Venice on a Budget: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary

Venice might be the city of lovers, but that didn't stop me from visiting solo! Okay, let's just say I'm afraid it might disappear before I find a sweetheart to take along, but that’s a story for another time…

Guesthouses: A potentially smart move

I arrived at Marco Polo airport just after lunch. I chose the Alilaguna vaporetto to reach the city (27 euros round-trip if you book online, every penny counts in Venice!), which takes about an hour. Once I settled into my guesthouse, a room in an apartment owned by a local family, I took a few minutes to eat a sandwich by a canal while watching the gondolas go by.

Family-run guesthouses vary quite a bit; some are just as pricey as hotels. But if you look carefully and book in advance, you can still find some great deals in the center of Venice. Otherwise, you can always look for accommodation on the outer islands, like Murano, for example. Either way, as always, it’s best to compare before booking, using a site like the Kayak search engine, for instance.

Sandwich finished and energy restored, it was time to discover Casanova’s city.

Day 1: The must-sees of the city center

Naturally, I started my first day by heading toward Piazza San Marco, which was packed with crowds and pigeons. Despite the chaos, it’s truly beautiful to stand in the middle of the square with St. Mark's Basilica, its Campanile, and the Doge's Palace all around you. I avoided grabbing a coffee there so I wouldn't blow my weekend budget on a single cup, even though it was tempting with the little orchestras playing classical tunes for those brave enough to face the square's cover charge. We headed toward the Grand Canal to catch a glimpse of the San Giorgio Maggiore church on the other bank, and a few meters later, we reached the Bridge of Sighs. For many tourists, it’s the "bridge of lovers," even though it was actually death-row inmates who crossed it… Legend has it the footbridge gets its name from the sighs of prisoners catching one last look at the city before being sent to their windowless cells in the "piombi" prison.

I then wandered through the small streets, more or less at random, with the ultimate goal of reaching the Rialto Bridge, just to make sure I hit the most famous sights early on. You always get a little lost in Venice with its narrow alleys and dead ends, but that’s exactly how you make the best discoveries. I lingered a bit longer, wandering along the waterfront in the Dorsoduro district, before heading back to my room to rest for a bit. Tonight was opera night! Well, not a classic opera, those are often way too expensive, even if you’re sitting in the back of the house with a partial view! So, I opted for an alternative I found online: Musica a Palazzo. I got to see La Traviata, performed by three singers and a small orchestra of four musicians in a private palace with an intimate atmosphere (and for 70 euros, at that).

Day 2: A getaway to Burano

For my second day, I planned to visit the surrounding islands, so I invested in a 24-hour vaporetto pass (20 euros for an adult). I wanted to start with the Cimitero di San Michele, but it was already closed (watch out for public holidays; it closes at noon!). A shame, as I’d been told it’s a beautiful spot, even for a cemetery. So, I continued straight on to Murano. The island is pretty, but of course, it’s filled with souvenir shops packed with the glass objects that made the island world-famous. Whether you buy anything or not, it’s fun to look! If you’re lucky, you might even pass by while an artisan is working with blown glass. It’s impressive to watch. I didn't find anything exceptional to buy, though, so I continued my journey to the island of Burano.

This time, I was completely charmed, I think I was even in love! A small island where every house is painted in vibrant colors, with flowers everywhere, and my personal favorite: a big orange Persian cat who seemed to be the master of the village from his windowsill. After taking the time to stroll through the rainbow streets (and photographing practically every one of them), I headed back to Venice with the goal of reaching the island of San Giorgio Maggiore to climb to the top of the Campanile for a view of the surroundings… but due to poor time management, the church was going to close before I could get there. To make up for it, I settled for a great pasta dinner accompanied by a small carafe of red wine…

Day 3: Museums and final strolls

On the third day, I planned to make up for missing the cemetery, but the rain had other ideas. So, I started with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, hoping the sun would be waiting for me when I stepped out. While I’m not usually much of a museum person, I really enjoyed it (well, not everything, modern art is something else!!!), and the museum itself is charming with its terrace overlooking the Grand Canal and its little inner courtyard.

After lunch at a small Sicilian restaurant where I discovered the magic of cannoli (a dessert shaped like a tube of fried dough filled with ricotta and coated in powdered sugar, I prefer them to tiramisu by a long shot!), I went for a long, healthy walk along the waterfront to reach the park surrounding the Biennale di Venezia, then headed back up toward the Venetian Arsenal. After lingering in the city a little longer, doing some last-minute shopping, and eating one final pizza on a terrace, it was time to think about catching the vaporetto to the airport…

P.S.: No, I didn't go for a gondola ride. You can survive in Venice as a single person, but there's no need to push your luck! ;)