we’re going somewhere in feb (though I’ve avoided spending the marital coin to find out why march doesn’t work) and we haven’t been to Venice. I’m a little hesitant, it seems to me it might be better to visit in the warmer months but then there’s the issue of avoiding what sounds like an unpleasant mob scene.
Also, I haven’t found direct flights from NYC so it will require landing in Milan and if we land milan, I’m thinking we should see the last supper and hang out for a couple of days and take the train to venice. make sense?
and which area to stay in venice? Not too worried about what to eat, I’m working my way through venice restaurant thread and hopefully I’ll see @JenKalb at one of our HO get-togethers before we go.
best,
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Harters
( A culinary patriot cooking and eating in northwest England)
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I think Feb could be a great time. We’ve visited Venice a number of times for long weekends, including once in spring. Not as early as February but it was nice to wander without feeling completely over run by other tourists. I imagine Feb would be even better. Weather not as good for walking about of course.
I’d suggest staying fairly central (a few minutes away from St Marks Square). I can’t recall the name of the place we stayed but it was not much more than 5 minutes stroll from the Square. It was great arriving by water taxi from the airport almost literally to the hotel’s front door.
we have had several winter visits to Venice, at Christmas time, in mid Feb, and in early march (last rather springlike) It can be pretty clammy or chilly, but not necessarily as bad as NY. I think Feb is better than January since many restos take a break after the Christmas holidays and they should be back in business in February. Its a great advantage to be there when the crowds are not, and you can walk into restaurants many times without reservations (tho I would make them for crowd favorites) and stroll the streets without being part of a mob or feeling like you are in a rat run!
Personal preference, we have enjoyed staying AWAY from Saint Marks Square , in Canareggio (but not too far out) in Castello near the Arsenale and in Santa Croce (if you are looking for an airbnb you want to avoid ground floor rentals, of which there are many in areas like San Polo, Santa Croce and farther out Canareggio) since they are more vulnerable to aqua alta). But I confess that we are not shoppers which the central part (especially between San Marco and the Rialto) is geared to, heavily.Wherever you choose, Its good to consider where the nearby vaporetto stops are, to have a good resto or two nearby and good neighborhood food shopping if you are renting. The main Rialto market is a shell of what it once was. Note, if you want a gondola riding experience, taking a traghetto is a cheap way of satisfying the urge.
thanks jen, do you think it’s worth trying to push to mid-March? We moved to Amsterdam for a year for a banking project and feb was an awful month there, so I’m a little concerned. I do realize we’ll have a lot more light than Amsterdam in the winter, which was the main issue.
It’s sad to hear about Rialto market, I was looking forward to visiting but I’m sure if we follow your breadcrumbs, we’ll find great food. I’m also researching Mexico city, the weather should be great but doesn’t hold the same appeal for us.
I checked to see when Fat Tue falls this year. March 4, 2025.
You’ll be able to enjoy some of the Carnevale treats while you’re in Venice in Feb.
I had always hoped to visit during Carnevale.
I went to the Alps to ski 6 times between 2004 and 2019. I never managed to line up my trips to visit Italy during Carnevale.
I skied with a Friulian Canadian ski club for 11 years, and some of the ladies in the club brought Carnevale sweets, specifically the fritturi and crostoli on our ski trip to Tremblant each Feb. The Venetian frittelle / fritole look similar to the Friulian fritturi.
I have visited during Carnevale, though it was over 15 years ago. The year we went it was bone-chillingly cold, very beautiful, and a bit more crowded than usual, but that was offset by the fun of seeing folks in costume.
I am hoping the Carnevale foods might be available in Feb before the crowded week leading up to Fat Tue.
I don’t like crowds, costume balls, or Carnevale parties. I like the foods associated with Carnevale, Mardi Gras and Fasching. I was lucky to be in Tyrol, Austria, the week before Fat Tue in 2007. The apricot krapfen in Austria in the weeks leading to Fat Tue are delicious.
I’ve always found the Venetian masks a little creepy. LOL.
We were chilly but fine in Feb but it will most likely be significantly nicer in March - btw the end of Carnival will be in the first week of March so it will be much more crowded, possibly painfully these days, then. Personally, Id prefer March to Feb, its not crowded yet and its getting more springlike. There will not be seasonal resto closures. NYC is on the same latitude as Rome, Venice a little farther north and of course Amsterdam like London is a good bit farther N so yes you will have more sun than in amsterdam. Its definitely a factor, being out and about and visiting churches with poor lighting. In March we spent several days out on the Islands in the lagoon, and it was fairly springlike, green stuff and birds which definitely makes it more cheery and nicer to ride on the boats, too. We had one day of serious rain (I was birding in a park on the mainland and it was quite a downpour) However, we enjoyed all of our visits, maybe 4 in all in the cold season? Christmas week (ith acqua alta) , Jan, Feb and March.
There used to be a really good resto guide/app for Venice, MIcaela Scibilia’s but she hasnt been updating - the most recent edition I can find is 2013, in Italian. https://www.amazon.com/Venezia-laguna-low-cost-anticrisi-ebook/dp/B00EDIMHIS?ref_=ast_author_mpb somehow it does not easier to get solid info, despite all the words out there. Elizabeth Minchilli has a guide or app but I cant attest. @ziggy might surface to respond or you could check his blog - I seem to recall he had some recommendations I have not tried. In addition to the linked thread, we had great experiences at Alla Frasca - this was some time ago - and I am sure many of the places in Scibilia above and the few in Slowfood for Venice are still good
I will try to pull together some ideas apart from what is on that post from our last trip.
The Rialto still has good stuff, but it is just much shrinken from what I remember in the past, since there are so many fewer venetian residents.
If you go, its well worth taking the train to nearby cities, Padua, Verona etc. A day trip to Bologna or Florence is easy with the fast trains now.
Holy Thursday (the commemoration of the Last Supper in Christian Tradition) will fall on April 13 this year but I think @Ziggy might be referring to the Leonardo painting in Milan which is a really tough ticket - but @vinouspleasure is not going there. There is a famous Last Supper in Venice at well, but I dont think theres any problem getting to see it. Mistake? or maybe a joke i do not get? We will see when he comes back.
for pastries, including delicious fritelle (a delicious filled fritter which is a carnival specialty but I imagine is available for a longer season) good coffee and general excellence, Tonolo in Dorsoduro is great,
Dal Nono Colussi over on Via Lunga San Barnaba (a second shop is in SW NW of the Piazza , but this is the original shop) has a more limited range but their venetian foccacia, rather like a panettone but simpler, and other things are great. I cant believe the old guy is still working in the shop but now with his granddaughters!
My final pastry recommendation you didnt ask for is Pasticceria Marchini Time, in the same general area NW of Piazza San Marco. Its gotten more touristic in this location, there were Japanese girls in there photographing the last time we visited, but you can ignore the cuteness and try some of their traditional specialties, like pan dei dogi, which are very different.