Are you thinking of visiting Venice in April?
For many travellers looking for a city break, Venice in spring is the perfect destination to visit in Italy and spend some well deserved time off.
Being in Venice in April is a great time to visit the most famous attractions, explore the city on foot and get lost around its narrow streets for hours.
The weather conditions are ideal and you may even be lucky enough to enjoy some days that are as warm as the start of summer.
Great cultural events are in line as more visitors arrive in the city of water.
April in Venice is not only a great time to enjoy the pleasant temperatures but even spend more time exploring Venice’s districts and other islands or cities in Veneto.
Venice in April
If you’re a fan of events, the art exhibitions here take place inside Venetian palaces, and concerts and festivals in unique venues all around the lagoon.
In this guide, you’ll learn which important events in the city occur in April and access travel resources to make the most of this city’s beauty.
Why Visit Venice in April?
April in Venice is a great time to discover the city and spend time both outdoors and indoors visiting palaces, attractions and museums.
But let’s look at a couple of reasons why I believe April is one of the best months of the year to visit to Venice so you have even more reasons to visit the city.
- The weather in Venice in April is enjoyable with temperatures ranging from 13 and 18 °C, but it can easily get over 20 °C. There’s also a decreasing chance of rainy or cold days. These are the ideal conditions for exploring a city like Venice, where winters are quite cold, rainy and affected by the high tide plus very hot and humid summers.
- April is the perfect month of the year to explore the rest of the Venetian lagoon and the Veneto region if you have time. These temperatures allow you to spend time outdoors and there’s no better way to do it than getting on the vaporetto to visit other islands or a train to the surrounding towns.
- During spring, Venice is not quite as overcrowded as in the summer. This means that Venice in April is ideal to avoid long queues at the top attractions and prices of the accommodation and flights are still quite affordable compared to summer. I recommend booking your stay in Venice at least 2 months in advance in order to find good deals.
With this in mind, you should now have a better idea of why Venice is worth visiting in April compared to other months of the year, let’s now take a look at important events and things you can do during this month.
Venice in April weather
Temperatures in Venice in April are between 13 and 18 °C, but you can easily find very sunny and warm days with temperatures over 20 °C.
In April, there’s far less chance of finding a rainy day compared to March. The sun won’t be as aggressive as the summer, but don’t forget to carry some good sunscreen cream with you and sunglasses to protect yourself as you walk around Venice or visit the islands.
I suggest packing light, but also dressing in layers, so that way you can easily remove a clothing item if it starts to get too hot, or put it back on when it gets cold.
It’s important to wear comfortable shoes, cotton shirts and a jacket. For pain prevention, it might also be a good idea to carry some blister plasters with you, in the case that your shoe starts to rub on the heel of your foot and cause a blister.
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Things to do in Venice in April
Although one of the most classic ways to visit Venice is to get lost around its narrow streets called ‘calli’, without a precise destination in mind, if you’re spending only a few days in Venice, its better to have a clear idea of the places you want to visit.
Celebrate Easter like a real Venetian
According to the tradition, Easter Sunday is a day to celebrate and spend quality time with family and friends. Venetian people have a generous lunch at home or go to the restaurant.
The Easter menu in Venice normally includes a fish and seafood based meal and there are many restaurants and taverns able to tantalize your tastebuds.
They usually offer a delicious fixed-price Easter menu which is ideal if you’re spending this occasion with your family, or as a group of friends.
Don’t know where to stop for Easter lunch? Ask a local! Venetian people will be more than happy to advise you and recommend restaurants where you can eat well without spending too much.
Aim to taste some of traditional Venetian cuisine while here. After lunch, there’s nothing better than going for a stroll along Riva degli Schiavoni, Zattere or the Castello neighbourhood. There are some of my favourite places to go for a peaceful walk in the city.
Explore the Venetian lagoon’s islands
Do you know how many islands in Venice there are? 62! You can easily visit some of them, whilst others are tiny and one is cursed (do you know which one?).
April in Venice is ideal for doing boat tours to these Venetian islands. This half day Murano, Burano and Torcello boat tour is popular and transportation between the islands is provided.
Once you get to each island, you have some free time to walk around the streets and canals. Discover the colourful Burano, watch master glassmakers in Murano, and stroll through the ancient streets and Byzantine churches of Torcello.
If you’re looking for a more off-the-beaten-path island experience, then you can sort your own transportation and visit the Giudecca, Lido, Mazzorbo or Sant’Erasmo, just to name a few. Every island has its own history and legends worth getting to know and they’re waiting to be discovered by curious travellers.
