We are planning a trip for New Years in Venice.

What is weather to be?

Any suggestions on places to stay.( we will be there 3 nights 4 dats including 1/1/06)

What about dining?

A sincere thanks for your help!

Venice itself is fantastic this time of year! The shops, cafes and restaurants are decorated and festive. There is even a huge Xmas tree in St. Mark's Square. The Hotel Metropole does a nice job with dinners and events around the holidays.
http://www.hotelmetropole.com
Buon viaggio!

We were in Vennice last december and the weather was mainly cold but fine. We had just a couple of mornings with acqua alta - so nothing the spoil our visit. NYE in Venice is primarily focused around St marks with hundreds of people letting off fire-crackers. There wasn't a Chritmas tree there last year, but a lot of the streets had lovely lights and there's a Christmas Market in Campo San Stefano - I think it stayed until New Year.

Most of the restaurants have a big multi-course fixed price menu on NYE - I'd ask your hotel to suggest somewhere.

The vaporettos on the Grand Canal stop running early on NYE and don't start up again until late morning on the 1st.

I'm afraid I can't suggest a hotel - everytime we've been to Venice we've stayed in an apartment.

for historical weather information, see
www.wunderground.com, or www.washingtonpost.com or www.accuweather.com, to name a few

It's easier to recommend places to stay and to dine in if you will provide some information on the budget you have in mind (hotel cost per night--is 'we' = two?)

I second the rec for special events at the Hotel Metropole. I think a holiday dinner there would be very nice. We have enjoyed it on two occasions, although they weren't holidays.

Venice is most likely to be in the 30s and 40s. You might get lucky and have it in the 40s and 50s. Or you might get unlucky like I was a number of years ago--temperatures never climbed out of the low 20s plus wet, sleety precipitation blown by blustery, miserable winds. Took it for 3 days and headed south.

Hello bipacco, I have a lot of friends that live in the region of Veneto. They either live about one hour or less north of Venice or one hour or less west of Venice.

January is cold. And I mean cold. Even when there is not any rain (which happened last year, a shortage of rain which caused a concern about a water shortage).

I am not saying you should not go to Venice but I would certainly take clothes that will help you handle the cold and damp weather. Think about packing some silk long underwear for one thing. Scarves, gloves, hats etc. That is what the Italians wear. I would plan on dressing in layers.

If you and your family can handle cold weather you will be fine. Venice is a beautiful city and being there when there are not hordes of tourist will be a plus. Best wishes to you.

Thank-you most graciously for your responses. Although Venice is where we would like to go the weather is not great when we would be able to travel.

I think we will head to switzerland or to the alps in Italy for skiing.