The weather in Venice, Italy...when to go?

When is the best time to go to Venice and Veneto?
And how will the weather in Venice be in the different seasons?
And, more, how is generally in Venice the climate?

Of course any of us wish to enjoy good weather, sunny skies, not too hot, not too cold, not too crowded...but perfection still does not exist on this earth!
I have been in Venice every season of the year as I live half an hour away, and I can say that during any season you can find pros and cons.

I am going to tell you about those pros and cons in a while, so that you can make a more informed choice about when to visit Venice!

in the meanwhile, if you are going to leave soon for a getaway in Venice, here you can find the Venice weather forecast .

The weather has yet to marry..

The weather in Venice varies from summer to winter, from fall to spring, from one year to the next, and from one day to the next.
Taking into account that, as a rule the Venice weather follows nevertheless its own trend.

Basically, as a rule of thumb, I can say this:

The Venice climate is tempered, with some mediterranean influence.
It means that the Veneto's capital is never too cold, the temperatures in winter rarely goes under 0°C (32°F), thanks to the mitigating influence of the sea.
In summer, the high can reach about 35°C.
Being a maritime town inside a lagoon, the humidity can often be high.

But...there's a saying in Italy which goes: the weather has yet to marry.. meaning that it's someway unpredictable and it does whatever it wants...and the weather in Venice is no different!

Having said that, Venice is located in the Italy's northeast part. That means that you can not expect the mild climate of Sicily all year long...but neither the northern european one!

When to go? Pros and cons of any period depending on the weather in Venice

Spring - March, April, May -

it is perhaps the best time to travel to Venice.
The chances of rain are generally not high, the temperatures are very pleasant, so that during the central hours in the day, if sunny, even in March you may only need to wear a t-shirt..I happened to wear just a t-shirt even in early February.

Please note..it does not mean that if you go to Venice and Veneto in March you do not need a heavy jacket!

The humidity rate typical of this town is more than bearable in these months.The stream of tourists is pretty high in February, due to the Carnival, and in the Easter period.

Summer - June, July, August -

June can still be pleasant, mostly the first part, but July and August are usually hot, and most of all obnoxiously sultry, especially if you are in the narrow channels or roads far away from the sea, and if the humid warm Sirocco is blowing.

Thunderstorms can happen, even frequently, and they are usually more than welcome, giving relief from the sultriness.

Fall - September, October, November -

The temperatures are more pleasant and mild, and the sultriness has gone.
Many windy days, in turns Bora and Sirocco.

The days are shorter, but the colors and the sunsets in the lagoon are amazing. Higher chances of rain, especially in November.
But if you are lucky enough, the weather in Venice can be still plesant, and you can enjoy wonderful sunny, warm and bright days.

Winter - December, January, February -

The temperatures are cold but not harsh, thanks to the closeness to the sea. In the two coldest months, December and January, they dip rarely under 0C (32F).
It is often foggy and humid though, and this gives the sensation of colder temperatures.

And both in November and December acqua alta (high water) is just around the corner.
February is generally way milder though.

But you know what?
The town is YOURS, the mass of tourists has gone, and Venice and its mist-shrouded channels can be unbelievably romantic...
if you are a couple, and you don't feel the cold too much, do not discard the idea of a travel to Venice at this time of the year..

And..you know what even more?
You may find sunny and unbelievable bright skies also in this period.
Whatever the weather in Venice, the magic is in the town.

The main winds blowing over Venice

(and somewhat over Veneto as well)

Bora:
a dry and cool wind blowing from the north-east.
It can quickly change the weather in Venice from cloudy to sunny, and it really blows with very heavy gusts.

Just think that in Trieste, an italian town a couple hours east of Venice, the bora blows so bad that in the most exposed spots the authorities nailed to the walls some handrails for people to hold on tight, to prevent themselves from being taken away by the wind!

It's just to give you a hint about what the hell of a wind is this...but don't worry, in Venice the bora can be strong, but not THAT strong!

Bora can be there anytime over the year, but it blows more frequently and strongest in fall and winter.
The good news is that after some gusts of this dry wind the sky quickly becomes a deep blue color, the sun very bright, and the humidity rate very low.

Sirocco:
a warm and humid wind blowing from the Sahara desert, in north Africa. It can blow anytime, but in summer is quite obnoxious for the humidity rate it brings with.

This african wind, then, along with the lunar cycles and the adriatic tides, is also responsible for the cycling phenomenon of acqua alta (high water) in Venice, which happens only in November and December..loved by tourists that find it pretty picturesque, but much much less by the Venetians..

A curiosity about Sirocco: in Italy - in Venice, and Veneto as well, and I guess in other south european and north african countries too - you can sometimes notice the towns, the cars, the streets covered in a thin reddish powder. The more southward you go, the thicker it can be.
It's from the Sahara desert sand, carried northward just by the Sirocco.

Libeccio:
a southwesterly wind, less frequent.

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