Travel Agony Aunt received the following question from a traveler planning a holiday in Venice in winter:
Dear Travel Agony Aunt, I’m thinking of booking a trip to Venice late November early December. Do you have any suggestions for hotels and what the temperature would be. Would it be very cold? Thank you!
Mr. Murphy from Ireland
Dear Mr. Murphy,
The magic of Venice in any season has no need to be reminded. It is a very popular destination year round but winter is probably the best time to visit this enchanting city if you want to avoid crowds, live the real Venice’s atmosphere and find cheap hotels. In Venice high water events are frequent in Autumn and Winter but the risk of acqua alta should not prevent you from visiting the city. The floods do not take place everyday and last only a few hours, especially in the area around St Mark’s square, the lowest point of Venice. So pack good waterproof footwear and plenty of warm clothes and stride through the fascinating morning mist that envelops the whole city! Winter in Venice is the season of cold temperatures, icy winds from the sea, quiet streets, misty views and…hot chocolate! In cold weather, you shouldn’t miss the Venetian hot chocolate with whipped cream. Viziovirtù, located in San Tomà in Calle del Campaniel, 15 minutes walk from St. Mark’s Square, is definitely one of the best chocolate shops in Venice and serves a mouthwatering hot chocolate with classic or spicy flavors. Since the days are short in winter, I would suggest you to go sightseeing until early in the afternoon and later enjoy the evening in a cozy restaurant or a romantic wine bar.
Winter months are also the best time to save money. Venere.com offers a wide range of pensions and budget hotels in Venice for every taste. They should all be well heated and often offer discounts to those tourists staying for 5 days or longer. The most popular hotels in Venice on Venere.com are the following:
1. Hotel Stella Alpina
The Stella Alpina hotel in Venice lies within meters of the the city’s central train station and the Grand Canal. This charming four-storey hotel is situated in a quiet area of Venice’s historic city center and only five minutes from the Venice Casino.
2. Locanda Herion
The Locanda Herion hotel is located in the characteristic area of Cannaregio in Venice, only a few minutes from the Santa Lucia train station. The main feature of this hotel is the play of interlinked terraces, transformed into miniature roof gardens.
3. Hotel Rio
Hotel Rio lies in a lively area in the heart of Venice, in close proximity to St. Mark’s Square and just a short walk from the San Zaccaria vaporetto waterboat stop. Several rooms in the hotel were once occupied by the famous musical composer Antonio Vivaldi!
4. Hotel Reiter
The Reiter hotel boasts a superb position in Venice Lido, just 200 meters from the Venice Lido water boat station and only a 10 minute boat ride to St. Mark’s Square, in the very heart of Venice.
5. Hotel La Meridiana
La Meridiana hotel is situated in center of the Venice Lido, 100 m from the beach and only 500 m from the Venice Film Festival Palace. This Venice hotel is a recently restored building dating back to the 30’s.
Photo of lost traveler in Venice, Italy originally posted by David Sifry
Topic: Travel Agony Aunt |
1 Comment
Tags: packing, Venice
One response to “Visit Venice in Winter”
Report an inappropriate commentOctober 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I visited Venice for the first time in the very same period as Mr. Murphy’s and though I packed a nice pair of fisherman’s boots – there actually was high water that winter – I was so lucky I didn’t have to wear them. The weather was perfectly sunny and the old palaces’ facades shone like jewels as we passed by on vaporetto. If it happens to be the same during your stay, I suggest you remain on deck while cruising to take photos or simply enjoy the views – just make sure you have a warm woolen scarf to protect your face from the chilly air!
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