In this post I’ll show you some of the best things to do in Venice in winter for an unforgettable trip to the most beautiful cold lagoon in the world. Visiting Venice in winter is an experience you will never forget.
The city becomes intimate and mysterious, and despite the low temperatures, winter is one of the best seasons to visit Venice. With the exception of the Carnival season, tourist flows are low and visitors become rare and discreet. Prices are lower and the queues at the various sites are much shorter. In short, an excellent situation to take advantage of.
For more – and detailed – reasons to visit Venice in winter, click here:
In this post I’ll tell you what to do in Venice in winter, how to dress and what sights you should visit in the cold season.
Staying in a hotel on Venice is the perfect way to enjoy everything the lagoon city has to offer. Then you can explore late in the evening and early in the morning when most tourists have already left!
Meanwhile, I prefer to use Booking.com to find the right accommodation for my travels. The reviews from other travelers help me figure out which hotel suits me best. Hotel Rialto* is my first choice when I need a hotel in Venice: it is located in the center of Venice, right by the Rialto Bridge, and from there every corner of the city can be reached in no time.
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Venice winter weather
However, before we leave, I would like to answer a basic question: How cold is it in Venice in winter?
Of course, those who like it rather wam will find the Venetian climate rather unpleasant in winter. In addition to the low temperatures, the wind chill is made even colder by fog, humidity and winds like scirocco and bora. It is definitely advisable to check the weather forecast before traveling.
In winter, temperatures in Venice can drop sharply, down to zero degrees, but rarely below. Normally, the maximum temperature is 8 degrees Celsius.
The atmosphere is very humid, perhaps that is what affects the perception of cold the most. But since it is a lagoon, it is not like you can have everything!
It is rare that it snows, but not impossible. In short, just dress well and you’re good to go.
Literature about Venice
Reading books about Venice can enhance your experience of visiting the city in many ways:
- They help to better understand the historical and cultural context. Venice has a very exciting and rich history as well as culture, and reading books can provide this context and help you understand the city’s art, architecture and traditions.
- While the major tourist attractions in Venice are well known, there are also many hidden gems that you can discover by reading books.
- The lagoon city has also been the setting for many famous literary works, including Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” and Thomas Mann’s “Death in Venice.” Reading these works can deepen your connection to the city and give you new insights into its culture and history.
Overall, reading books about Venice can lead to a better understanding and appreciation of the city, so you can have a more fulfilling and enjoyable visit.
How to dress in winter in Venice
The motto is: Dress according to the onion principle! (That is, in layers, for those who can do little with the term). The clothes I list below are clothes that can never be missing from my backpack for Venice.
- Fleece or winter leggings*: whether you are a man or a woman, bring fleece leggings. They are a great invention, lightweight, comfortable and super warm.
- Thermal underwear*: thermal underwear is very useful if you spend your days hiking in cold and freezing conditions.
- Gloves, scarf and hat*: it is important to cover your face and hands well. The cold is intense, but above all it is very wet. If you don’t protect your extremities well, you risk catching a cold and losing the desire to walk around Venice, ruining your vacation.
- Waterproof shoes*: this also seems like a truism, but it’s not. Because even when the water level is low, your feet can get wet pretty quickly if it rains. And who likes to have soggy feet. So, comfortable, waterproof and warm shoes.
By the way, you can find my personal packing list for Venice here:
Winter in Venice: the best 5 activities
A trip to Venice in winter is an incredible opportunity to visit parts of the city that are usually ignored, or to explore sights you’ve never seen because of the long queues. Or to do things you would normally have avoided because they were too expensive in high season. Or join guided walks that you normally wouldn’t do because of the crowds in the city.
Take a gondola ride
Venice can be cold in winter, I don’t want to hide that. Still, that’s no reason to skip the classic gondola ride in Venice. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s like climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris or visiting the Colosseum in Rome.
There are things that need to be done.
As the saying goes, when you’re in Rome, do as the Romans do. So in Venice, a gondola ride is in order. Especially when it’s foggy, a gondola ride makes sense.
But then only go after sunset and definitely not during the day. It is an absolutely magical experience. It feels like you are floating in the fog and the dim light of the gondola lantern shines like it was in the 1600s.
If it’s a nice day, take advantage of the sunny hours. As for the cold, there are usually blankets that the gondolier puts over the legs of the passengers.
A romantic gondola ride for two
A gondola ride for two is always romantic, not only on Valentine’s Day. A private gondola ride* costs around 160 euro for 30 minutes.
(Make sure you really book a private gondola ride, and don’t join the group rides, which are cheaper but far less romantic).
Visit the museums and other attractions in Venice in winter
To escape the cold a bit, you can always escape to one of the many museums in Venice. You can start with the following sights that I really like in Venice, or choose a few that appeal to you more.
- Free walking tour: given the small number of tourists or large groups, a great way to discover hidden parts of the city is by joining a free tour. There are several tours available, from the classic version to the one that uncovers the secrets of Venice;
- Ticket to the Doge’s Palace* with visit to the prisons: A visit to the Doge’s Palace is an absolute must when you visit Venice, especially in winter. Since there are fewer visitors, you can enjoy the Doge’s Palace and its thousands of stories in peace and without stress;
- The art gallery Galleria dell’Accademia* houses the richest collection of Venetian and Venetian painting with artists who have influenced the history of European painting.
- The Museo Correr is one of the most important and representative museums in the city of Venice. It illustrates the art, civilization and history of Venice through its various departments and rich and varied collections.
- The Peggy Guggenheim Collection* The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of the most important museums of twentieth-century European and American art in Italy.
- Guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica*: St. Mark’s Basilica is a charming building that represents the splendor of the Republic of Venice during the thousand years of the Serenissima.
Warmed up within the walls of the Theater La Fenice
Another way to spend a cold night in Venice is to attend an opera performance in one of the most beautiful theaters you have ever seen. The Teatro La Fenice offers a rich program of plays and operas every year, where you are sure to find something to your taste.
Here you can buy tickets: Theater La Fenice*
Sip a delicious hot chocolate
Chocolate came to Venice in the early 17th century. At that time, the first coffee shops also served excellent cups of hot chocolate in winter. Casanova himself loved to drink it, mainly because of its aphrodisiac effect.
The best hot chocolate I ever had in Venice was from Caffè Florian in St. Mark’s Square.
Caution. Again, prices for traffic at the table are double those for traffic at the bar counter.
Spend a special evening at Venice Casino
Why lock yourself in your hotel room on a winter night when the Casino di Venezia is just a short walk away? Stop by the front desk and pick up a free ticket to experience an evening with a difference. You can try your luck at the gaming tables, but if you don’t feel up to it, you can also take the opportunity to visit one of the city’s most beautiful Venetian palaces.
Admission costs between 5 and 10 euros, but is free if you stay at a hotel in Venice. (Please check with your hotel beforehand if the offer applies to your hotel).
The casino is closed on December 24 and 25.
Ich bewerbe ausschließlich Produkte, von denen ich selbst überzeugt bin und die ich in vielen Fällen selbst nutze. Für Links, die mit einem * markiert sind, erhalte ich eine kleine Provision, wenn über den verlinkten Anbieter einen Vertrag bzw. Kauf zustande kommt. Für Dich entstehen dadurch keine Mehrkosten und ich kann so die Kosten fürs Hosting des Blogs oder für das Abo von Photoshop und Lightroom aufbringen. Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Verkäufen.