I Spend Half of Each Year in Venice-Here's Why Winter Is the Best Time to Visit

"But living here is an entirely different experience than visiting, and if you want to feel like a local, I suggest you come in winter. No one thinks of Venice in winter, and to be here at that time of year is sublime. Winter in Venice means silence, and being wrapped in a dreamlike fog. Can you imagine stepping into an empty Piazza San Marco and walking into the gold of the Basilica or Palazzo Correr without waiting in line?"

"Winter starts here a month earlier than in the rest of the world, on November 21st, Madonna della Salute day. A floating bridge is set up across the Grand Canal to Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, and locals cross it to light a candle, pray, and chat with their loved ones. Even non-religious people like me tend to perform this ritual."

"If you want to spend an afternoon in a cozy bistro and independent bookshop, pay a visit to Sullaluna. Some New Yorkers might know its younger sister in the West Village, but this one, on Fondamenta de la Misericordia, is the original. It will be easy to spot college students opening the first page of Death in Venice while nursing a cup of delicious hot chocolate."

Venice transforms in winter into a quiet, fog-wrapped city with far fewer tourists, allowing access to major sites without long lines. Winter begins locally on November 21st with Madonna della Salute, when a temporary bridge across the Grand Canal brings residents to Santa Maria della Salute to light candles, pray, and converse. Many restaurants reduce hours but several stay open and reservations are easier; Osteria da Codroma offers distinctive local cuisine. Independent cafés and bookshops like Sullaluna provide cozy afternoons and literary atmosphere. Family activities include a small carousel on Riva dei Sette Martiri and seasonal ice skating in San Polo followed by pizza at Birraria.

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