The climate of Venice: the seasons and activities to better enjoy the city

Beautiful city Venice! The set of grandiose works of art and architecture with the singular structure of the city make it objectively unique in the world. And the wonders must be lived to the fullest, live the individual peculiarities to get in deep contact with the city, and then bring back a personal postcard.

Yes, that's fine. But when a trip is organized, whether it is short or for a longer period, it is always advisable to know the city from a climatic point of view. Perhaps fundamental.

But what is the climate of Venice with all that water? Well, the massive presence of water, between canals and canals and the Lagoon, greatly affects the climate and makes the atmosphere extremely humid, both in winter and during the summer. We can say that the climate is continental, with cold periods in which the temperatures are rigid and hot summers characterized by an unbearable sultriness. During the year, periods of greater rainfall alternate, such as the winter months and the months between March and June, and those in which the fog becomes a connotative element that envelops the whole city in a hushed and fascinating atmosphere. These are the periods in which you will find the most competitive prices for your stay, while in the mid-seasons, as well as during the Carnival and the New Year, the figures are very high.

Certainly it is, regardless of the period chosen and the budget available, that Venice is always beautiful, knowing how to offer you in every way its best appearance, unique and fascinating views and moments.

Well, how are these Venetian seasons? And above all, what to pack before leaving? I'll tell you how the city changes with the changing of the months, and I also give you good ideas for activities to do around calli and campielli.

So let's pack our bags!

Autumn has magnificent colors, ranging from ocher yellow to copper red, which blend perfectly with the color palette of the city. The trees begin to undress, the days to shorten and the Lagoon offers incredible scenery. The autumn of Venice has rather mild temperatures, which hardly fall below 16/18 degrees, making the air and the walks around the city pleasant and pleasant. Of course, you could find the fog, but feel lucky in that case, because it increases the magic of this already extraordinary place, enveloping everything in a sort of immateriality divided between heaven and earth and water. Do not be fooled or conditioned by those who tell you that in this period Venice is spooky: the warm colors and the greyness of the sky return an atmosphere full of charm, which I'm sure will leave you breathless.

In this period the city is enriched with popular events and festivals, such as that of San Martino, of the Madonna della Salute and Halloween, inherited from the United States but perhaps not everyone knows that the art of carving pumpkins, a characterizing element of the festivities, and illuminating them from inside with a candle is an ancient Venetian tradition of All Saints' Day called suche de i morti or suca baruca.

What to pack? Medium weight jackets, yarn sweaters and rain boots. Oh yes, because between late October and November it is often "the granda water", the phenomenon of high water that reaches high levels in this period, flooding most of the city territory. It is necessary to be equipped and aware that in some days the city could be in a state of emergency.

With the magnificent autumn colors I suggest you to take a tour also to the islands of the Lagoon: Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo and San Lazzaro. Do you know that Murano is the home of mouth-blown glass, art inherited from the times of the Serenissima? So why not learn the secrets of this ancient art? You will have, if you wish, the possibility of giving a lesson in a furnace with a master glassmaker who will teach you to make a small work of art in glass following the ancient Murano techniques known as "lamp manufacturing". The lesson lasts about 90 minutes and costs around € 60. The object created by you will then be yours and you will also have a discount on the purchase of a work by the master.

Ready to blow in the furnace?

Needless to turn around, winter in Venice is stiff! Due to its geographical position, due to the presence of water the winter months are cold, characterized by temperatures that are often kept around 0. The humidity present in the air causes a greater and more intense sensation of cold.

Well, that is how winter is said to discourage anyone. Instead, don't let yourself be influenced by low temperatures, because Venice can be magnificent even in the most difficult months. First of all you will find a city emptied of the unmanageable crowd of tourists that crowd it in the other months and that creates real human "traffic jams", being able to enjoy quiet walks for the most hidden alleys, to get in touch with the truest city and with its most intimate everyday life. And then, do you want to put in museums and churches without queuing up? Nice is not it?!

And it is also the period in which the city dresses up for Christmas: palaces and canals and streets lit by Christmas lights that are reflected in the water creating a fairytale atmosphere that warms even the coldest days. Unmissable! And you could even snow! But think how wonderful Venice can be with snow, this light whiteness that covers everything in a muffled climate unique in the world. If you are a sports lover, and if you have a good balance, know that in Campo San Polo a large ice skating rink is always set up, for fun that unites young and old, virtuous and otherwise.

What to pack? Duvets, wool sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats and rain boots to be able to walk freely even if the sky is upset or if there is high water. And then the camera, because Venice always deserves to be immortalized.

