Venice: important tips for tourists

Is it realistic to save money in Venice? When is the best time to fly there? Where to live and how to travel? Answers to these and other questions - in our material.

When to go to Venice?

Venice has a high season and a very high season. The very high season starts in May and reaches its peak in August. Venice is especially crowded at Christmas and Easter.

Tourist collapse does not occur in November, January, March. Part of February is also relatively free. Why only part of it? Usually in February, the legendary Venetian Carnival rattles here. In 2020 it will be held from February 8 to 25. This time can hardly be called the most favorable for visiting Venice in financial terms. A room in even the most modest hotel will cost a lot of money. And in general, winter Venice is love. Quiet, cozy, beautiful.

From the second week of December the city begins to prepare for Christmas and New Year. On Campo San Polo the skating rink is poured, buildings on San Marco are decorated with garlands, atmospheric fairs open in the center, on Piazzetta Leoncini the Christmas tree is set up. Everything is wonderful, except for the bitter cold. In January, for example, the temperature stays between 0 and +5 and can drop below 7 at night. The numbers don't seem that scary. But because of the increased humidity 0 in Venice feels like our - 10. In general, you will not walk without a hat, but there will be no Chinese tourists with iPhones in your photos. Well, or there will be, but not so much. And also in January there are snowfalls here, an absolutely amazing sight.

Quite comfortable for walking around Venice is March. During the day the temperature stays around 12-14 degrees. In April it is also wonderful outside: 16-19 degrees.

In summer, from the point of view of weather, of course, it is comfortable, but because of the huge flow of visitors, the city still loses its charm. We would not advise you to choose the peak season for your first trip to Venice. Fall is much better. In September, the weather for getting to know Venice is favorable: 22-25 degrees Celsius, and the tourist frenzy gradually declines. In October there are even fewer tourists, and the temperature is still excellent for walking: 15-16 degrees in the daytime.

In the second half of November Venice is rainy, melancholic, lyrical. The period is perfect for re-reading Brodsky or even writing something of your own.

When does Venice flood?

Venice floods in the winter, spring and fall. The locals call this phenomenon aqua viola (high water). Piazza San Marco, the lowest point in the city, is usually the first to suffer. Imagine, in the morning you calmly walk around the square, in the evening it is already flooded with water up to your ankles, and in two or three hours everything is normal again. Most often Venice is flooded in November and December, so keep in mind. To aqua alta did not spoil your vacation, take rubber boots with you.

How much does it cost to fly to Venice?

A successful vacation in Venice begins with a favorable flight. If you buy tickets to Venice a few months in advance, you can get by on €104 for a round trip. This is the ideal price for this destination. Where can I find cheap airfare to Venice? In the magical section "Airfare discounts" on our website.

In high season, airfare is more expensive. Moreover, significantly. So, in June, a round-trip flight will cost from €180.

You can book a hotel in Veecia with a discount of up to -65% on our website.

How do I get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice?

Venice Marco Polo International Airport is located 8 kilometers from Venice, in the town of Tessera. One of the largest air hubs in Italy consists of just one terminal, which accepts both scheduled and charter flights.

From the airport Marco Polo to Venice can be reached in several ways: by bus, vaporetto, cab and water cab. The most expensive mode of transportation is water cab (€40 per person). The cheapest way to get there is by bus or Airbus.

Airbus. Airport - Roman Square

ATVO shuttles run from the airport to Venice every 20 minutes. They follow with stops and take about 20-25 minutes to get to the city (the final station of the route is Piazza Roma).

What you need to know:

• ATVO's airbus is blue in color.
• The first bus from the airport leaves at 5:20 am, the last one at 0:50 am.
• From Venice, the first bus to the airport leaves at 4:20 am, the last at 23:30.
• A one way ticket costs €8, round trip €15. If you are traveling as a company, there will be a discount. One ticket (if you buy from 2 to 9 at a time) will cost €7. If you take from 10 tickets, one ticket will cost €6.
• There is no extra charge for luggage.
• You can buy tickets at special ticket vending machines and at regular public transportation ticket offices.
• Be sure to compost your tickets at the yellow machines located next to the sales kiosks.

Bus №5. Airport - Roman Square

What you need to know:

• ACTV's bus number 5 is orange in color. It leaves from the airport to the city every 15 minutes and travels, like the airbus, 20-25 minutes.
• The first bus from the airport leaves at 04:08 and the last bus leaves at 01:10.
• From Venice, the first bus to the airport leaves at 04:35, the last one at 0:40.
• A one-way ticket costs €8 (valid for 75 minutes after composting). A round trip fare costs €15 (valid for 75 minutes both ways).
• There is a combined ticket: bus + vaporetto (water streetcar). It costs €14 one way and is valid for 90 minutes.

