The Perfect 3 Days in Venice Itinerary: What to Do/See on a Budget
Venice, or “Venezia,” as it’s known locally, is one of those places you have to see to believe—an absolute must-add to your Italy itinerary.
Its dreamy canals connected by over 200 bridges, rich history, and stunning architecture are what make it a travel dream—to be honest, I couldn’t stop taking photos.
It’s no secret that Venice attracts many international travellers. But let’s be real: It is an expensive city, especially for first-time visitors on a tight budget.
Don’t worry, though! You can still have 3 amazing days in Venice without spending a lot of money.
The Perfect 3 Days in Venice Itinerary
Venice is small and can be explored in one day. However, I believe that 2 or 3 days in Venice are enough to fully appreciate the city and its surrounding islands.
I’ve put this 3-day Venice itinerary so that you can experience the best of Italy’s most popular city on a budget.
Spoiler alert: you’ll have just as much fun, if not more, exploring the city’s culture and soaking up its beauty on a budget-friendly itinerary.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
VENICE ESSENTIALS: Know before you go
Check if you must pay the Venice Access Fee for day trips starting in spring 2024. Details are on this official page.
TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING VENICE
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld (budget-friendly stays)
Getting there: Flight (Skyscanner), Train (Omio), Bus (Flixbus)
Activities: Get Your Guide / Viator
For food: Find Venice restaurants on TripAdvisor. Filter by restaurant type, price, neighbourhood, dietary restrictions,traveler rating, good for, and dishes etc to find the right restaurant for your budget.
Guidebook: Lonely Planet Venice
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Related Read: How to Visit the Seychelles on a Budget (Guide + Tips)
Is 3 days too long for Venice?
Three days in Venice is enough to truly enjoy it on your first visit. As said above, the city is small, and most of its highlights can be explored in a day with careful planning.
Nevertheless, the number of Instagram-worthy spots you tick off shouldn’t be used to judge the beauty of Venice.
Venice’s rich history, unique layout, and magnificent canalside architecture make it worth seeing. You will need more than one day to fully enjoy Venice.
Within two days, you can explore its highlights and take a boat tour of the islands of Murano and Burano. On a third day, you can take a gondola ride, and there are a few cheap options to choose from.
Here’s how to spend three days in Venice on a budget.
How to Get to Venice?
Getting to Venice by Air
Venice has two airports (Marco Polo and Treviso airports.) Both have regular bus routes that can take you to Venice.
For instance, we flew into Marco Polo Airport from Paris at night. The airport is the main international hub and is located closer to Venice.
Local and low-cost airlines mostly use Treviso, which is close to the city of Treviso.
Getting to Venice by Bus or Vaporetto (water taxi)
The cheapest way to travel by bus in Europe is with Flixbus. Bus tickets from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) to Venice city centre or Mestre vary by time, demand, and provider.
For a one-way ticket on ACTV, ATVO, or TREVISO BUS, you can expect to pay between €8 and €12. These buses run often. Check updated bus service fares between Venice Marco Polo Airport here.
Tip: If you’re travelling on a tight budget, I wouldn’t suggest taking a Vaporetto (water taxi), even though they can be a quick and practical option to get to Venice. Prices vary depending on the service and whether it is shared or private.
Getting to Venice by Train or Car
Venice is easy to get to by train if you are already in Italy or Europe.
The trains arrive at Venezia Mestre Railway Station. An important travel hub that links Venice to other parts of Italy and Europe.
It’s on the mainland, and it’s a major hub for trains going to Venice’s city centre (Santa Lucia station), and this is where you get off if you got an accommodation in Mestre.
You can book trains to and from Venice with Omio or Trainline.
By Car: Unfortunately, cars are not allowed on the island of Venice. In the event that you are embarking on an Italian or European road trip and wish to visit Venice, you must find an alternative route. Personally, I don’t think it’s possible. However, once you get closer to Venice, you will need to find a parking spot. In mainland Mestre, perhaps.
Where to Stay in Venice on a Budget?
Let’s be honest: places to stay on Venice Island aren’t exactly “budget-friendly.”
If you’re trying to figure out where to stay in Venice, you might want to look at Mestre, where prices are usually lower.
If you stay near the train station, Mestre is a great choice.
We stayed at a wonderful AirBnB studio called Ca’ del Genovese in Mestre, near the train station and with a bus stop outside and frequent direct bus services to Venice.
It will take you less than 15 minutes to get to the centre of Venice from here.
Check out Hostelworld to see all of the cheap hostels in Venice if you want to plan a cheap trip there.
When to spend 3 days in Venice
Generally, the best times to visit Venice are spring and autumn. The weather is nice for sightseeing, and the crowds are lower than in summer.
Venice, like most Southern European cities, is busier in good weather, especially during summer holidays and seasonal celebrations like Carnival in February.
When planning your trip, try to avoid spending the weekend in Venice since midweek is usually quieter and offers better deals on travel overall.
