Christmas in Venice 2026: Dates, Openings and What to Book

Christmas in Venice has no big market in the historic center, unlike Bolzano or Trento. However, the season has its own calendar, from the Festa della Salute in November to the Epiphany regatta on the Grand Canal, and the city’s main museums have stayed open on Christmas Day. Here are the dates, the openings and what to book.

Updated September 2026. Event dates from the City of Venice; museum hours and holiday openings from the Musei Civici di Venezia; access fee status from the City of Venice. All checked in September 2026. Where the 2026 program is not out yet, we give last year’s dates and say so.

Christmas in Venice 2026 at a glance

The Festa della Salute, November 21

The season starts with a feast that belongs to Venetians. Every November 21, the city gives thanks at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute for the end of the plague of 1630–31, and a temporary bridge on pontoons crosses the Grand Canal to reach it. In 2025, according to the City of Venice, the bridge ran from Santa Maria del Giglio to San Gregorio, opened on November 19 at noon and stayed open until November 23. The Patriarch celebrated the solemn Mass at 10 a.m. on November 21, and many Venetians still bring a candle to the Madonna.

Christmas markets: what to expect

Do not plan the trip around a market. In 2025, the City of Venice’s list of Christmas markets included only one in the historic center: the antiques fair in Campo San Maurizio, from December 5 to 7, with dealers from across Italy. The other market on the list was in Piazza Ferretto, in Mestre, on the mainland. So for a classic Christmas market, look at Bolzano, Trento or Verona in our guide to Christmas events across Italy.

Museums over the holidays

Here Venice differs from Florence, where the big galleries close on Christmas Day. For the 2024–25 holidays, the Musei Civici di Venezia opened their museums on December 25 and 26 and January 1, except Casa Goldoni. In addition, from December 20 to January 6, the Doge’s Palace and the Museo Correr stayed open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with last entry at 8 p.m. The 2026–27 openings had not been announced as of September 2026.

The rest of the time, the Doge’s Palace keeps winter hours from November 1 to March 31: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5 p.m.

New Year’s Eve and Epiphany

Fireworks over St. Mark’s Basin

On December 31, the fireworks go off at midnight over St. Mark’s Basin. On New Year’s Eve 2025, according to the City of Venice, more than 40,000 people watched from the waterfront, and the area was fenced off with dedicated entry points and security checks from early evening. So arrive early, and expect crowds on the Riva degli Schiavoni.

The Regata delle Befane, January 6

On Epiphany, five rowers dressed as the Befana, the kindly witch of Italian folklore, race on the Grand Canal. In 2026, for the 45th edition, the water parade left at 10 a.m. and the race started at 11 a.m., heading toward Sant’Angelo, turning at the Rio di San Polo and finishing under the Rialto Bridge at about 11:15. The Reale Società Canottieri Bucintoro organizes it.

Do you pay the access fee at Christmas?

No, not as of September 2026. The City of Venice ran its 2026 access fee trial on 60 days between April 3 and July 26, and the fee has not applied since July 27, 2026. The 2027 calendar had not been published yet, so check our Venice access fee guide for updates.

What to book for Christmas in Venice

We chose the experiences below on Viator for a rating of 4.6 or higher across more than 1,000 reviews, checked in September 2026. They run all year, so check the holiday dates before you book.

St. Mark’s, the Doge’s Palace and a gondola

Affiliate link: Italy2Love earns a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

The guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace with a gondola ride includes entry to the Basilica, skip-the-line entry to the Doge’s Palace and a gondola ride at the end, in about three and a half hours. Travelers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 1,291 reviews, and prices start from about $113 (checked September 2026).

Murano and Burano by boat

The half-day Murano and Burano small-group tour by boat stops at both islands, with glassblowing and lacemaking demonstrations and free time in Burano, in about four and a half hours. Travelers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 1,477 reviews, and prices start from about $29 (checked September 2026).

A bacaro food tour

On a cold evening, the Venice bacaro food tour makes four stops in Cannaregio, with spritz, cicchetti, the small plates of Venetian bars, and gelato, in about three and a half hours, at lunch or dinner. Travelers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 1,452 reviews, and prices start from about $107 (checked September 2026).

Beyond Christmas in Venice

For the rest of the city, start with our Venice travel guide, then compare Venice in one day with St. Mark’s, the Doge’s Palace, Murano and Burano and the cicchetti food and wine tour. If you stay into the new year, the Venice Carnival 2027 follows a few weeks later, and our Veneto guide covers Verona and Lake Garda. For other cities, see Christmas in Florence and Christmas in Rome.

Sources: Festa della Salute 2025 and New Year’s Eve 2025 from the City of Venice’s news service; 2025 Christmas markets and the 2026 Regata delle Befane from the City of Venice’s website; Doge’s Palace winter hours from the Musei Civici di Venezia; 2024–25 holiday openings from the Musei Civici di Venezia press release; access fee status from the City of Venice. All checked in September 2026. Experiences: ratings, review counts, prices and inclusions read on each Viator product page (product codes 24338P29, 24338P115 and 51159P29), checked in September 2026. Featured photo: Unofeld781, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Doge’s Palace open on Christmas Day?

It has been recently. For the 2024–25 holidays, the Musei Civici di Venezia, which run the Doge’s Palace, opened their museums on December 25 and 26 and January 1. The 2026–27 openings had not been announced as of September 2026, so check the museums’ notices before you go.

Does Venice have a Christmas market?

Not a large one in the historic center. In 2025, the City of Venice listed only one Christmas market there: the antiques fair in Campo San Maurizio, from December 5 to 7.

Do you pay the Venice access fee in December?

No, not as of September 2026. The 2026 trial ran on 60 days between April 3 and July 26, and the fee has not applied since July 27, 2026. The City of Venice had not published a 2027 calendar yet.

Where do you watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Venice?

The fireworks go off at midnight over St. Mark’s Basin. On New Year’s Eve 2025, more than 40,000 people watched from the waterfront, and the area was fenced off with entry points and security checks from early evening.

What is the Festa della Salute?

Every November 21, Venetians cross a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal to the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute to give thanks for the end of the plague of 1630–31. In 2025, the bridge stayed open from November 19 to 23.