It’s one most expensive cities in Italy, but traveling to Venice doesn’t have to make a dent in your wallet. The biggest way to save money is NOT to book your accommodation within the island of Venice.
Mainland Venice is connected to Venice Island (where Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica, and all those famous tourist spots are) via quick train ride. The hotels in Venice Island are double the price of the ones in mainland Venice. Think about this: One night in a cheap, dingy apartment in Venice Island costs as much as a decent hotel in mainland Venice.
As a solo female backpacker budgeting for my 30-day Europe trip, of course I chose to stay in a hostel outside the island. After months of research and planning, I found the perfect one that did not disappoint—Anda Venice Hostel.
What I liked best:
1. Anda is a 3-minute walk from the Venezia Mestre railway station. I landed there coming from Florence via Italo Train. If you need to go to Marco Polo Airport, take the 20-minute bus ride from Venezia Mestre. I took the ATVO bus for €8.
2. It’s easy to get to Venice Island. Just take a 12-minute train ride from Venezia Mestre to Sta. Lucia Station for only €1 per ride. Tip: There are rides until midnight, but it’s best to get to the station at 11pm.
3. The area of Venezia Mestre is relatively safe, as there are always backpackers and travelers coming and going.
4. The bunk bed. I don’t always book hostels, but when I do, I look at the bunk bed first. If it’s the cheap, creaky type that looks like it came from a third-world orphanage, that’s an instant no. But if it’s a capsule type of bed with a well-thought-out design, then that’s a yes. Anda’s bunk beds have a clean, cozy design. The room is also spacious with a great view. You won’t feel cramped like a prisoner.
5. The bathrooms. There are two showers and one toilet in the 9-person female dormitory room I booked. They’re spacious and cleaned daily. I guess it also helped that most of my roomies were clean and considerate.
6. The amenities. Aside from standard freebies like WiFi, Anda has several other perks. The common areas felt like a wonderland! The travelers I met during my stay couldn’t agree more. I almost didn’t want to leave the hostel anymore. They have everything a backpacker needs to survive with good hygiene in check—a working laundry, restaurant, bar, patios, mesh hall, self-serve kitchen, and lots of vending machines that dispensed everything from the usual drinks to fresh sandwiches. There were daily parties and/or activities for the guests.
7. The front desk. The people working at the reception are often the first to get flak, especially from demanding guests that want to be treated like royalty. The young millennials running the front desk of Anda were considerate and accommodating, even with my early check-out and multiple queries. They handled irate customers (not me, haha!) well. Ciao if you’re reading this, guys!
8. The price. I booked through my favorite booking site, Agoda, because they always give me flash sales and loyalty discount deals. I got my bunk bed in a 9-bed female dormitory for… drum roll please… ₱1,260 (€21 or $24) a night. What a deal!
Have you booked hostels in Italy? What were the best ones for you?