In the summer of 2023, I went on a one-and-a-half month backpacking trip through Europe. My first four days of the trip covered two of the northernmost cities in Italy: Venice and Milan. I didn’t want to spend too much time in Italy, to be honest. If I’m going to travel Italy, I’m going to do it well. This backpacking trip, I thought, was aimed at having a multi-country experience, not just an Italian experience.
Although I only had a few days in these two cities, I was able to fit a lot of amazing things into my schedule! I wanted to stick to a cheaper budget, so you won’t see me staying in high-end hotels or going to Michelin star restaurants. However, if you want a peek into Italian life or the tourist experience you actually don’t need to spend that much money. There are many areas of spending where you can find budget-friendly alternatives. Here’s what I did for four days in Venice and Milan.
Duomo di Milano Cathedral
Day 1: Venice
On the first day, I arrived in Venice at 9:45 in the morning. Because it was a travel day, I was extremely tired. But I wasn’t about to let a little fatigue get in the way of exploring the iconic “City of Water”!
Transport
I arrived in Venice at 9:45 in the morning. With just one day to explore, I headed straight down to the city. If you land at the Marco Polo Airport (VCE), then it’s just a twenty minute bus ride to Mestre Central. From there, you can buy a ticket to Venice for just 1.50 euro (3 for a round-trip ticket). The bus ride from Mestre to Venice is 15 minutes. I went straight down to the city after I left the airport, and had a few hours to explore before I settled down in my Airbnb.
Note: this was before the 8-hour layover…
I have no idea what time of day it was, but everything was blue outside…
Exploring
Venice is famous for the canals that run through the city. To explore the area, you have two options: walk or take a water bus (or gondola). Gondolas have become so iconic that they are super expensive, but a lot of people think it’s worth it to have the once-in-a-lifetime tourist experience. I’m working with a teacher’s budget, so I chose to walk. The benefit of being on foot is that you can pop into any store you see on a whim. I enjoyed crossing the canals over the bridges as well; many of them are covered with a beautiful blue stone that made me feel like I was walking on water.
Even if you’re walking, you only need a few hours to cover the entire city of Venice. It’s fairly compact and easy to navigate. I enjoyed the beautiful architecture and people-watching at the Grand Canal, and then headed back to my Airbnb to rest.
Accommodation
While looking for a cheaper accommodation option, I found two options: a hostel or Airbnb. You can book a bunk bed in a hostel for under 20 euro. Hostels are great because you’re bound to meet other people who have similar travel goals or are excited to meet other travelers like you. If you’d rather have a bit more privacy and security, you can book a room with Airbnb for under 45 euro. Because Venice and Milan are popular travel spots, you should have many options to pick from. If you can, give both options a try and decide what fits you best.
If you choose to stay in Mestre rather than right in the center of Venice, you will probably find cheaper places to sleep in exchange for a 15-minute bus ride (just something to keep in mind).
Day 2: Venice to Milan
Honestly, I do think you should spend more than just one day in Venice, as I did. I got a glimpse of the city, but I would have preferred to sit down and spend more time taking everything in. However, I had friends in Milan just waiting for me, so it was time to go. Venice was amazing, and I’d love to return – especially on a more tourism-focused trip.
Transport
I woke up early in Venice, sluggishly packed up everything into my backpack, and headed to the Mestre Train Station. I purchased a 15-day Eurail pass, so my train ticket was already taken care of. That part was fairly easy – all I needed to do was download the Eurail app and find a train that was going from Venice to Milan. Then I just booked my ticket and the app provided me with a QR code to present to the ticket inspector.
You typically won’t get your ticket checked as you board the train, but rather after the train has already left the station. Try to board the train as early as possible so that you have your choice of seating options. They fill up quickly, and you may have to sit next to a stranger if you can’t find two open seats next to each other. Not a big deal, but if you care about seating, keep that in mind.
Travel buddies reunited <3
Somehow, train travel can always put you to sleep.
Exploring
Upon arrival in Milan, I had a few hours to kill before meeting up with a friend. She was coming down from Germany, so her trip was longer than mine. I have this goal to visit a rock climbing gym in every city that I can while backpacking Europe, so that’s how I spent my free time.
There are a few reasons why going to a rock climbing gym in a foreign country is a good idea. First, you can almost always make a new friend there. No matter where you are in the world, climbers are the same. They love to talk about the routes and compare techniques. They are almost always friendly and excited to talk about climbing – and depending on the person, they may even be interested in learning more about you and why you’re there. It’s not very often that someone would choose to spend their vacation time in a climbing gym in a foreign country, and that makes you interesting!
Second, climbing gyms almost always have showers. You can take a free shower after you climb (or even if you don’t climb) and leave clean and refreshed, ready to explore the city. Amazing.
Next, I left the climbing gym and met up with my travel buddy, Jillian, at the train station. It was late, so we opted to check into our hostel and grab a drink at the bar inside. We quickly made a friend, a solo traveler from Alaska, and decided to grab dinner as a group. It’s always fun to make new friends, and solo travelers are always very interesting people. Don’t forget to be open to the possibility of making new friends as you explore the world – you never know who you might meet!
