A Month In Venice

If you want to eat in Venice on a budget then you must be a bit creative. As I have stated many times in this blog Venice is an expensive place. Many Italians will scoff at your idea of trying to survive in that city on a small budget. They should know as they are the experts in their hometown. However it is possible to save at least some money when trying to see all that Venice has to offer.

Here are some few tips and tricks to save money while in Venice. First be sure to visit the various baccari that are all throughout the city. These are the wine bars that serve what would be approximate to Spanish Tapas. If you want to find a good wine bar I would ask a local that you trust. If you can tell ahead of time if the restaurant you want to go is a pizzeria, a trattoria or ristorante then this will surely save you some money. The least expensive of the three is the pizzeria and the most expensive is the ristorante while a trattoria fits somewhere in the middle of the three classifications. There is really no sure way to tell from the outside but it is a safe bet that if there is linens on the tables then that is most certainly a ristorante and if you are on a budget I would only go to those sparingly.

Fortunately I did find a few good recommendations of some more notable restaurants to eat in Venice that will not break your bank account or cause you to open a second mortgage.

The first restaurant that I would recommend would be Rosticceria Teatro Goldoni which is perhaps one of the best examples of classical Venetian fast food. It is a cafeteria style establishment that is well known for their fresh salads that seem to be the favorite to the American crowd.

Secondly I would visit Osteria a la Campana which is quite a find in Venice. The fine wood paneling of the place does not match the inexpensive yet high quality meals that are served here. There is no menu as the waiters come to your table and tell you what is available for the day. It is a real experience that a traveler should experience and hopefully the tourists will keep away from as that would surely wreck the place.

Lastly the final restaurant I would recommend Vini da Pinto which is best known for its fresh seafood. This place is just right off the fish market so it should be easy to spot but overlooked by many tourists. If you enjoy seafood at all I would definitely go here to experience what would be a real Venetian lunch with the locals.

There are a few more restaurant recommendations I could give but this should keep you busy on your stay in Venice. Not spending an enormous amount of money in Venice can be difficult but with the help of some locals you are sure to find the gems that this city has to offer.

In Venice eating out can be a bit expensive, just like everything else in that city. However there are some things you should know before you venture out. For instance a good rule of thumb on how to spot a tourist restaurant is by the prices of their wines. A local house wine will be relatively inexpensive which means no more than 7 Euros. If the restaurant lists wines in the 15 euro range and above then I would avoid this place at all costs. The best advice I can give is to find a trusted local and go to where he or she eats. Some good advice can be found online at International Living or other online travel forums.

Now in regards to the typical Italian meal it consists of many courses. The first course is the appetizer or antipasto this is then followed by a pasta dish or primo piatto believe it or not this is then followed by a second course or secondo piatto which consists of either fish or some meat and then if the customer is not completely overwhelmed there is a dish of vegetables or salad which is called a controno and who could forget dessert or dolce to end it all. How a typical Italian can eat this is a mystery to most Americans because in American the portions are much bigger and we do not spend as much time eating as most Europeans do. However I would like to point out that in Venice that the typical Venetian is not as obsessed with food as the other Italians are. In fact you will see many Venetians eating quick bites at small bars.

Tipping is another point of contention for many foreigners in Europe. In America it is customary to tip anywhere between 15-20 percent of the ticket while in Europe it is their custom to only tip a few Euros per person as there is an already included cover charge added to most bills. This cover charge usually consists of a 12% addition to the bill plus a charge for the bread and linens which should only be a few Euros added to the bill.

For vegetarians Europe is actually quite accommodating. I guess they do not have as much hang-ups with eating meat at each meal as some other countries do. However you may find that some Venetian restaurants do not offer anything for a vegetarian. This is when a solid understanding of some basic Italian dishes come in handy. Most places will be willing to serve some vegetarian pastas and it would behoove you to learn to name these dishes by heart as you may end up ordering something special for yourself if you can not find anything on the menu.

Hopefully in the future I will have a series on some of the better places to eat in Venice that are known for their quality and for their local flair as well. I know no one wants to be ripped off when on vacation and if I can prevent this I will.

