The best time to visit Venice
Venice has four seasons and a fifth — high water, which is not a disaster but a timetable.
- Best
- Late April to mid-June, and October
- Carnival
- The ten days before Ash Wednesday
- Acqua alta
- October–January
In Venice the weather matters less than the crowd. The city takes up to thirty thousand day-trippers at the height of the season, and then the narrow lanes move in single file; in November and February the same city has half the people and half the room rate.
Month by month
Average of daily means — not daily maxima
Acqua alta — what it actually means
Acqua alta is a tide that lifts the lagoon above its usual level and floods the lowest parts of the city, above all St Mark's Square, which is the lowest point of all. It is not a surprise: it is forecast hours ahead by siren and app, lasts two or three hours and withdraws on its own. Raised walkways go out, and rubber boots are sold on every corner. Since 2020 the Mose barrier system closes the lagoon when forecasts pass a set level, so the worst floods are rarer than they were.
Carnival — and why perhaps not
The ten days before Ash Wednesday are the fullest and most expensive of the year; some lanes are closed for density, and a hotel in Venice costs what two ordinary stays would. If the masks are the reason for the trip, go — but book months ahead. If they are not, February two weeks either side gives you the same city for half.
November, the month nobody picks
The most rain and the most high water, but also the fewest people and the lowest prices of the year. Museums are open, restaurants are open, and St Mark's Square at nine in the morning is empty and without a single tour group. If you are travelling for the city rather than the weather, November is the best deal Venice offers.
The access fee — where things stand
Venice ran a trial charge on day visitors in 2024, 2025 and 2026, on selected dates between April and July and only during daytime hours; anyone staying overnight was exempt, since they already pay the tourist tax. The trial ended in July 2026 and the fee is not currently in force. The rule has changed every year so far.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
When is the best time to visit Venice?
Late April to mid-June and October. If you are choosing by price and calm rather than weather — November and February outside Carnival.
Does acqua alta ruin a trip?
Rarely. It is forecast hours ahead, lasts two or three hours and withdraws; raised walkways go out. It is commonest from October to January.
Is there a fee to enter the city?
Not at present. The day-visitor charge ran as a trial in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and ended in July 2026. The rule has changed every year since the trial began.
Ready for Venice?
Where to next
Getting around Venice
→From the plane to the first gondola on the canal in three steps: bus, Piazzale Roma, then water or your feet…
Verona · 104 km
→An amphitheatre that still stages opera in summer, a courtyard tied to Shakespeare's tragedy and a fortress over the river — all inside a loop you can walk in a day, with a second day opening up Lake Garda.
How well does Venice suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.