Month guide · Venice · Italy
Venice in December
What December is really like in Venice: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
December is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 7°C (45°F), lows of 1°C (34°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 8.7 hours of daylight. Cold and misty, with Christmas lights and markets; busy around Christmas and New Year.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 7°C (45°F) / 1°C (34°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 8.7 hours
- Sea temperature
- 12°C (54°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the coolest month in Venice: days average 7°C (45°F) against a yearly average high of 18°C (64°F), and nights fall to about 1°C (34°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with November (12°C (54°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 7°C (45°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:44
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 16:28
- Daylight
- About 8.7 hours
- Sea
- 12°C (54°F)
Winter (December–February). Cold, misty and magical, with low prices except at Christmas, New Year and Carnival in February.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is May at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in May). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Christmas market in Campo Santo Stefano (December)
- New Year's Eve fireworks over St Mark's Basin (31 December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Island · Northern lagoon
Torcello
Now home to only a handful of residents, Torcello was one of the first places in the lagoon to be settled.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Art
- Nature
Religious site · San Giorgio
San Giorgio Maggiore
Take vaporetto line 2 from San Zaccaria for a two-minute crossing, and go up the tower in late afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Architecture
- Art
- Couples
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Historic site · Cannaregio
Jewish Ghetto
Established in 1516, the Venetian Ghetto gave the world the word 'ghetto', from the foundry (getto) that once stood here.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Beach · Lido
Lido di Venezia
Rent a bike near the vaporetto stop and ride south along the sea wall to the fishing village of Malamocco.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 7°C, lows near 1°C and 7 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Venice?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Venice in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Venice?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold and misty, with Christmas lights and markets; busy around Christmas and New Year.
+How warm is Venice in December?
Average highs are around 7°C (45°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Venice in December?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.