Accommodation
Jillian and I each booked a bunk bed in a backpacker hostel for two nights in Milan. Backpacker hostels are a special type of accommodation. They can be relatively cheap, and a great place to make new friends. However, you will often be sleeping in a bunk room filled with four to sixteen other people, depending on the hostel. Usually, the bedroom is where you sleep and shower, and that’s about it. The rest of your time will be spent exploring the area outside or socializing in the communal area of the hostel.
Jillian taking advantage of the piano in the hostel’s dining area.
If your hostel has a bar, you definitely have a greater chance of making new friends.
Day 3: Milan
On our second day in Milan, Jillian and I decided to go into all-out tourist mode. We wanted to see some classic tourist locations, as well as do something that you can only do in Italy.
Transport
To get around Milan, we used the bus/tram system, and we walked when it was close enough. It’s fairly cheap to use the public transportation in both Venice and Milan. Everything arrives on time and sticks to a pretty tight transportation schedule. The trickiest thing is making sure that you are on the right side of the street. If you wait until the bus comes, and realize at the last minute that it’s headed the wrong way, you’re not going to be able to cross the street in time.
Exploring
To kick off the day, Jillian and I stopped by to admire the Duomo Cathedral, as well as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (the shopping gallery next door). We went thrift shopping (no luck) and ate some delicious pizza at Fresco e Cimmino. We didn’t pressure ourselves to cover a lot of ground in one day, and it was nice to relax.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Note: They don’t cut your pizza into triangular slices in both Venice and Milan. They probably won’t cut your pizza at all! You can use a fork and a knife instead.
Once the pizza was done, we went to the most luxurious part of the entire trip so far. I typically wouldn’t want to spend the money to go to a spa, but Jillian had found it online and won me over. I am SO glad she convinced me to go, because this was the most amazing spa I have ever been to in my life. It was honestly the highlight of Milan for me. Called QC Terme, this spa had at least 15 different kinds of saunas, aqua therapy rooms, and relaxation zones. This spa deserves a blog post of its own, so I’ll go into more detail there. In summation, I left feeling relaxed, rested, and ready to sleep before another day of travel.
We were SO excited to treat ourselves, and it was worth it!
Accommodation
Hostels are great places to find people who have similar interests to you. Customers tend to be on the younger side, and they are typically open to striking up a conversation in the social area of the hostel. If you decide to solo travel, I recommend booking a stay in a backpacker hostel. You will be more likely to find a new friend to explore with or hang out with in your down time. Solo travel is rewarding, but it can be lonely. Connecting with someone new can be really nice, and who knows – you might find a real friend if you are open-minded about the opportunity.
Jillian recording *wine pouring sounds*
Some hostels provide breakfast for a good price! This was all-you-can-eat for €4,90.
Day 4: Milan to Neckargemünd
On my last day in Italy, I had the morning to do my last bit of exploring before heading up to Germany. Venice and Milan were amazing to visit, and I was so glad to be able to join a few friends for part of the adventure. Solo travel can be challenging, so it is very lucky that I was able to lean on them as I transitioned into a backpacker’s mindset.
Transport
After our last morning in Milan, we got ready to head to Germany. Checking another day off of my 15-day Eurail pass, I booked some tickets that would get Jillian and I from Milan to Neckargemünd, Germany. Neckargemünd is a small town located just outside of Heidelberg. Passing through Switzerland’s gorgeous landscape was a huge treat. We passed by snow-capped mountains and azure-blue alpine lakes. The trip took quite almost 10 hours (including layovers), so we arrived in town at around 4:00am.
Exploring
Before we left for Germany, Jillian and I were able to meet up with a third friend, Claire. We only had a few hours to explore the city, so we stopped by a few smaller cathedrals and religious locations. We visited Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa, Arco della Pace, and the Duomo for a second time. Good tourist stuff!
The Duomo di Milano Cathedral
Arco della Pace
Riding the public transport in Milan.
Accommodation
For the next leg of my backpacking trip, I found the most amazing flat in Neckargemünd on Airbnb. There were definitely cheaper options in Heidelberg (similar in Venice and Milan), but I wanted to be nearby to Jillian because she had way more knowledge about what to do in the area (and she was staying in Neckargemünd as well).
For only $66 per night, I was able to have an entire apartment to myself. There was a cute little kitchen, along with a full-sized couch, tv, and a queen-sized bed. The bathroom and shower were just as clean and cute as the rest of the flat. I was amazed at what a great deal I was getting, and it was really nice to have the place to myself after a few nights in a backpacker hostel bunk room.
My Airbnb was also located right next to the Neckar River, and was literally a 60-second walk from the bus stop. 60 seconds in the other direction was a bakery that I walked to in the morning to buy a loaf of bread, which was something you never get to do in the United States. Click here to view where I stayed (and maybe even book it for yourself) – I honestly just loved everything about it.
The view from the kitchen window, above the river!
I’m in love with the colorful street and beautiful mountain views.
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