’s got a thing for cities with PR issues. You’ll find her regularly on Twitter as @italylogue.

The post Venice: 5 simple ways to save in Venice appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Still, there are many things to do with children in Venice that will make their holiday one to remember. The following suggestions have been tried and tested with children of all ages and backgrounds: from tiny toddlers to bored teenagers, from wild primary school boys to young girls.

Vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal

As you arrive in Venice the first thing you should do is to take a vaporetto (water bus) ride on the Grand Canal. Get yourself and your child (children under one meter do not pay transport fees in the city) a daily pass. (A 12-hour pass costs €16 per person—it allows you unlimited rides within the allotted period.) For more information, visit ACTV, Venice’s transportation Web site.

The Palazzo Ducale

Take vaporetto line 1 and admire the beautiful palaces, gondolas, roaring boats and the innumerable seagulls and pigeons flying above you. I have not met a child who does not enjoy the ride.

To get the best views, sit outside either at the front or at the back of the vaporetto. The journey from Piazzale Roma to San Marco Square takes about one hour.

The Palazzo Ducale
San Marco 1, 30124 Venice
Tel.: +39 (0)4 12 71 59 11
Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. (April 1st to May 31st), 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (June 1st to October 31st), 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (November 1st to March 31st)
Getting there: With vaporetto, line 51 or 41 to San Zaccaria
Admission: €13 (adult), 7.50 (reduced)

Once you arrive in San Marco, visit the Palazzo Ducale (the Doge’s Palace). To avoid the crowds, go during lunchtime or toward the end of the afternoon.

For children, the main attractions are likely the weapon and armor collection and the dungeons. If you take part in the guided tour of the dungeons, you will be sure to have a very happy kid when you come out.

Gondola and traghetto rides

Another kid-pleaser is a nice gondola ride (if you do not mind the cost—a whopping €80 for a 30-minute ride). If you want a cheaper alternative, try hopping on a traghetto.

Inside the Museum of Natural History

Traghetti are big gondolas, also called barchette (small boats). You can use a traghetto to cross the Grand Canal at various points. A ride costs just €0.50 and the crossing lasts about 10 minutes. The catch is that passengers have to stand up during the journey, and this can be a bit tricky with the waves rolling around the boats. In any case, it’s definitely an exciting, if short, experience!

Natural History Museum
Fontego dei Turchi-Santa Croce, 1730
Tel.: +39 (0)4 12 75 02 06
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Wednesdays), 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays)
Getting there: With vaporetto, line 1 or 52 to Riva de Biasio
Admission: €4.50 (adults), €3 (reduced)

Children will also enjoy the Museo di Storia Naturale—the Natural History Museum. Just recently refurbished and reopened, the museum hosts a very interesting collection of fossils and finds from all over the world.

The most interesting (and scary) exhibition is the stuffed animal collection, which the museum has been displaying for over 100 years.

Don’t forget gelato!

No list of kid-friendly activities would be complete without mentioning gelato. For a nice break between traghetto rides and museum visits, seek out one of the gelaterias mentioned in this post.

The post Venice: 5 fun activities for kids in Venice appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Glass pass

A trip to Murano is easy, but here’s a quick primer: First, we recommend wandering the streets of Venice proper. Get lost (it’s easy to do!) and browse the windows of the trendy glass shops. Chances are you’ll fall in love with a delicate lamp, or maybe a colorful ashtray, or just a pretty set of wine glasses.

Then, instead of paying retail, hop on a vaporetto and head to Murano. Take in a free glass blowing demonstration. If you’re not visiting one of the bigger factories, there’s no need to make an appointment. Simply stop in and start watching. Most artisans will let you walk right into their warehouses while they’re working. If you’re really lucky, you’ll meet and talk to one of the traditionally trained glass blowers or artists.

Next, ask for a sample (this really only applies to those smaller shops, not factories). Sometimes, they’ll hand you a remnant of colored glass free of charge. Most often, you can buy their unique glass art at a discounted cost.

Or, if you’ve got €5.50 (€3 reduced) to spare, take a tour of the Museo Vetrario (The Glass House). For information including restoration projects and opening and closing times, go here (click on the subheads on the left).

Fun fact: The most well known glass blowers in town are Pauly & C (Compagnia Veneto). Visit their web site (in Italian only) for information about the artists that work there.

Mura-no-no

Ok, so it’s true that people in glass houses (or factories) shouldn’t throw stones. But, just a quick and diplomatic tourist trap note: We’ve heard tales that the Vecchia Murano Glass Factory can be pricey once you’re through the front door. As usual, we suggest sticking with the Ma and Pop glass shops and those single artisan stores.

For more on visiting Murano, go here.

The post Venice tip: Free glass blowing demonstrations on Murano appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For everyday exploring:

A 60-minute or 12-hour tour-

Water buses (vaporetti in Italian) are the cheapest and most traditional mode of transportation in Venice. Locals cruise to and from work and home using the vaporetti’s extensive reach. If you plan on covering a lot of ground and seeing many attractions in a short period of time, consider hopping on this boat. Tickets are relatively cheap. A 60-minute ticket, that allows you to travel on most lines, costs €6.50. A 12-hour card, with unlimited travel, is €14. Visit the ACTV’s web site (Venice’s transportation authority) for more info.

Three days on a discount-

The ACTV offers a number of discounts for carriers of the Venice Card. The ACTV’s Youth Card (for ages 14 to 29), costs €18 and is good for three days of unlimited vaporetti travel. Check out the Venice Card web site for more information.

A Venetian dream on a budget:

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: gondolas are as pricey as they are romantic. They’re not so much a means of transportation as an expensive, if lovely, tour of the city’s most charming views. Expect to pay upwards of €80 for a 45-minute ride.

So what’s a Cheapo to do? Step into one of the gondola ferries, or “traghetti,” as they are called in Venice, the bare-bones alternative to the lavish gondola ride. Thankfully, the experience is no less authentic; for a mere €.50, you’ll sail along with the locals in a thin, canoe-shaped boat. Look for the yellow “traghetto” signs that mark docking and sailing off points.

The post Venice tip: Cheapo cruises appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.