Budget Dining in Venice
The majority of restaurants in Venice are pricey, just like most places to stay and some activities. When looking for places to eat in Venice, especially if you’re on a tight budget, think about going to restaurants that aren’t so “Instagram-worthy.” In any case, Venice has a lot of cheap or low-cost places to eat. These are several restaurants that I would suggest from our trip.
- Al Grill Steakhouse: On our first night in Venice, we found this while wandering. A steakhouse serving high-quality steaks at affordable prices.
- Ristorante Marco Polo: Authentic Italian seafood pasta restaurant. Also affordable, and no reservations are required. This is where we ate on our second day in Venice.
- Pizzeria & Restaurant Ae Oche (Mestre): A local pizza spot that offers delicious pizzas at affordable costs. It was a 5-minute walk from our Mestre AirBnB.
Check out more restaurants here!
What kind of Venice itinerary is this?
This 3-day Venice budget itinerary is for first-timers. We will explore the main highlights as well as history and culture.
We went during carnival season, so the itinerary is pretty full, but not too much.
I usually don’t like running through trips; I’ve done it before and didn’t enjoy a place as much as I should have.
I now create itineraries that strike a mix between seeing the must-sees and taking some time to just leisurely wander around.
Brief 3-day Venice itinerary:
- Day 1: Explore Venice’s Highlights
- Day 2: Discover Venice’s Islands on a Budget
- Day 3: Art, Culture, and Hidden Gems
Now let us begin exploring Venice on a budget…
Day 1: Explore Venice’s Highlights (And Yes, You Can Do It Cheap!)
Start your day early to get the most out of your time in the busy centre of Venice.
If, like me, you’re content to make your own coffee and have a quick breakfast snack at your accommodation before venturing out to explore (assuming, of course, that you’re staying somewhere with self-catering amenities).
Otherwise, you grab a coffee and pastry at a local cafe (far cheaper than eating at Piazza San Marco) and prepare for a full day of exploring!
Morning: Piazza San Marco & St. Mark’s Basilica
Visiting St. Mark’s Basilica is a must, especially if you enjoy religious architecture.
There is no charge to enter this famous church, but there is a small fee to see the museum on the second floor.
As a result of going during “Carnival Season,” huge crowds keep us from going inside.
Pro Tip: Avoid huge queues by pre-booking online. The square is beautiful, but sitting at one of the bars can get pricey, so take pictures and walk around like we did.
Doge’s Palace & Bridge of Sighs
The Doge’s Palace is only a short walk from the basilica. If you like history, you should go see it. We did not visit for the same reason as mentioned above. But the best part is walking across the Bridge of Sighs, which is where prisoners saw Venice for the last time before being taken to jail.
Afternoon: Rialto Bridge and Launch at the Market
Take a break from sightseeing and continue your day with a stroll across the iconic Rialto Bridge. The views? Unbeatable.
Just beyond is the Rialto Market, where you can snack on fresh food or buy food from the stands. This is a great place for travellers on a budget.
Evening: Get Lost in Venice’s Backstreets
We enjoyed strolling through Venice’s charming bridges and hidden passageways. No map is needed—just get lost and explore. You’ll get a more authentic city experience for free!
Tip: In Venice, you can walk over several bridges, get lost, and end up back where you started. Embrace such mishaps; they are all part of the adventure—just make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes.
Day 2: Discover Venice’s Islands on a Budget
On day two, go island-hopping! Even though Venice has some pricy activities, there are also plenty of cheap activities that are worth the penny. The Murano and Burano tour is a budget-friendly way to see Venice’s famous glass-blowing and the colourful houses of Burano.
Morning: Murano—Glass Blowing and Craft Shops
Take a cheap vaporetto (Venice water bus) to get to Murano, or go on a Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour with Glassblowing. It is famous for its glass-blowing traditions. After seeing a free demonstration of the workshop, you can look around the shops for cheap souvenirs.
Personal Tip: During a Murano and Burano Panoramic Boat Tour with a Glassblowing trip. Upon arrival in the morning, we eagerly awaited the Murano Glass Factory’s glassblowing demonstration and exhibition. Just imagine this: you are seated in front of a furnace (At a distance of course), as artist glassblower use rods to transform molten glass into breathtaking pieces. It’s truly amazing!
They use some kind of hand-held rods to shape and blow the molten glass into complex shapes. The seating area is at a distance from a transparent glass wall, letting guests watch the skilled artist at work.
You’ll have a short time to look around the island after the beautiful show before getting on Burano and going back to Venice. As we wandered Murano’s peaceful streets.
Postponing to explore near the Murano Glass Factory, where our boat adventure began. Soon we end up on the streets behind the Glass Factory, urgently searching for the “Vaporetto stop” or “Waterbus stop.” There weren’t any signs, so as you can expect, the boat left us on Murano.