Where to stay in Venice?

Searching for hotels in Venice is a thankless task, because the city is absolutely touristy, and therefore the prices for a room for one night here are close to €170 (and we are talking about three-star hotels!). You will be surprised, but it is much cheaper to rent an apartment in Venice (from €65) or to stay in gesta houses or mini-hotels of Bed&Breakfast format (from €71).

If living conditions are not so important for you, you can also choose hostels. Especially since a private room with amenities in a Venice hostel can cost only €30-50 per night.

Venice: public transportation

Of course, the most famous and popular means of transportation in Venice are the gondolas. This island city is famous for its graceful boats and inviting gondoliers, but in truth, it's a tourist "lure". And spending €90 for a 40-minute ride isn't worth it. If you still can not leave Venice without taking a gondola ride, we advise you to gather a company, because other travelers from different countries, like you, want to swim on the gondola, but do not want to overpay for it. This way you can not only reduce the cost of the ride, but also get acquainted and share impressions with other travelers - often so you can learn a lot of interesting things.

A much more economical, convenient and no less popular form of transport in Venice is the vaporetto water tram, which will take you along the main routes. The cost of a single ticket is €7.5.

To save money, you can buy a travel pass or a combined ticket on the official website ACTV, which includes both transport and museum visits. There are plenty of options. For example, there are passes for:

• 1 day (24 hours) – €20.
• 2 days (48 hours) – €30.
• 3 days (72 hours) – €40.
• 7 days – €60.

The number of trips in Venice is unlimited. More information about the rates here.

If you are under 29, we recommend buying a Rolling Venice youth card (for three days it costs only €22) for an unlimited number of trips on public transport, and also gives good discounts in museums, theaters, shops, restaurants, etc.

Sights of Venice

Venice is one continuous open-air museum, and therefore impressions from simply contemplating the iconic sights are enough. Here you want to photograph every square meter, remember the textures and sounds. What to see in Venice, read here:

A lot has already been said about the sights of Venice, but many people will find it useful to know how to save a lot on tickets.

There are Tourist City Pass and Museum Pass tourist cards. The first one "opens the doors" to the Doge's Palace and 10 city museums, 16 churches and the Querini Stampaglia Foundation for only €39.90. The Museum Pass is a general admission ticket to all the city's museums for €24. Buying such cards in advance will save you not only money but also time - you won't have to queue for a single ticket.

We can also recommend free guided tours of Venice in English, conducted by local enthusiasts. They will tell you about the history of the city and the main attractions.

And a budget option is a two-hour walk around Venice, thanks to which you will see the real life of the locals, learn where the establishments for their own, and learn to navigate the streets. You'll take the unique image of the city with you.

If you get a little tired of the traditional Venice itineraries, we recommend going to Burano, a miniature colorful island that looks more like a fairy-tale setting. It takes about forty minutes to sail there, but it's much more impressive than the popular Murano, Lido and Torcello.

Where to eat cheaply in Venice?

Restaurants in Venice are quite expensive. Moreover, the high cost is often due to the successful location of the institution, not the excellent cuisine. In addition, not all tourists know about the system of hidden fees. It depends on where the table you eat at is located. For the fact that the table is in the fresh air and near the musicians, you will pay much more than if you were sitting near the bar in the most uncomfortable place. Also keep in mind that drink prices are often not listed, although in reality this expense item usually exceeds the rest.

But don't go hungry because of this - just go to the seemingly unassuming trattorias. Yes, the interior will be simpler, but the food and prices are much nicer.

If you want to eat quite economically, look in the nearest supermarket. As in all Italy, even small stores always sell fresh bread, cheese, vegetables and fruits at very reasonable prices. The products here are natural and very tasty.

Our main advice, perhaps, is that you should not stay in Venice for more than three days, so as not to dispel the magical flavor of the city. Therefore, either come here for a romantic weekend, or combine Venice sightseeing with visiting other cities - say, Milan or Rome.

You can combine air tickets Kyiv - Venice - Milan - Rome - Kyiv using TripMix service on our website.

Using our website, tripmydream, you can find airline tickets starting from 15 EUR. Look for the cheapest flights in the Flight Discounts section. To do this, select the departure point, and the service will find the most advantageous offers for you.

Venice: what tourists need to know?

Tourists who are planning a trip to Venice, must necessarily know some local prohibitions. So, in the city of canals you can not:

• Feed pigeons (fine from €50 to €200).
• Sit or lie down in St. Mark's Square, except in designated areas (fine €200). You may not eat outside restaurants in this square (€200 fine).
• Swimming in the canals (€500 fine).
• Riding bicycles, scooters and skateboards in the city center (€100 fine).