The city of Venice is magical, but during the Christmas period even more.
On the evening of 3 December St Mark's Square entered the Christmas season with the lighting of its big tree, kicking off the holiday season in Venice. It was decided to return to tradition by choosing a natural tree, 13 metres high and decorated with over 400 spheres and golden lights. The Christmas lights have been installed throughout the entire Marciana area, illuminating in particular the Procuratie Vecchie and Nuove and Calle Larga XXII Marzo up to Campo Santa Maria del Giglio. The lights will decorate the historic centre and the mainland until Mardi Gras, 1 March 2022, the last day of Carnival.

St Mark's Square and other Christmas attractions in Venice

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You can feel the Christmas spirit in the city's main square. St. Mark's Square is illuminated by a large tree, decorated with golden decorations, positioned between the Doge's Palace and the Marciana Library. The illuminations also light up all the porticos of the square, creating a unique sight. Throughout the city it will be possible to admire the spectacle of the lights reflected in the water of the canals that run through the entire city.

In addition, during the days of the Immaculate Conception all the museums will be open every day and the the Doge's Palace and the Correr also in the evening until 11 p.m. It will continue with the openings every day from December 17 until January 9 and with the evening openings of the Doge's Palace and Correr Museum every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Campo San Polo it will be possible to ice skate; the ice rink will open on Saturday 4 December and close on Shrove Tuesday's, 1 March. Don't miss the "Babbo Running", the Santas Clauses race starting from Rialto on Sunday 19 December and the traditional Epiphany Regatta on the Grand Canal on the morning of 6 January 2022.

Mestre: Piazza Ferretto and the Christmas markets

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Moving to the mainland, the magic of Christmas can be found in Mestre. The heart of Christmas in Mestre will be Piazza Ferretto, with its tree: the ideal place for Christmas shopping and to feel the spirit of the holidays in a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. From 27 November to 26 December, in Piazza Ferretto and Via Poerio, and until 9 January 2022 in Via Allegri, a Christmas market will offer various specialities and handicraft items from 10 am to 8 pm. 

Jesolo Christmas Village

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Concerning the Venetian coast, Jesolo, from Sunday 28th November 2021 to Sunday 9th January 2022, will be filled with more than 100 small houses full of Christmas gifts and quality food, a one kilometre and three hundred metres long path, from Piazza Aurora, along Via Trentin, Piazza Mazzini and Via Bafile to Largo Augustus, along a red carpet illuminated by a red sky of Christmas lights. In Piazza Mazzini there will also be the Jesolo On Ice ice rink with a fun fair, to the delight of children.

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Staying on the Veneto coast, the colourful town of Caorle will also dress up this year. With the "Caorle Wonderland" event, which will run from 4 December 2021 to 9 January 2022, the seaside resort will be able to live, thanks to tourism, even during the winter season. Every corner of the town will be full of spectacular illuminations and various activities. For example, in the area of Via Salita dei Fiori, "Music Land" will be set up, a space for young people where DJs and aperitifs will be available, as well as merry-go-rounds. Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII will host a fairy-tale horse carousel, as well as a 3D cinema, traditional wooden houses and a few food trucks.