Is Venice Expensive for Solo Travellers in the summer?

Is Venice Expensive for Solo Travellers in the summer? As someone who just spent the last 4-epic days at the end of summer, I can definitively say, Venice is expensive but it is still possible to travel to the city on a budget. Travel, is a luxury, let that sink in for a minute. With my recent solo trip coming to an end, I thought I share the breakdown of the true cost of solo travelling and answer the most asked question, is Venice expensive for a solo traveller, especially in the summer?

Everyone knows the floating city of northern Italy is one of the most expensive cities in the region. With over a million+ visitors flocking the city every single year, it’s no wonder the city is able to keep up with the demands and the prices are proof of it. After punching the numbers from this recent trip compared to the last, I can say it was a tad bit more expensive and I shall share the breakdown of everything from accommodation, foods, attractions and aperitivos.

So, is Venice Expensive for Solo Travellers in the summer?

Venice is the capital of the Veneto region and is thought to be a romantic city located in the Northmost region of Italy. It is easy to see the romantic side of Venice with breathtaking architecture, the grand canal and the gondola ride all ticking the romantic boxes. I am so glad I got another chance to explore one of my favourite Italian cities even with the costs associated with it, it is still worth it.

Depending on your financial situation and your priorities in life, you might be wondering just how worth it Venice really is, I mean, I spent just over £600 in 4-days and stayed at the heart of the city. But looking back at the memory and experiences I have had, I think it was definitely worth all the money spent. So, the question has been asked, is Venice expensive for solo travellers in the summer? You already know the answer but here is the breakdown.

Travelling from London

For a business class ticket to Venice with British Airways, I paid just under £300 for convenience and comfort. Other budget airlines like Ryanair (~£120) and Easyjet (£200) offer very competitive rates but flights are often from airports further from my home. The closest airport to me is Heathrow so it made sense I fly from there and the budget airlines prices during summer skyrocket like mad.

Parking for 4-days at Heathrow’s meet & greet service, I paid £69 which is an absolute steal in my opinion. Normally I pay around £120 for that many days using meet and greet but you can find cheaper parking outside the airport. If I had taken a bus from Oxford, I would have spent £23 return plus £12 train ticket plus £10 taxi from home.

On transport alone, I spent less than £400 and again I have different priorities to people, I save for travels, others save for food and some for other luxuries. I must also confess that the £300 on tickets came from my travel vouchers BA issued for my previously cancelled flights, so in terms of using saved money for flights, I didn’t even touch it.

Airport to Hotel Transportation

When I booked my hotel, the concierge offered to arrange transportation for me from the airport to the hotel for a mere £220 one way. I almost choked on my Swedish cola because that was almost the same price as my flight from London and equivalent to a two-night stay at their hotel.

As a solo traveller, I prefer a private taxi that I pre-book before my trips as normally they are cheaper. But there are times when public transport isn’t so bad even when you arrive at night and I opted for a shared water taxi which was 32 euros (~£29) one way.

Another option for those travelling on a budget is to take the bus from the Marco Polo International airport (8 euros one way) and takes you to the main station. If you are staying in the centre then you will also require a water boat taxi which costs about ~7 euros depending on the location of your hotel.

So, for a water boat from the airport to the hotel in San Marco, I spent £29 each way instead of £220 which the hotel quoted or £150 which booking.com quoted me. When booking accommodation in the centre of the city, make sure it’s not too far from the pier so you don’t have to drag your luggage too far.

The cost of Accommodation in Venice

With COVID still very much around, there is no way I would risk staying in a hostel – at least not a shared hostel, I would opt for a private room. When it comes to accommodation in general, I try and go as bougie as I can unless I want to meet new people then I give hostels a try. For this trip, I booked a 4* hotel in the heart of the city and it was in the perfect location, next to the famous basilica, the city’s most popular attraction.

For the 4* hotel (Hotel Concordia), I spent 378 euros (£336), this includes 10% tax and daily city tax of £4.01 per person. I will do a separate review on the hotel but it was bougie Venetian style, family-owned and would recommend it highly. If 4* hotels are not in the budget for you then I would recommend Generator Hostel or stay outside Venice where the prices are more budget-friendly though not always ideal.

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City Attractions for Solo Travellers

Venice is a city where you definitely have to see the popular sights but also find yourself enchanted by the hidden gems it has to offer. For tourists looking to enjoy a little bit of both, here is what I managed in 4-days.

• Gondola ride – 32 euros (£30), this was the price of a shared gondola, I found myself in a gondola with 1 couple, a family of 3 and then little old me. Because I was alone, I actually sat at the front and got the best views and pictures plus was socially distanced from all.
• Budget Highlight walking tour – 33 euros (£31), this was a 2-hour walking tour of both the famous sights and the city’s hidden gems. Highly recommend this tour as it truly teaches you the Venetian history whilst enjoying the attractions.
• Venetian Lagoon tour – £16, this was on a shared boat which was big and social distancing was possible, we visited the three islands; Murano, Burano and Torcello. Burano will always be my favourite but it was at Murano I spent 400 euros on decorative glass sculptures and glasses.
• Aimlessly wandering around the city on foot as Venice is a very walkable place but make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

I highly recommend doing these three as activities as I got to explore the city extensively whilst at the same time managed to relax and enjoy my trip. The cost of these actives came to ~£71 which isn’t too bad considering how expensive the city is from activities to the food.

Eating Solo in Venice

People often ask me how I find eating alone abroad as a solo traveller and honestly it doesn’t actually phase me. Eating for me is a social activity and most times I don’t actually need people eating with me but being in the same room as others eating is actually quite enjoyable. During this trip, I spent a couple nights and lunches eating out and a few others I tried street foods.

• Dinner for 1 – ~£30, this amounts to a pasta dish plus two glasses of Moscato.
• Lunch for 1 – ~£25, this amount to another pasta dish, a nice drink and dessert.
• Breakfast for 1 – £0, I always book hotels with breakfast included in the fee
• Street foods – between £6 and £12 depending on your preference.

Since I was in Venice for 4 days (technically 3 since I arrived late evening) and 3 nights, I decided to go out for dinner of the first night then the second night I bought an assortment of foods from the local shop and final night I ate street foods. For lunches on day 2 and 3 I ate out and on the final day I had a mid-day snack at the local cafe. I spent ~ £120 just on foods including ice creams and bottled water which I bought daily.

Even though my maths isn’t great the total I spent on everything excluding the 400 euros for shopping, I spent ~£650 which is definitely a lot for one person but Venice is expensive. With some research, you can definitely spend less than this especially if you forgo some luxuries but find good alternatives.

So, after reading this post plus your own research, I ask you this question, Is Venice Expensive for Solo Travellers in the summer?