August in Venice without ac
 

Will this be unbearable? We are travelling with two small children.

It will be awfully warm at best and ugly hot at worst. If you do this, I hope you can stay in a place that has lots of upper floors above you, to help insulate you from the heat. Good luck.

I strongly suggest AC.

Agree with Wayne and Ira. Do you remember last summer in Europe? I wouldn't even think about such option while traveling with two small children. Have fun in Venice.

Don't risk it. It will be tough enough traveling to Venice with two small children to add to it.

We stayed in venice in august with no ac and I would NEVER do it again. We were high up and he heat was unbearable - it was a particularly hot heatwave and everyone was suffering I should add. However, because the buildings are tall and the canals are narrow it holds the heat. the whole experience almost put me off going there again and I swore I would only go if there was ac (in august I mean).

I honestly wouldn't go to Venice in August. It will be hot and sticky and horribly overcrowded.
Even with ac in the hotel you will still have to face the crowds and heat when you go out.

and...the smell....good god

Don't even think about it.

We were in Venice in late June and stayed in a hotel with AC (central). Only for some reason they ran it during the day and turned it of at night. So by 2AM you were lying in bed sweating and completely and unable to sleep.

The next day we told them unless the AC ran all night we were moving and that night they left it on. The third night they turned it off again and there was a guest revolt in the lobby until they finally turned it on again. (Not really relevant to your query but I've always wanted to get this off my chest.)

Definitely chose a hotel with AC - and if its individually controlled rather than central all the better.

I have been to Venice only twice, but both times in August. I would strongly recommend air conditioning for your hotel. It can be very very hot, which I don't mind touring and walking around town, but it is heavenly to return to a cool, quiet, calm place to stay.

As to the "and... the smell" comment, that seems to be a myth perpetuated by people who have not been to Venice.

I'll also get on the AC bandwagon.

I was in there in July, it was hot and though the AC wasn't as strong as I'm used to here in the States, it was very nice to come in to a cooler room. Especially with young children, they may get really cranky if they are too hot and you will not enjoy Venice. Get AC!

sorry suze! - certainly don't mean to perpetuate an argument here - my family lived there for several years and I am quite familiar. venice does not smell all year round - I absolutely did not mean to imply that...btu I see how it could have been taken as such..but there are certain summer weather condition that makes the pong unbearable. just something to consider is all!

Don't know if you're going to other places in Italy, but just about any location in Italy is unpleasant in August without ac. Florence can be absolute hell.

I was in Venice in August with 90+ temperatures. We had A/C (the "gentle" Italian type of a/c)and it saved us. We could put up with the heat and humidity all day just knowing that a shower & some A/C would allow us to sleep well & regroup for the next day. We adored Venice, even in August. But, I wouldn't dream of taking young children there in August without A/C!

This is what nightmares are made of.
There is NO CHANCE I would ever do this. Not even if it was free.

we went last June and Baked. I'd do something else.

I'd go for AC, but ya know...it won't be as bad as Rome. I'm just sayin'.

I've been to Venice in August w/ an 8-year-old, and we had a blast. It's my favorite city in the world. Enjoy!

Yes, it would be unbearable.

And after reading all these posts, it would be - um - foolish - to pick a kind word.

We were there Aug 02 and while it was hot (and yes we had an AC room) there was no smell. Perhaps the people who posted about the smell were in Venice several years ago where there might have been a problem.

We've been there 3 times since Fall 02 and never noticed a smell and I've got a very active sniffer being female!

Just wondering, what's hot to you all. I never found it hot. Warm, Yes. Hot, No. As for "the smell" during August, I must have had a stuffy nose those few years. Do keep in mind that I like 90 to 110 degree weather (with a light warm, or cool breeze)

I didn't find Venice unbearably hot in August, but we did have an air conditioned room. The temperature was in the 90's, but, to us, the humidity was so low-40 to 50%-that, unless we were in the the direct sun, it was very comfortable. The streets are very shaded in Venice. HOT was when we returned to RDU at 9PM, the doors to the outside opened, and the 95% humidity hit us!

Well, to me warm is 70 to 80. I find temps above 80 too hot to do anything comfortably without air conditioning - especially sleep. And above 95 in unbearable. I know a lot of people say low humidity helps - but I've never been in Venice when it wasn't humid. So I vote for the AC for anytime in the summer - and yes you will need it in Florence and Rome just as much as in Venice.

(And yes, I've been to the Southwest -never again. 100 and dry is really unbearable - who wants to spend their whole life sweating?)

As a PS to my last post, YES it was and we did sweat the August we were there, as it was in the mid to high 90s in the sun during the hottest time of day. BUT it did not smell bad. Ever. Again, we dressed lightly & enjoyed ourselves immensely. But, would never consider Venice in high summer heat without A/C. With young children, to me it would be madness not to have A/C!