Confused and in despair, we wander the Vaporetto stops. From here, you can take another Hop-On Hop-Off boat that goes between the islands in the Venice lagoon. This one goes between the islands of Murano Glass, Torcello, and Burano, which have colourful houses and is famous for making lace. We finally found a way to get on the free boat going to Burano and caught up with our original tour. We learnt our lesson.
**Pro Tip: To avoid missing your boat tour or getting left behind like us, make sure you remember where to meet for your tour and get there on time. Most of the time, trips to Murano and Burano start at the Fondamenta di San Zaccaria, which is in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square on the Riva degli Schiavoni.
Afternoon: Burano—The Island with Colourful Houses
If you are on a boat tour, this is the next stop after Murano Glass Factory Island. If not, take a quick vaporetto ride to Burano, which is known for its colourful houses and history of making lace. It’s a great place to take beautiful pictures (Instagram, anyone?).
So, check out the local shops. Walk through the streets and enjoy the island vibe for a few hours. After the Murano Island experience, we were a little hesitant to fully get lost here.
Budget Tip: Instead of eating at tourist restaurants on the islands, bring a sandwich or grab something cheap from a cafe on your way there. Food costs more here.
Evening: Dinner on a Budget
Finish your day in Venice with a pizza or pasta at a local trattoria (a tiny Italian restaurant).
There are many around Venice, and the food is just as good, if not better.
Also, look for places that have a “menu turistico” (tourist menu) with cheap food. Most of the restaurants in Venice are quite pricey, which isn’t great for us travellers on a budget.
Day 3: Art, Culture, and Hidden Gems
On your last day in Venice, explore its art, culture, and hidden gems.
Morning: Cannaregio District
It will be nice to start your last day in Venice with some peace and quiet after a day of island hopping.
Explore Cannaregio, one of Venice’s more quiet areas, where you’ll find some of the best budget-friendly eateries and hidden gems.
You can enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the Jewish ghetto without the crowds of tourists. Perfect for travellers into ‘off-beaten-path‘ or ‘hidden gems‘.
Afternoon: Libreria Acqua Alta (Hidden Gem)
As you walk through the Jewish Ghetto, take some time to check out hidden places like Libreia Acqua Alta. Well, this particular one is not so hidden any more thanks to Instagram.
In this cute and unique bookshop, books are stacked in bathtubs and gondolas to keep them from sinking.
I agree with many who say Libreria Acqua Alta is a tourist trap and not worth visiting if you just have one day in Venice.
You may have to wait in a queue for a while to get into a small, crowded, but very beautiful library. The huge crowds and having to rush through were a letdown for me.
If you DO decide to go, here are some tips:
- Entrance is free, which is great for budget travellers.
- It’s open every day from 9 AM to 7:15 PM and there is no reservation required. See FAQs when visiting the Libreria Acqua Alta.
- Visit Libreria Acqua Alta in the early morning (when it opens preferably) to avoid crowds and enjoy the unique book corridors. The back courtyard has a full-sized book gondola, perfect for that famous ‘ Venice Library Instagram’ photo.
Evening: Wrap Up with a Sunset Gondola Ride on a Budget
A trip to Venice isn’t complete without a gondola ride. As one of Venice’s most popular and traditional activities, gondola rides make sense. But let’s be honest: gondola rides can be expensive—prices can go over €90!
But here’s a trick: You can share a gondola ride and split the cost with other people, or you can take a traghetto (a gondola boat) across the Grand Canal for only a few euros. Compare prices with Get Your Guide or Viator to get better deals.
Tip: Know Before You take a Gondola Ride
- Know what to expect: Gondolas are mostly used for fun, sightseeing, romantic nights, or to experience Venice in a way that people have done for hundreds of years.
- Don’t take the first Gondola you see: Even though all gondolas appear and cost the same, your journey depends on where you start. For the ideal Venice gondola ride, take a route that includes smaller canals and part of the big canal southwest of Rialto Bridge.
- Bring cash & Don’t Negotiate: Unless you pre-book, gondola tours are cash-only. So carry enough cash. Use the Get Your Guide App to reserve yours. Helpful tip: Bring cash with you before you go to Venice, because some ATMs will charge you £4 to use them.
- Sharing a Gondola Saves Money: Shared gondola rides are an option if you travel solo or with two people and find the price too high. Ideally, you should find 2-4 other people to ride with. Unless you want a romantic ride, you can sure go for it; it depends on your budget.
Final Thought on The Perfect 3-Day Venice Itinerary: What to Do/See on a Budget
Although Venice may look like an expensive place to visit, you can still enjoy its beauty on a budget. You’ll get the most out of your trip without breaking the bank if you stick to affordable food options, attempt to stay on the mainland like the Mestre, and book reasonable tours.
If you’re planning a visit to Italy or simply want more tips for budget travel, make sure to subscribe for more travel tips and itineraries!
Happy travels!
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