36 hours doesn’t sound like much, but in reality, you can fit a lot in! With my backpack packed and my flights booked, I ventured to one of the most famous cities in the world to see how much I could squeeze in.
Where I stayed
It can be difficult to find accommodation in Venice if you’re on a budget with most hostels being outside of the city meaning that transport costs rise as you travel in and out of it. There is, however, a hostel next to one of the main water bus stops that ticks all the right boxes. While it may not be the cheapest (€110 for two nights), Combo’s location makes up for the price.
In a converted monastery, Combo is an odd mix of hostel, university accommodation and a Venice resident hang-out meaning there is a variety of people you can potentially bump into. I had booked into a 12-bed dorm, expecting to find a room with 12 beds in it. Instead, I was directed to an apartment with a large communal kitchen, three bathrooms and six bedrooms, each with two beds, very similar to university halls.
The rooms were spacious, with lots of storage space meaning you don’t get under your roommate's feet. The only issue is the pillows or rather pillow. The single pillow was very thin and there were no spares in the rooms, however, folding it in half worked for me.
Where I went
St Mark’s Square
This is probably the most iconic location in Venice and is a good place to start your day - preferably before the cruise ship passengers disembark. In St Mark’s Square, you’ll find St Mark’s Basilica, St Mark’s Campanile, Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Aside from the Bridge of Sighs, all of these places are open to the public. While entrance to the Basilica is free, there are costs for the Campanile (bell tower) - €8 - and Doge’s Palace - €25 as part of the St Mark’s Square Museum pass - and often come with very long queues! For this reason, I opted to stay on the outside and take photos of the iconic buildings from there. Just around the corner from the Doge’s Palace is the Bridge of Sighs, the bridge prisoners would cross giving them their last view of Venice before being taken to their cells. It’s quite easy to walk past as you cross the canal so make sure you look!
Burano
Burano was my favourite place to visit while I was in Venice. The brightly coloured houses look like something out of a fairy tale, and as long as you’re happy to dodge those looking for the perfect Insta snap, it’s a lovely little wander. The island is filled with little souvenir shops, restaurants and I even saw dance lessons taking place outside the church! There’s also Burano’s Leaning Bell Tower, a 17th-century tower which, due to land subsidence, looks like it’s going to topple over any second.
The boat from F.te Nove took 45 minutes to travel across the lagoon and cost €7.50 each way.
Venice Arsenale
I can honestly say that before thoroughly studying a map of Venice, I had never heard of the Venice Arsenale. In the 12th Century, it was the centre of the naval industry but is now sadly obsolete. It now houses the Naval Museum filled with history about this great-looking structure.
Basilicas (many)
Venice is famous for the number of canals and bridges it has - maybe they should add churches to that list too! There are so many churches scattered through Venice, from the extremely ornate St Mark’s Basilica to the more demure Basilica Dei Frari, it would be difficult to list which ones I stumbled across. They all have a different charm and are useful to dip into when it's hot outside - just remember to have your shoulders and knees covered.
Palazzo Conarini del Bovolo
Tucked away down what appears to be a dead end is the Palazzo Conarini del Bovolo. An impressive arch-lined spiral staircase to an arcade, it has impressive views of the city. Unbelievably, while this looks like a modern addition to the city, it was built in the 15th Century! The staircase is open to the public and costs €7 to enter.
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest bridge and most famous to cross the Grand Canal and so is extremely busy. Most people stick to the edge of the bridge to get photos looking across the canal so the central steps lined with shops are generally fairly free-flowing. There are three other bridges which cross the Grand Canal but as the most central of these bridges, you are more than likely to cross the Rialto Bridge at some point!
How much I spent
Flights - £72
Accommodation - £97
Transport - £30
Spending money - £30
Total: £229
Prices correct as of September 2019
If you’re looking to take the stress out of organising your trip to Venice, TourRadar offers a variety of enchanting tours that can enhance your experience.
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