Travel

Venice: Dream Destination for Students?

Venice may not immediately spring to mind as the up-and-coming student holiday destination of Europe, primarily given its reputation as the ‘City of Love’ making it the number one choice for couples seeking a romantic getaway, but this may be set to change. I’ve been living in Venice on an Erasmus exchange for the last ten months, so I consider myself an expert when it comes to viewing the city through student lenses. I’ve come to the somewhat surprising conclusion that Venice was built for a young, low-budget travelling community of undergrads seeking a blend of alcohol-driven fun and a concentrated shot of culture this summer. Who knew?

Although Venice may not be able to boast the variety of nightclubs located in Malia and Ibiza, the city has several established watering holes favoured by younger residents. Harry’s Bar may be famous worldwide, and a celebrity hotspot to boot, but it’s eye-wateringly expensive, over-crowded, and the drinks aren’t even that good. Instead, pay a visit to the student-friendly Campo Santa Margherita, conveniently located in the heart of Dorsoduro. This large square is definitely at the core of young Venetian drinking culture, popular at any time of the day or night as place to eat, drink and socialise. Try a traditional Venetian Spritz – a tasty and refreshing cocktail comprising Prosecco, soda water, and either Aperol or Campari spirit for a kick of sweet or bitter flavouring – for less than three euros at Café Rosso or Chet Bar. There are small glasses of white and red wine available for just one euro in bars all across the square, as well as a wide variety of delicious cocktails on offer at Café Noir, located just around the corner near the Chiesa di San Pantalon. Sitting down at each bar may be more comfortable, but it can set you back a few pennies more, so when in Venice, do as the Venetians do and drink al fresco, either standing up or perched on one of the public benches. Equally lively at midday and midnight,  Campo Santa Margherita is always bustling with Italian students, with the relaxed attitude to alcohol and drinking in Northern Italy (especially in comparison with the UK) definitely favouring bar culture over nightclubs, even for this young demographic.

That’s not to say, however, that Venetian nightclubs are not be visited. The infamous Piccolo Mondo is the best clubbing option in Dorsoduro. Twelve euros entry may seem steep, but the ticket covers your first drink (the menu comprises mostly cocktails, priced around the 10 euro mark – try the Piccolo Mondo Cocktail, a sweet and strong peachy concoction). This hole-in-the-wall is small but lively, and is usually packed by around 1:30am by a young crowd comprising both tourists and Venetians, drunkenly dancing to a mainstream pop playlist from local legend DJ Michael. A cheaper alternative is Castello’s Il Morion, a club characterised by its eclectic clientele of local students, young professionals, old men,  tortured artists and dogs. It’s an absolute bargain at 2 euros entry, and the wine flows freely all night (prices start at 1 euro). Il Morion is renowned for its pizza, so go for a late dinner and then drink into the night as it slowly turns from family restaurant to hipster clubbing central. Drinks other than wine can be expensive at all the nightclubs in Venice, but the bars are extremely cheap, so pre-drink all afternoon on Spritz to avoid getting your credit card out later. If you want a bigger night out, hop on a train to nearby student-city Padova (off-peak single tickets cost around 4 euros). With more variety of large nightclubs to choose from, you’re guaranteed a night to remember – but trains back to Venice only start running at around 5am, so it’s not so much a case of ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ as ‘Go Hard because You Can’t Go Home’.

After a night of heavy drinking, you’ll be needing some TLC and a day of taking it easy to help with the hangover. Luckily, Italian coffee is the best in the world, and cafés populate every square and street in Venice, so it’s not hard to find somewhere for your caffeine fix. Enjoy a mouth-watering calzone for around 8 euros at Pizza Ae Oche, either on the Zattere or in Cannaregio, or try one of the delicious paninis from Margaret Du Champs in Campo Santa Margherita for 4 euros. Delicious Kosher food is available from Gam-Gam, near the Jewish Ghetto, or you could simply grab a slice of pizza for 2 euros from one of the many on-the-go food kiosks dotted around the city.

To help ease the hangover further, go for a wander along the waterside from San Marco to the Giardini for a hit of fresh air and sunshine (stopping for coffee and pizza along the way, of course). If none of that works, head over to the Lido from one of the city’s numerous Vaporetto stops (7 euros each way) and hit the beach. You can always resort to hair of the dog by starting on the Spritz again at one of the Lido’s many bars overlooking the Adriatic!

The culture-vultures among you will be pleased to hear that Venice is home to more than 100 beautiful churches, 5 synagogues, and a multitude of museums and galleries which are both world-famous and reasonably priced. The Accademia Gallery is brimming with antique religious art, the Peggy Guggenheim is perfect for modern art lovers, and history buffs will find themselves perfectly at home in the Museo Correr. The iconic bridges of Venice are free to visit, of course, and a trip up the San Marco Campanile will set you back less than 10 euros (the view from this bell-tower reaches across the city and stretches out over the lagoon; on clear days you can even see the mountain ranges in the distance – well worth the money, in my opinion). Be sure to walk to the end point of the Zattere, where you can sit on the edge of the pavement and gaze out from Giudecca to Giardini in a panoramic view of the city, with one of its most famous churches, the Santa Maria della Salute, behind you.

Venice really does have it all for students: sunny climes, cheap alcohol, a wide variety of clubs and bars to choose from, pizza for 2 euros a slice, and a whole host of cultural hot-spots that won’t cost the earth. The bus and train stations in the north-west corner of the city make it a convenient stop for inter-railing travellers around Europe on their way to Croatia, and flights from England don’t cost too much (especially if you fly with RyanAir into the nearby Treviso airport, and then take the bus into Venice). There are tons of cheap  hostels to choose from all over the city, including in the nearby town Mestre, just ten minutes from the centre. So, what are you waiting for? If you’re looking to get drunk, get cultured and get tanned, but not get ripped off, then get going and book yourself in this summer for a holiday you won’t forget.*

N.B. The city quietens down significantly  in July, as this is when all the locals take their annual holiday. To make the most of your trip but still benefit from the sunny weather, travel in May, June, August or September.

*Memory loss is dependent on volume of alcohol consumed. That night at Piccolo Mondo is probably going to be pretty hazy…

Click to comment
To Top