What's on in Venice (Venezia), Italy through the year

Peak crowds — Carnevale, Christmas and New Year

• Festival

  Carnevale

  31 Jan – 17 FebCarnivalCrowded

  Two and a half weeks of masks ending on Shrove Tuesday. St Mark's is unusable in the middle of the day, the water taxis charge accordingly, and the fog helps. Source ↗

Still on: Acqua alta season (1 Oct – 15 Jan (usually)), Winter fog (1 Nov – 15 Feb (usually)), Christmas and New Year (18 Dec – 6 Jan)

Busy — Carnevale, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Carnevale (31 Jan – 17 Feb), Winter fog (1 Nov – 15 Feb (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Busy — Easter holidays in Italy, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Rule

  Day-tripper access fee

  3 Apr – 26 JulBook early

  On selected peak days, day visitors arriving without an overnight booking pay a small entry charge, cheaper if booked four days ahead. The calendar is reset each year. Source ↗

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Festival

  Biennale

  9 May – 22 NovMajor festival

  The art and architecture exhibitions alternate years and run from May to late November across the Giardini, the Arsenale and pavilions all over the city. Source ↗

• Festival

  Vogalonga

  24 MayMajor festivalClosures

  A non-competitive thirty-kilometre row round the lagoon on Pentecost Sunday, two thousand boats and no engines. Motor traffic on the canals stops for the morning, which is the real reason to be there. Source ↗

Still on: Day-tripper access fee (3 Apr – 26 Jul)

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Day-tripper access fee (3 Apr – 26 Jul), Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov), Vogalonga (24 May)

Peak crowds — Festa del Redentore, Summer holidays in Italy

• Festival

  Festa del Redentore

  18–19 JulMajor festivalCrowded

  A pontoon bridge to the Giudecca and forty-five minutes of fireworks over the basin on the third Saturday of July, watched from boats moored gunwale to gunwale. Source ↗

Still on: Day-tripper access fee (3 Apr – 26 Jul), Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov)

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Venice Film Festival

  2–12 SepCrowded

  Eleven days on the Lido at the start of September. The city is at its most expensive and the Lido hotels are unreachable without booking in spring. Source ↗

Still on: Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov)

Peak crowds — Venice Film Festival, Regata Storica

• Festival

  Regata Storica

  6 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  A costumed procession down the Grand Canal on the first Sunday of September followed by four rowing races, ending with the two-man gondolini. Source ↗

Still on: Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov), Venice Film Festival (2–12 Sep)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Hazard

  Acqua alta season

  1 Oct – 15 Jan · usuallyFlood season

  High water comes with the autumn tides. MOSE now closes the lagoon for forecast tides above about 110cm, and closes the port with it on those days. Source ↗

Still on: Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov)

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  Winter fog

  1 Nov – 15 Feb · usuallyFog season

  The lagoon fogs in for days at a time, which delays the airport and the lagoon boats and empties the city in a way nothing else does.

• Festival

  Festa della Salute

  20–22 NovMajor festival

  A votive bridge of boats goes across the Grand Canal to the church for two days in late November and the city walks over it with candles. Venetian rather than visitors, and November's one fixture. Source ↗

Still on: Biennale (9 May – 22 Nov), Acqua alta season (1 Oct – 15 Jan (usually))

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Italy

• Holiday

  Christmas and New Year

  18 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedClosures

  Quiet by Venice standards until the last few days, when rates jump and the basin takes a New Year crowd. Several museums keep short winter hours and the vaporetti run a reduced timetable. Source ↗

Still on: Acqua alta season (1 Oct – 15 Jan (usually)), Winter fog (1 Nov – 15 Feb (usually))