AONeal79

Hi all...

We'll be in Venice in mid-January, and I'm starting to think about what to pack. I'd like to bring only one coat (an extra would take up too much room in the suitcase) but I'm not sure of exactly what would be sufficient to keep me warm.

I should mention that I live in Chicago and have been through numerous brutal winters. According to Weather.com, the average high will be 42, and the average low will be 30. However, 42 degrees can feel really different depending on where you are. Is it humid? How common is rain/snow?

Also, is it imperative that I bring rubber boots to deal with the flooding, or do the wooden planks do the trick?

KirRoyale

Hi AONeal79,

We were there 3 or 4 years ago on Valentine's Day and it snowed, but we got the impression from the locals that this was not a common occurance. We were pretty bundled up and we were chilly. It was a kind of damp cold that gets into your bones. But we're also from California, so to someone from Chicago maybe it's not so bad. No matter the cold, it was magical. Carnivale costumes everywhere, lights strung across the walkways, mulled wine being sold from carts, and a warm bar every so often to duck in and fortify with a glass of brandy! We've been in February several times and have never had the Acqua Alta, though the planks were at the ready. Have fun!

KirRoyale

adrienne

Hi, one coat will be enough but you will need to layer underneath it, sweaters, turtlenecks and a fleece vest is a good idea (although not all at one time!).

I was in Venice mid October and it was brisk along the water with the wind whipping up. Inland was much milder since it wasn't windy. You will need to bring gloves and a woolen type scarf.

I didn't find Venice in October to be damp at all. In fact, even in northern Italy when it rained it wasn't overly humid/damp. But, I live in New Jersey where it's (almost) always humid and damp, probably much the same as Chicago weather.

venexiano

Hi, you should pack a wind-proof jacket since it may be windy or very damp and cold which is much worse. The risk of flooding is not worth bringing along any rubber boots. You can still walk along the wooden planks and wait a couple of hours ( that's how long it would last!)

RufusTFirefly

Do keep in mind that those are averages. It could be 32 and windy the entire time you're there. Or 52 and sunny. I think you'd have to take a good coat planning on the worst case scenario, unless you have enough money that you wouldn't mind being a heavy coat in Venice if it turns out to be really cold--and quite likely windy.

It's one thing to get around in your normal life in cold weather--house to car, car to office, office to car, car to house. It's another to want to be outside a lot sightseeing for much of the day.

You should also check the 10 day forecast on the internet just before you go. But that's a gamble as when we visited Germany last year with the weather forcast saying the highs would be in the upper 60s and low 70s for our first week plus in Bavaria. By our 6th day it was hitting 100 F, and we were shopping for shorts and t-shirts along with many many other tourists and Germans.

mclaurie

I was there last New Years. It was not terribly cold except 1 day-but that 1 day it was cold and damp. A rain coat with zip out lining & some sweaters to layer should do the trick. I'd take rubber soled shoes (the cobblestones are hard with leather soles & they get slippery when wet). If you have waterproof shoes or boots, bring them-not so much for aqua alta but for rain slick streets.