Italy, Europe

Venice in December

Quiet and festive, with acqua alta still in play. Christmas-to-New-Year week spikes back to peak pricing.

TradeoffsCold, highs near 46F (8C)

Grand Canal Venice, Italy — VenicePhoto: This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but ple, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

December is a month of real tradeoffs in Venice. Quiet and festive, with acqua alta still in play. Christmas-to-New-Year week spikes back to peak pricing.

Weather: Cold, highs near 46F (8C)
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What December is like in Venice

December is quiet and festive in Venice. Highs sit near 46F (8C), lights go up in the campos, and early December prices are low. Acqua alta is still possible, so pack for wet feet. The week from Christmas to New Year jumps back to peak pricing and busier streets. Some small hotels and lagoon island restaurants are closed for the winter.

Early December suits couples and budget travelers who want a calm, cozy Venice. The holiday week suits families who want a festive trip and are fine paying more. If you want mild weather, come back in spring.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about Venice this month.

Festive Venice

Lights and small Christmas displays brighten the campos, and churches hold seasonal music.

Early December calm

The first half of the month is one of the cheapest, emptiest times of the year.

Warm bacaro nights

Cold evenings make a cozy bacaro, with cicchetti and a glass of wine, feel just right.

What to pack for December

A warm winter coat
Waterproof boots for high tide mornings
A hat, scarf, and gloves
An umbrella

Our timing tip

Travel in the first two weeks of December to get holiday lights at off season prices.

Book Venice for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Venice
Opens a hotel search for Venice in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Venice
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Venice
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Venice for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

Acqua alta season

Roughly October through January, peaking in late fall

Seasonal high tides can briefly flood the lowest areas, above all Piazza San Marco. Raised walkways go out; the city carries on.

Things to do in Venice

Full guide

St Mark's Basilica

Book the timed entry and go early; the mosaics are lit best in morning light. Modest dress enforced. The Pala d'Oro upgrade is worth the small fee.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Doge's Palace

Book ahead and consider the Secret Itineraries tour for the prisons and torture rooms; you cross the Bridge of Sighs from the inside.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Grand Canal by vaporetto Line 1

The world's best public-transit ride. Board at Piazzale Roma toward San Marco at dusk and stand at the back rail.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Rialto Market

Mornings except Sunday, fish hall closed Mondays too. Go before 10am while it is a working market, then bacaro-hop the surrounding alleys.

Tickets and tours →

Get lost in Cannaregio and Castello

The residential north and east absorb almost no tour traffic. Aimless walking here is the single best free activity in Venice.

Tickets and tours →

Murano, Burano, and Torcello

A half-to-full day by vaporetto. Go against the flow: outer islands first thing, back in Venice by mid-afternoon.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Stay overnight in Venice proper. The day-trip tide arrives around 10am and drains by 6pm; residents of the evening city get San Marco nearly to themselves.
Do the San Marco headline sights at opening, then leave the San Marco-Rialto corridor entirely for midday: Cannaregio, Castello, and the Accademia absorb the hours the crowds own.
Book the basilica and Doge's Palace timed entries; the ticket lines, not the sights, consume rookie mornings.
Ride Line 1 at dawn or after 9pm for the Grand Canal without the crush; midday vaporetti in season are packed standing room.

Know before you go

Acqua alta, roughly October through January: occasional high tides flood low-lying areas for a few hours around tide peaks. Shops squeegee out, walkways go up, and the MOSE barriers now block the worst events. Waterproof shoes beat rubber-boot panic buying.
Venice never seasonally shuts down the way resort islands do, but late fall and winter thin the tourist infrastructure: some lagoon-island restaurants and smaller hotels close or cut days November through January.
The Rialto fish market closes Sundays and Mondays; many churches close to sightseeing on Sunday mornings for services.
Carnival's final weekend and Shrove Tuesday effectively convert central Venice into a costumed festival ground; ordinary sightseeing logistics slow accordingly.

Venice in December, quick answers

Is December a good time to visit Venice?

December is a month of real tradeoffs in Venice. Quiet and festive, with acqua alta still in play. Christmas-to-New-Year week spikes back to peak pricing.

What is the weather like in Venice in December?

Cold, highs near 46F (8C).

Is Venice crowded in December?

December is one of the quieter months in Venice; most sights can be done without long waits.

What is happening in Venice in December?

Acqua alta season (roughly october through january, peaking in late fall).