But if one day it is very cold and you don't feel like being in the street or locked in a museum? Well, why not take a private lesson with a mascarere artist and learn how to make a mask? In Venice you can! You can choose between a creation lesson or a decoration lesson, or even both to create your papier-mâché mask and enrich it with colors and decorations according to your inspiration. Obviously then you will bring your personal realization home. The lesson has a minimum duration of 75 minutes up to a maximum of 6 hours to allow the mask to dry if you have chosen the creation lesson. The cost is around € 60.

An opportunity to get in touch with one of the oldest traditions of Venice and give vent, or show off, to your creativity!

Spring awakens senses and colors. Abandoning cold temperatures and gray tones, the city explodes in a blaze of bright and cheerful colors. The sun is always present, illuminating the days that begin to lengthen, giving magical reflections in the waters of the canals. The gardens rediscover the green of the trees and the flowers enrich windows and balconies. The temperatures are mild and the days warmer, even if the evenings are still fresh. March is known, it is crazy, and therefore it can still be characterized by cold, rain and high water. But spring is just around the corner, don't worry!

In the suitcase we still keep coat and sweater, but also a leather biker for the hottest days. Ok, we also bring the umbrella, you never know, but also a nice pair of sunglasses. Venice can be bizarre in the spring, but let's go with it, it will give us incredible scenarios.

Spring, sun, hot and long days invite you to go out and get lost in the streets and squares, fields and squares, to discover the most hidden and suggestive corners. The mild and favorable climate allows you to stay outdoors for longer times. So why not enjoy outdoor activities? How about a small painting course with a famous artist? We leave for a while the usual places known and crowded, and accompanied by a master we reach a suggestive corner of Venice, silent and calm. Here the master will teach us to paint with watercolors, explaining the secrets and techniques to get light effects and shadows with colors. The lesson, which includes the maximum participation of a group of 10 people, starts at the artist's atelier in which to learn the first explanations on the art of watercolors. The course has a cost of around € 80 and provides for the release of a certificate of participation. 

Are you not passionate about drawing but love to capture places and situations with the camera? Well, then a photo tour is for you. A 3-hour walk through the most evocative and romantic places in Venice, with views and monuments, with a professional photographer who will reveal the secrets of the perfect photo, in search of the right light and the correct framing. It's about artistic photography, nothing trivially instagrammabile! The tour is personalized and has a cost of around € 65 to take home the splendid snapshots of Venice.

Ready to stop your creativity on canvas or film?

Summer is beautiful, warm, cheerful. The days are long and the desire to go and be around is great. You can have dinner or chat in front of an aperitif in the open air. But in Venice, summer is not easy at all! Temperatures rise a lot, even exceeding 35 °, but the perceived degrees are much more due to the humidity coming from the waters of the canals and canals, which make the atmosphere sultry and sticky. It is not easy to walk around the city because the streets and fields do not have shaded areas. And yet it is one of the busiest periods of the year, thanks also to the Biennale, the Cinema Exhibition, the Feast of the Redeemer and the Historical Regatta. Be ready to crowd and heat, file and humidity.

What to pack then? Light clothes and short-sleeved shirts, sandals that leave your feet uncovered, glasses and a hat to protect yourself. And then a swimsuit: if the day is hot and you really don't want a cultural tour you can reach the Lido beaches and spend a cool day at the sea.

The summer allows you to stay outdoors even late, so why not take advantage of the coolness of the sunset for a Venetian-style rowing lesson to feel like a true gondolier? Venice has built its grandeur on the seas and waters of the Lagoon. And to govern these low waters a precise technique was needed: the Venetian rowing was born, which consists in rowing to a single oar standing on the hull of the boat. This was necessary in order to have a good view of the seabed and thus avoid the shoals. The course, assisted by a professional instructor, takes place in two phases: a first one in which to learn the movement of the oar in a body of water closed to motor boats, and a second one in which you will have to maneuver the boat in the Lagoon. Usually the area of ​​Fondamenta Ormesini in Cannaregio is traveled. The course has a duration of 90-120 minutes, and you can choose the time of the day in which to engage in this activity at the time of booking, for a cost that ranges between € 115 for 1 or 2 people and € 190 for 4 people . Grasping the oar like a true Venetian will put you in contact with the most ancient history of Venice, making you discover the aquatic soul of the city, putting you in a privileged and singular position, that is that of the most hidden plan of the canals in order to have unusual points of view and unbelievable.

Ready to discover Venice from the water?

No matter what climate you find during your stay in Venice, you can always adapt even in apparently negative and uncomfortable situations. You will see that she, Venice, will find a way to repay you by giving you parts of yourself that are always extraordinary, regardless of the colors, the temperatures, the seasons.

Did you prepare your bags then?