Venice in December works well for a trip built around museums, churches and wine-bar snacks, with afternoons of 47°F (8°C) and cold water in the lagoon.
At a glance
- Afternoon high: 47°F (8°C)
- Night low: 34°F (1°C)
- Rainy days: 5.9 (days with at least 1 mm)
- Sea: 55°F (13°C)
- Sunshine: 2.5 hours per day
- Daylight on December 15: 8 hours 44 minutes
What is the weather like in Venice in December?
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rainy days | Sunshine per day | Sea | Daylight (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 55°F (13°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 2.8 in (72 mm) | 6 | 2.9 h | 60°F (16°C) | 9 h 33 |
| December | 47°F (8°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.0 in (50 mm) | 6 | 2.5 h | 55°F (13°C) | 8 h 44 |
| January | 46°F (8°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.6 in (40 mm) | 6 | 2.6 h | 50°F (10°C) | 9 h 04 |
*Long-term monthly averages.*
December in Venice is a coat month. Afternoons reach 47°F (8°C) and nights fall to 34°F (1°C), so a walk along the canals is comfortable only with warm layers.
It rains on about six days in the month, and the sun shines two and a half hours a day on average. Bring a waterproof jacket and shoes that handle wet paving. Put the outdoor sights, a ride on the water or a stroll across the bridges, around midday, and keep museums and churches for the damp hours.
November is milder, with afternoons of 55°F (13°C), nights of 42°F (6°C) and more rain, nearly three inches in the month. January is colder, with a high of 46°F (8°C) and a low of 32°F (0°C), and it is a little drier. December sits between the two on rain and has less daylight than either, so the shortest days of the three fall in the middle.
What to do in Venice in December
Doge’s Palace and the St. Mark’s Square Museums
With short days, the Doge’s Palace is a good use of a wet or cold afternoon. Its ticket is shared with the Museum Correr, the National Archaeological Museum and the Monumental Rooms of the Marciana National Library. The palace is at San Marco 1, with the public entrance at Porta del Frumento, Piazzetta San Marco.
Two visits run by reservation only, for a limited number of people: the Secret Itinerary, through the rooms where Venetian administrators worked, and The Doge’s Hidden Treasures, through the Doge’s private rooms next to the Basilica. Book these ahead, since places are limited. Visitors with a dog can book a dog-sitting service on the web or app.
St. Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile
The Basilica is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., with closing at 5:15 p.m. On Sundays and holy days it opens only from 2:00 p.m. The Pala d’Oro follows the same hours. The Museo e loggia dei cavalli is open every day, and on Sundays until 2:00 p.m. it is the only part open, because Mass is celebrated in the Basilica.
The Campanile is the way to see the square from above, and the 98.6-meter (323-foot) tower is best climbed in daylight. Tickets are bought online by choosing the type, date and time slot. Hours can change on holy days and for events with the Patriarch of Venice.
Venetian painting at the Accademia and San Rocco
The Gallerie dell’Accademia hold Venetian masterpieces from the 14th to the 18th century. The Scuola di San Rocco has a cycle of paintings by Tintoretto. Both are indoor visits, which suits the six rainy days of the month.
For modern and contemporary art, head to Punta della Dogana and Palazzo Grassi. Ca’ Rezzonico, the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo and Carlo Goldoni’s House share one ticket, valid for three months with one entry per museum. Mocenigo, at Santa Croce 1992, is the museum of textile, costume and perfume.
Murano glass and the Burano and Torcello museums
On Murano you can watch glass-blowing in some of the island’s glassworks, and the Glass Museum is there. The Burano and Torcello itinerary takes in the Church of San Martino, the Lace Museum, the Torcello Museum, the Church of Santa Fosca and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
The Museum Pass covers the Glass Museum, the Lace Museum and the Torcello Museum. With under nine hours of daylight in mid-December, start the lagoon islands early in the day and choose one or two of them.
Cicchetti at a bacaro
Cicchetti are small bites eaten standing at a bacaro, a Venetian wine bar. They fit a day of museums, because they are quick and can be eaten between visits. Venetian cooking mixes seafood with spicy oriental influences, and fish and white meats such as chicken, goose and duck appear alongside polenta and rice.
