Italy, Europe

Venice in February

Carnival month most years: masks, balls, and a packed San Marco for about two weeks, quiet and cheap around them.

TradeoffsCold, highs near 47F (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

February is a month of real tradeoffs in Venice. Carnival month most years: masks, balls, and a packed San Marco for about two weeks, quiet and cheap around them.

Weather: Cold, highs near 47F (8C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What February is like in Venice

February in Venice is usually Carnival month. For about two weeks before Lent, San Marco fills with masks, capes, and cameras, and hotel prices climb to near spring levels. Outside that window the city is cold, quiet, and cheap, with highs near 47F (8C) and short, often gray days. Carnival dates move each year because they follow Easter, so look them up before you plan anything.

Go during Carnival if costumes, balls, and big energy are the point, and book early. Go in the quiet weeks around it if you want calm streets and low rates. Families with young kids tend to enjoy the daytime costume parade more than the packed evenings.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Venice this month.

Venice Carnival

Costumed Venetians pose in the squares, masked balls fill old palazzi, and the whole city dresses up for the run to Shrove Tuesday.

Mask making shops

Carnival season is the best time to watch artisans paint papier mache masks and to buy one made in Venice.

Quiet weeks around the festival

Before and after Carnival, rates drop back to winter levels and the Accademia and Doge's Palace are close to empty.

What to pack for February

A mask or costume piece if you want to join in
A warm, water resistant coat
Comfortable waterproof walking shoes
A small crossbody bag for packed Carnival crowds

Our timing tip

During Carnival, see San Marco at 8am, when costumed locals pose for photos before the day-trip crowd arrives.

Book Venice for February.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Venice
Opens a hotel search for Venice in February, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for February
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 February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in February

Venice Carnival

Roughly two weeks ending on Shrove Tuesday, in February most years, sometimes starting late January

Masks, costumes, and balls in the run-up to Lent. Spectacular, and the one winter window when Venice hits peak crowds and prices.

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 February, quick answers

Is February a good time to visit Venice?

February is a month of real tradeoffs in Venice. Carnival month most years: masks, balls, and a packed San Marco for about two weeks, quiet and cheap around them.

What is the weather like in Venice in February?

Cold, highs near 47F (8C).

Is Venice crowded in February?

Crowds in Venice are moderate in February; timed bookings still help at the biggest sights.

What is happening in Venice in February?

Venice Carnival (roughly two weeks ending on shrove tuesday, in february most years, sometimes starting late january).