Month guide · Venice · Italy
Venice in January
What January is really like in Venice: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Njsmith3, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 7°C (45°F), lows of 0°C (32°F), about 6 rainy days and roughly 9.1 hours of daylight. Cold, often foggy and very atmospheric, with the quietest streets of the year outside New Year; acqua alta is possible.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 7°C (45°F) / 0°C (32°F)
- Rainy days
- About 6
- Daylight
- About 9.1 hours
- Sea temperature
- 10°C (50°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Venice: days average 7°C (45°F) against a yearly average high of 18°C (64°F), and nights fall to about 0°C (32°F). Rain falls on roughly 6 of its 31 days. Compared with December (7°C (45°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 9°C (48°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:46
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:53
- Daylight
- About 9.1 hours
- Sea
- 10°C (50°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, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is May at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in May). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Regata delle Befane — rowers dressed as witches race on the Grand Canal (6 January)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Religious site · San Marco
St Mark's Basilica
Cover shoulders and knees, leave large bags at the free deposit nearby and buy the museum ticket for the loggia view.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
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Palace · San Marco
Doge's Palace
The Gothic palace of the doges was the seat of the Venetian Republic for centuries.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Museum · Dorsoduro
Gallerie dell'Accademia
Focus on the Bellini, Giorgione and Veronese rooms if time is short.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Gallery · Dorsoduro
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The American collector's former home, an unfinished single-storey palazzo on the Grand Canal, holds one of Italy's best collections of 20th-century art: Picasso, Pollock, Kandinsky, Magritte, Dalí, Ernst and Brâncuși.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
What to pack
For highs near 7°C, lows near 0°C and 6 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Venice?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event 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 January a good time to visit Venice?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold, often foggy and very atmospheric, with the quietest streets of the year outside New Year; acqua alta is possible.
+How warm is Venice in January?
Average highs are around 7°C (45°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Venice in January?
Expect rain on about 6 days of the month.