I saw some recommendations to visit Torcello if choosing a Venetian island. I'm very interested in doing this. However, I'm visiting Venice Dec. 27-31. Will this time of year affect the trip in any way? I guess I'm worried about flooded marshes or some such thing, or the church being closed.

As a fervent Torcello advocate, I feel I should reply, even though I cannot offer any assurances.

1. It has always been my impression that acqua alta in Venice is a fall and spring phenomenon, so it ought not to affect you in December. (Check out the recent "acqua alta" postings; there was a Web site mentioned where one could check acqua alta levels. Perhaps it gives historical data as well.)

2. The Venice tourist office will surely be able to tell you whether the churches are open or not. My guess is that they will be open but for shorter periods of time than during the height of the tourist season.

Somehow I thought acqua alta happens only in the island of Venice proper but this thread made me think I may be wrong. Has anybody experienced acqua alta on the other islands, Lido, Murano, Burano, Torcello?

The Church was certainly open in late November when we were there 3 years ago. Our 1/2 day trip to Torcello was one of the stand-out highlights of the trip. Make sure you make the effort to walk up the campanile for an unbeatable view of the lagoon and Venice.
There have been a series of acqua altas in Venice over the past week, but I can't see that Torcello would be very badly affected, and there's no guessing what it will be like at the time you're there.

I am also a Torcello advocate and have gone there on each of my Venice trips. You can always check acqua alta forecasts for the day you will be there.
I've been to the church and the cathedral and loved them but I wasn't aware of a campanile to climb to the top of.

Torcello is marshy (it was the original Venice settlement), but I too have not heard of it flooding the way San Marco does, but then again maybe it just doesn't get the same press coverage.

According to this site,
http://www.comune.venezia.it/turismo/faq_eng.asp#12 , "Flooding is most common in the months of October, November and December." Particularly given there is a full moon on Dec. 26, I will probably experience this in Venice.

I'm guessing Torcello probably doesn't have acqua alta per se, but I'm also guessing the ground will be very muddy and damp. It was a malaria-ridden marsh after all. But I'd be curious if anyone could provide more details.

kappa, I read that when there was bad acqua alta a week or so ago, that public transport was stopped for a short while (maybe an hour or so). So that could possibly affect your plans to get to/from those islands.

I would not make this trip in winter. There just isn't enough to see to justify a freezing boat ride that takes up this much time.

thanks but I disagree
the ride is only an hour and I think the lit monuments at night can be pretty impressive

sorry about the above, I posted it to the wrong thread