Venice on the cheap
 

Hey Fodors,

Does anyone have any money saving tips for living in Venice for 1 - 2 weeks? Mum and I are doing a home exchange trip to Europe from NZ so have our accom sorted (Cannaregio, near Rialto Bridge) but still trying to keep to a budget. Everyone keeps telling me that Venice is ridiculously expensive and that we will want to leave after 3 days but I am keen to stay longer.

Does anyone have cheap restaurants that they can recommend? We will have a kitchen so would it be better to do a big shop once a week from the mainland for food? Are there good fresh markets that we can visit? Don't mind too much about spending money to see museums etc, mainly just trying to keep the cost of living down

Any tips would be appreciated, thanks

G

Most of Venice away from St Marks is cheap.

I never pay more than 1 euro for an espresso.

georgina-allen923:

For cost-cutting tips, you might want to invest in Rick Steves's latest guide to Venice. Maybe his 2014 version is out by now. Go to a bookstore and leaf through his book and see if what he says make sense to you.

Ole Rick gets a lot of flak on this Forum for his homespun advice and folksy persona, but he might be able to give you some valuable help on keeping your trip within budget.

Ask your home exchange person to email or leave you a list of tips on where they shop, eat out, who to call for problems with the property, emergencies, etc. You, in turn, should do the same.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

Peter stays in Venice for a month or more at a time in apartments and has posted several trip reports that you might enjoy and find useful. Open the link and then click on his name to see his trip reports.

Cathinjoetown gives good advice too.

@Cathinjoetown - Thanks for the tip, we have a list sorted for our exchange partner but hadn't thought to add where we shop and eat out, only the more practical things and touristy things.

@ Cathies - Thanks for the link!

Being in an apartment will really help! Buying food in the grocery stores in Venice is a little more than on the mainland but I wouldn't make a special trip to the mainland to buy groceries. Just buy carefully. In Cannaregio there is the big Billa supermarket and also the Coop supermarket. If you like to drink wine, go to one of the vino sfuso shops and buy local wine in plastic liter bottles - its super inexpensive that way. If you tell me your street I can tell you where you can find one close to you.

If there are any particular spices you like to cook with, bring them so you won't have to buy them in Venice.

The fish and vegetable market on the other side of the Grand Canal is great - seafood can get a little pricey (obviously) so just be careful. They have good butchers over there too.

Casa Mia is a good inexpensive place with pizza and pasta - its in Cannaregio on Calle Oca. Lots of local families eat there.

Apts in Venice are not set up for big shopping once a week - locals shop daily for fresh items - and often have tiny fridges. there are many local markets - why haul food on the train from the mainland?

Also, there are many (comparativly) inexpensive local places to eat. Agree to ask your landlords to give you recos - no need to spend 100 euros for dinner.

This article might be interesting for you:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...io?INTCMP=SRCH

Everyone says that Venice is expensive – and accommodation certainly is – but a two week stay does not have to cost a fortune.
Buy a seven day pass for the vaporettos – it pays for itself very quickly.

A coffee and croissant will cost you about 2.50 euro is you have it standing at the bar. It costs more – about double – if you have it at a table. One euro is about 1.60 NZ dollars.
Fresh food prices were about the same as in Australia, maybe 10% more. Booze is cheap, red meat costs more than in Aus. As NYTraveller says, the fridge in the apartment is possibly small Venetians don’t do a weekly shop, if for no other reason than hauling a week’s worth of stuff home is not possible. Shopping is fun.
There is great fish at the Rialto market, a huge variety, and not all that costly. No fish on Mondays at the market.
Bars sell small snacks, chicetti, about one euro a piece, and the article above comments on that. A glass of wine will cost you about 2 or 3 euro, a spritz typically 2.50.

It’s hard to predict what people will spend, but I’d guess that if you allowed about 80 euro a day, it would be close to the mark.

Some blah blah about Venice:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...over-again.cfm

What a fabulous place for a home exchange!
Frommers put out a book called 'Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Venice. I haven't managed to track down a copy yet, but maybe your local library has one. Di

I think you will love that area of Cannaregio! Once you get just a little off the canal, I think it had a nice neighborhood feel. Plus, you will find a little vegetable market on a corner, so you won't even need to go over to the big market across the canal if you're not up for it on any particular day.

Fortunately the number one greatest activity in Venice is absolutely free - provided you already have a good pair of walking shoes!

Thanks for all the great advice! Definitely makes sense to shop daily instead of lugging food through Venice.

Peter, loved your writing. Will have to read it all again a bit closer to when we leave

Many people live in Venice who don't have tons of money for meals.

Plan to cook meals, picnic. Ask people who don't make a lot of money where they eat.

<i><font color=#555555>"Ask people who don't make a lot of money where they eat."</font></i>

LOL b(

These were in Saturday's Guardian and include some places new to me. You really do not have to spend a lot to have a wonderful time in Venice once your accommodation is organised.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...-drink-cheaply

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...orgio-maggiore