The San Croce sesteri is perhaps one of the least known of the districts in Venice. However it should not be overlooked by an astute traveler to Venice. This is because in this district are many fine restaurants and shops that are not as frequented by tourists as in other districts. What does this mean to you? It means a more real Venice experience and a ultimately less expensive one as well. If you want to make each dollar  count then be sure to explore this neighborhood on your stay.

Since this is a district not frequented by many tourists you are probably thinking that there is not much to see here. Well that would be a false assumption as there are many places to see. The Ca Pesaro is off the Grand Canal and is home to the modern art museum. This is by far one of the most important art galleries in the whole of Italy and contains works from many countries and not just Italy. Secondly there is the Fondaco dei Turchi which has one of the most beautiful exteriors in the whole of Venice and was once a trading warehouse. At this moment the building is used to house the natural history museum of Venice.

This district is one of the best for nightlife in the city. If you are young and hip I am sure you will want to check out Baffo’s bar in Campo Sant Agostin. For pizza in the area I would check out Ae Oche as this place makes over 90 varieties of pizza that I am sure is bound to please at least someone in your group. For a more picturesque view while eating I would go down to Trattoria al Ponte which is very near to the bridge and has a few outdoor tables. Finally if you want a unique experience that you will not find anywhere else be sure to check out La Zucca which has a reputation for a innovative use of its vegetables.

It is hard to find a truly unique experience when visiting a tourist trap that is Venice Italy. However this neighborhood is sure to be a highlight to the savvy traveler and not the average tourist. I would however make sure that you are somewhat conversant in the Italian language as I am sure your experience will be enhanced.

Finding cheap accommodations in Venice Italy is not an easy task. Let’s face it the words budget and Venice Italy are not usually mixed in the same sentence together. It is certainly not what the town is best known for that is for sure.

However the following posts should help out the average reader in saving some money on their stay in Venice. It should certainly help out those students looking for budget accommodations as well.

Budget Hotels in Castello

Budget Hotels in San Croce

Budget Hotels in Cannaregio

Budget Hotels in San Marco

Budget Hotels in Dorsoduro

For those that want a longer stay be sure to visit my post on student apartments in Venice Italy. It is certainly worth a look in my opinion.

The San Marco neighborhood is the virtual heart of the city. Containing St. Mark’s square it contains some of the most visited destinations by tourists. This district or sesteri contains the Rialto Bridge which has many shops and expensive boutiques that not the average tourist can afford to shop. If you want a calmer part of this neighborhood then head towards the southern part of San Marco as that is visited by fewer tourists and is conveniently located near the Accademia bridge which leads to many other of Venice’s hot spots and must see destinations.

Below are five of the best budget hotels in San Marco although there may be many others if you are willing to look.

Al Gazzettino
San Marco 4971 - Calle de Mezo
A very small but cozy hotel that is run by a very friendly family. The décor is a mix of modern and antique with a not so surprising Italian flair.
Phone: +39 04 1528 6523
http://www.algazzettino.com/

Caneva
San Marco 5515 - Corte del Drio la Fava
A larger hotel with 23 rooms this is a must see! You see 17 rooms in this hotel face the canal and are available if you ask ahead of time. So how about that ? A budget hotel with canal views. Does it get any better then this?
Phone: +39 04 1522 8118
http://www.hotelcaneva.com

Hotel Riva
Ponte dell Angelo, 5310
On the corner of two canals this hotel is bound to suit anyone with a desire for a canal view room. Small but with air conditioning and quaint decorations this is a hotel that is ideal for those that want to explore the city and not watch television as there is none in any of the rooms.
Phone: +39 04 1522 7034
http://www.hotelriva.it/

Locanda Fiorita
San Marco 3457/A - Campiello Novo o dei Morti
This hotel is of course housed in a 15th century Palazzo. It is a charming hotel that is full of flowers during the height of tourist season hence the name.
Phone: +39 041 523 4754

Noemi
San Marco 909 - Calle dei Fabbri
An eclectic hotel by Venice standards you will find yourself surrounded with both Murano and Asian inspired decorations that surprisingly work together.
Phone: +39 041 523 8144