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Venice on less than £200
With economic woes seemingly all around us, a helpful series by Fred Mawer has started in Britain’s Daily Telegraph Saturday edition. In detail, he examines how to visit Europe’s most expensive cities – and spend less than £200, including travel.
In the first of the series, Fred Mawer visits Venice. He says: “This week, we head for Venice, a city that has become expert at fleecing unwary visitors. A room in a mediocre hotel can cost more than £150 a night; a disappointing meal in an average trattoria more than £35 a head; a single ride on a water bus £5.30; and use of a public lavatory 80p a time.”
But, he argues, it is possible to see Europe’s most beautiful city on a budget and have a great time. He suggests staying in a b & b; eating and drinking in locals’ haunts; investing in travel passes, and soaking up the art on show in churches rather than galleries. All these tips will save an enormous amount of money.
Travel was achieved with a an easyJet £49 return fare. Accommodation cost £73 at B&B S. Marco - this is per person based on two sharing for two nights’ b&b over a weekend in the cheapest room in late November.
Eating out was based on two dinners, one at Birraria La Corte, costing £12; the other at Osteria Al Ponte La Patatina costing £25 = total eating out £37
Total so far: £159
Fred Mawer includes many useful tips – he says: “Drinks taken standing at the counter in a bar or cafe usually cost half what they do served at a table. This is particularly worth remembering at the famous Caffe Florian on St Mark’s Square: a cup of its hot chocolate costs £7.30 at a table; perch on a stool at the bar and you’ll pay £3.65.”
He suggests sticking to pizzas and pasta. Restaurant main courses can cost £12-£16, even in modest trattorie. You can picnic for lunch. He suggests the benches on the Ponte Lungo section of the Zattere – and there’s a Billa supermarket near the Zattere’s western end.
He adds: “Many bacari - traditional Venetian bars - serve delicious tapas-style snacks called cicheti, such as mini open sandwiches of salt cod paste, meatballs, baby octopus, artichoke. They cost 80p to £1.50 each, and are displayed on the counter: point to what you fancy, and eat standing. Accompany cicheti with un ombra - a small glass of wine – which, if it’s a local plonk, will cost just one euro (80p).”
If the rest of the series is as useful and authoritative, Fred Mawer’s articles may be ideal credit crunch reading when planning a city break.
This article was written for TravelSavvy Europe by Bob Cartwright. If you come across any good European holiday deals we have missed, please get in contact.