Radicchio rosso di Chioggia IGP is among the protected local products. For something sweet, look for baicoli, zaleti and pan dei dogi. Piazza San Marco is a monumental site where sitting on the ground or eating and drinking should be avoided, so take the snack to a bacaro.
Is Venice busy in December?
For the city’s tourist tax, December falls in the high season, which runs from February 1 to December 31. Low season is January only.
Basilica tickets are sold online by date and time slot, and the Doge’s Palace special visits are by reservation only, so book those before the trip. Booking a hotel direct can pay off: Hotel La Fenice et des Artistes offers 5% to 20% off the best available rate, and Hotel Tintoretto gives 5% off on its official website.
Guests in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs pay the tourist tax, collected by the property. Rates vary by area: historic center and Giudecca, islands, lagoon islands and mainland, with reductions for the mainland and lagoon islands. It is charged for a maximum of 5 consecutive nights.
Day visitors do not pay the separate access fee at this time of year. It stopped applying on July 27, 2026, and returns in 2027 on listed days, starting with March 26 to 29, 2027.
Can you swim in Venice in December?
The sea near Venice averages 55°F (13°C) in December. That is a monthly average and it is cold for anyone getting in, so this is a month for walking along the shore, not for swimming. In November the sea is 60°F, and in January it falls to 50°F.
The Lido is the city’s seaside, where the lagoon meets the open Adriatic, and its beaches are one of the things it offers. It is a short crossing from the city.
What to pack for Venice in December
December asks for warm layers and rain gear, plus shoes for a city walked entirely on foot.
- A warm coat and a hat for nights of 34°F (1°C) and afternoons of 47°F (8°C).
- A waterproof jacket or compact umbrella for about six rainy days in the month.
- Comfortable, grippy shoes: Venice has 435 bridges and can be visited entirely on foot.
- A small bag for museum days, since the historic center is entirely pedestrian and bicycles are not allowed, even if pushed by hand.
- A phone or printout of your Basilica and Campanile time slots, bought online by date and time.
- A scarf or extra layer for the Campanile, since there are only two and a half hours of sun a day to warm you.
What to know before visiting Venice in December
Getting around: the vaporetto, the city’s waterbus, is run by ACTV, and tickets must be validated at the start of each journey and at each change. A 75-minute ticket costs €9.50. A 2-day ticket costs €35, a 3-day ticket €45 and a 7-day ticket €65. The Venezia Daily Pass for one day costs €25. A traghetto gondola ferry across the Grand Canal costs €2 for tourists.
The U.S. State Department lists Italy at Level 2, Exercise increased caution, due to terrorism, in an advisory issued September 10, 2026. It recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate, and it highly recommends buying travel insurance before you go.
Is December a good time to visit Venice?
Yes, December suits travelers who want museums, churches, painting and wine-bar food, and who are happy in a warm coat.
January is colder still and a little drier, and it is the city’s tourist-tax low season.
For swimming, neither December nor January works. The water is warmer in November, at 60°F, though still cool.
Sources
- scultura.veneto.eu (https://scultura.veneto.eu/stampa-dettaglio?uuid=c5d75d69-553a-4bfa-901f-ba47d4e100a1&template=%2Fregioneveneto%2Fpresentation%2Flocalita-detail), checked 2026-10-25
- tickets.basilicasanmarco.it (https://tickets.basilicasanmarco.it/it/support/faq), checked 2026-10-25
- comune.venezia.it (https://www.comune.venezia.it/it/content/tourist-tax-information-guests?gsid=fba7e79e-4a73-4cc7-b858-2954de6cc4fc), checked 2026-10-30
- italia.it (https://www.italia.it/en/veneto/venice), checked 2026-10-22
- palazzoducale.visitmuve.it (https://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/visitor-information/), checked 2026-10-30
- labiennale.org (https://www.labiennale.org/en/news/save-dates-2026), checked 2026-10-30
- carnevale.venezia.it (https://carnevale.venezia.it/informazioni-utili/come-arrivare-a-venezia/), checked 2026-10-25
- hoteltintoretto.com (https://www.hoteltintoretto.com/EN/home.html), checked 2026-10-25