I am going to be visiting Venice, Verona and Desenzano del Garda for 12 days in early February (love those off-season specials!). I am somewhat concerned about cold weather, but more about whether it will be too quiet - too many places closed, not enough people around for atmosphere, etc. My plan is to do a lot of walking and sightseeing, a few short trips to nearby towns, maybe a wine estate if any are open, and a fair bit of eating and drinking if we can afford it. My better half is a beautiful chef so I hope to find some friendly restaurants and bars where we can compare notes with the owner/chef.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

I only go to Venice in winter. You'll have plenty of atmosphere, unless you are idea of a good time is a zillion tourists acting like ... well, never mind. You'll have enough company.

Verona is not merely a tourist destination but an actual thriving Italian city. There will a ton of life in the bars and shops.

I've never been to Desenzano del Garda, and I would certainly not go in winter absent some destination restaurant. I expect you will find a lot of things shuttered there, and if a storm blows in, you will have nothing to do. Instead, I'd go to Mantova or Bologna, both of which have wonderful food opportunities, including markets and pasta making, and outstanding art and architecture and history. Another choice for a foodie might be neighboring Padova, with its famous market and some world class art.

It can turn very, very cold in some of these places. The cold of Venice is moderated by the lagoon, which tends to boost the air temps. It also helps that Venice is so dense with sights and cafes and shops, you can always easily slip indoors for a moment to warm up, and you are never too far from your hotel room.

By contrast, the Alpine winds can race right down the river or lake to Verona and the south shore of lago di Garda, producing icy weather. So you do need to be prepared for that.

Venice is beautiful in winter, but it is cold. Although, like zeppole mentions, the temperature is moderated by the lagoon, I find it a penetrating cold. The advice that kept me warm was to wear thick-soled shoes! As long as your feet are warm, you can walk all day!
Have a great trip!

One thing to know: at high tides in winter Venice is prone to minor flooding called acqua alta. The Piazza San Marco is most likely to flood. They put up elevated boardwalks in the square. Your hotel may be able to loan your footwear.

I wouldn't worry about the place being dead. There will be people there, just not the tourist hordes one finds the rest of the year.

Venice would not be my first choice for good Italian food. (Maybe my last.) Do some in-depth research so you avoid those expensive tourist-directed restaurants.

bookmarking.

hey fabi don't worry about the cold, i suggest thick soled shoes, a beanie, and regular application of medicinal amounts of alcohol. I was in Verona in March last year, and stayed in a b&b near piazza bra. There were plenty of warm restaurants and bars, and i found the owners and staff very friendly - probably glad to see a few tourists in the off season, and to discuss the merits of their house wine (some showed surprising pride in mediocre offerings, but we found a few gems too) I certainly would like to try it all over again accompanied by my own beautiful chef - let us know how you go. In fact a few photos would be welcome!!

If you time it right, you'll be in town for Carnevale: the web says Feb 11-21 this year. You will see shops decorated for the season, music groups in piazzas, and children and adults walking around in costumes.

We were in Verona and Venice a couple of Januaries ago. Nights in Verona were quite cold - we saw frozen fog for the first time - and Venice was colder, but we had a great time and everything was open and no lines for anything. Dress in layers.