A DIY Tour in Venice, Italy for Budget Travelers.

Venice is one of the most visited cities in Italy. To many, it is “The City of Romance”. Tourists flock to this place because of its famous canals, charming bridges, unique gondolas (water taxis), and of course, the old churches especially the Saint Mark’s Basilica. We toured Venice in just one day by foot. We opted not to ride a water taxi to explore every alley. (considering water taxi fare of €80 one way per head, might as well buy some souvenir items ). We took advantage of the free things to do in Venice.

April 1, 2018, Sunday, was our travel date. Our travel buddies were the Magnaye family. We paid € 50 for a roundtrip ticket for each pax from Trenitalia. The trip took us 2 hours. The transportation system in Italy is the best. The train has a WIFI on board, cleanest from all we have experienced, and most of all a very comfortable seat. Every train leaves and arrives at an exact time. We arrived at around 9AM, with a fine weather (AccuWeather forecast is 18°)

When we arrived, we were surprised by the great number of tourists from all over the world. Everyone wanted to have a picture at every corner. The sights in Venice are truly Instagrammable.

In Italy, coffee is a great part of their life so we dropped by at the coffee house for a sip as an energIzer to prepare ourselves for a long walk.

We walked at the well-known Rialto Bridge where travelers flocked to have a selfie or a groufie at this famous bridge.

We captured a stunning view at the Rialto Bridge. An amazingly beautiful panorama.

This is one of the most famous sights of Venice.

We were actually lost in the alleys of Venice because these narrow alleys are like a maze. We decided to follow the crowd thinking that they are also heading to Basilica di San Marco. True enough, we were going to the same place.

This street leads to Saint Mark’s Basilica. Along side are souvenir items stores. Prices here are a bit higher compared with the stores along the alleys.

We bought unique items here. A large number of customers are inside the store. This is the merchandise items store only not the restaurant.

We attended a mass at the Chiesa Santa Maria di Nazareth. Santa Maria di Nazareth is a Roman Carmelite Church in Venice. Inside was a black Virgin Mary.

At last, we reached the highlight of our tour. The famous Saint Mark’s Basilica. We waited for about 30 to 45 minutes in line to enter the church. Bags must be deposited at the Ateneo di San Basso because luggage and big sized bags are not allowed inside.

Inside the basilica is a wonderful feeling knowing that the church is one of the famous and beautiful Churches in the world.

This is the sight of Doge’s Palace at the St. Marks Square.

Doge’s Palace is a palace built in Venitia Gothic style and, one of the main landmark of the city of Venice – Wikipedia

San Marko Campanile or St. Mark’s bell tower.

We ended our Venitian tour with a grateful heart.

Our train going back to Milan.

Helpful tips for budget travelers

• Bring bottled water during your trip. Bottled water cost € 1 to € 3. (every where in Europe)
• Bring packed sandwiches or fruits. There are seats near St. James Church that you can relax after a long walk and eat.
• Explore every alley or allow yourself to be lost in the maze as it will add to your wonderful experience.
• Search Accuweather forecast before planning your trip. Bad weather can ruin your trip.

Thank you for reading!

God bless!

Aris & Sally