Commemorate Liberation Day
The 25th of April is the Liberation Day, which has been a national holiday since 1945. On that day the partisan forces rose up against the Nazi fascists who occupied the peninsula and liberated it.
Today, every Italian celebrates this important event, and for many, it’s a good opportunity to have some time off work. This also means that if you’re travelling around this day of the month, you can expect to find higher prices for flights and accommodation, since more people are travelling.
There are many events happening around the city like in St. Mark’s Square, where the flag-raising rite takes place and in Cannaregio the path of memory procession that ends in the Jewish Ghetto.
Being in Venice, or anywhere else in Italy, on this day, can be a great opportunity to learn more about the history of the country.
Celebrate Venice’s Patron Saint
On the same day, 25th of April, it’s also celebrated Venice’s Patron Saint: Saint Mark Evangelist. The 25th of April corresponds with the day of his death.
During the Serenissima Republic days, the Saint used to be remembered with a procession towards the Basilica, and the Doge and the highest city authorities took part.
Today, it’s celebrated with a solemn Mass by the patriarch of Venice in the St. Mark’s Basilica. This is your chance to visit the internal part of the basilica also called ‘the Golden Cathedral’ for its impressive golden mosaics.
If you can’t, or don’t want to assist at the Mass, then you can always get your fast-track entry ticket to the Basilica (with audio guide) and avoid queues at the entrance. Since you’re in St. Mark’s Square, aim to go for a stroll around other main attractions in the city too.
By getting your Doge’s Palace reserved ticket you can also visit Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs from here. With the same ticket you can then visit the Correr Museum, the National Archeological Museum and Biblioteca Marciana.
Go for a gondola ride
Whether it’s your first or second (or third!) visit to Venice, how can you skip a gondola ride? In April, Venice is sunny and temperatures are ideal for exploring the city via its canals.
There’s nothing better than looking at Venice from a different perspective, observe locals and visitors walking on the fondamenta, while taking in all the beauty of the Venetian palaces. The most popular point to start a gondola ride is from Rialto Bridge, where you can cross the Grand Canal and see some of the most important palaces.
However, I usually recommend choosing different spots in the city, where there are fewer (or zero) tourists waiting for their turn.
Some good alternative spots (stazi) to start from are: from Santa Maria del Giglio, which is just next to one of the best 5 star hotels in Venice: the Gritti Palace.
From there you can also cross the Gran Canal and see palaces such as Ca’ Dario and the Santa Maria della Salute church. Then you can also leave from San Toma’ and Campo del Gheto Novo, in the Cannaregio neighbourhood.
Join a street food tour
Do you like the idea of eating like the locals do? Or, the like the idea of getting to know Venice through the local cuisine during your visit?
If so, check out either this private evening tour with drinks and cicchetti or this street food guided tour where you’ll stop by the Cannaregio district, Grand Canal, Rialto market and bridge.
By joining these food tours, not only will you taste some of the best Venetian street food, but you’ll get acquainted with a typical local custom: ‘andar per bacari’.
If you prefer finding your own way to the best tavernas and bacari, then be sure to add the following places to try traditional Venetian food in Venice to your list.
Places to try traditional Venetian food:
- Osteria al Squero
- Bacareto da Lele
- Osteria Bancogiro
- Cantina do Mori
- Cantine del Vino già Schiavi
As you eat your way around Venice, instead of buying bottled water each and everytime you get thirsty, carry one of these reusable bottles along with you.
Visit more of the Veneto’s region
Spring is the best season to spend time outdoors and see what else the Veneto region has to offer!
You can either hire a car from Venice or hop on the train (Santa Lucia railway station) and in a matter of an hour (or less), visit romantic medieval towns, the iconic Prosecco hills or the majestic Dolomites.
If you prefer to arrange your own transportation, then read my guide all about the best day trips from Venice by train and learn where you can go using the direct regional or high-speed train.
Places like the Prosecco hills or the Alps, need a bit more planning and I’d recommend hiring a car to reach them. But if don’t want to drive, you can join this popular Prosecco wine tasting tour with many good reviews from previous travellers, or spend a day in the mountains visiting Cortina and the stunning Misurina Lake.
Venice in April
Now you should know what to expect from a visit to Venice in April.
April is the perfect month to travel to Venice, as you would avoid the summer crowds and don’t have to queue as much at the top attractions.
Of course, booking admission tickets and guided tours in advance is a good way to optimise your time whilst visiting the city.
April is also great to explore the city by foot and other Venetian islands since there’s almost zero chance of rainy days and temperatures are enjoyable.
If you’re in the process of booking your trip and not sure how long to stay in Venice, read my post on how many days in Venice for more insight on trip duration.
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