Venice in winter is a different city entirely: quieter canals, sharper light, and the occasional acqua alta adding drama to the piazzas. There isn’t a large-scale Venice Christmas Market in the traditional sense, so if you’re expecting rows of wooden stalls and Glühwein, you’ll want to adjust expectations. What Venice does offer in December is something more atmospheric, and this guide covers what’s actually worth seeking out.
Venice Christmas Market 2026
Dates and Information
Status: Most seasonal events are no longer running.
Venice dates:17th November to 6th January
Last checked: July 2026
Source: City of Venice
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Location: Campo Santo Stefano.
Mestre locations: Piazza Erminio Ferretto, Via Allegri and Via Palazzo.
Opening times: 12pm to 7pm.
Christmas Day: Closed.
Admission: Free
Lights: The may be some displays for the Festa della Salute (unconfirmed).
Santa: No.
Ice skating: Yes, at Campo San Polo in Venice (likely cancelled).
Vegetarian: Yes, plenty of options.
Vegan: Yes, plenty of option.
Gluten free: Yes, but limited.
Accessible: If you can manage Venice’s narrow streets and bridges.
Pet-friendly: Yes, dogs are allowed on a lead.
Parking: Please take public transport to help limit congestion. You can park in Mestre if needed. Ask at your hotel for details.
Reason to visit: One of the most beautiful locations in the world.
Recommended tour: This tour of Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica is an incredible introduction to Venice.
Specialities: Italian specialties like panettone, pandoro, and torrone, as well as regional delicacies like fritole veneziane (fried doughnuts) and zaleti (cornmeal cookies). Cicheti are small plates of local cheeses and cured meats. Vin brulé (mulled wine) and cioccolata calda (hot chocolate).
Where to stay: Baglioni Hotel Luna is a highly-rated hotel in central Venice.
Where to Stay
To stay centrally, consider the San Marco neighbourhood or nearby areas such as Castello or Cannaregio. These neighbourhoods are within walking distance of beautifully decorated streets and winter events, offering a variety of places to stay, from luxury hotels to budget-friendly options.
I suggest staying at the Baglioni Hotel Luna as it’s in a great area near Piazza San Marco.
Recommended Tours
I recommend taking a city tour of Venice to see all the highlights, such as this tour that includes visits to the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica, both located in Piazza San Marco. You’ll visit the city’s most iconic landmarks and attractions on a city tour, including St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, and the famous Rialto Bridge.
Alternatively, you might like to take a food tour to learn about Venetian culture through its cuisine. This is one of the most popular food tours in Venice.
Read my complete guide to the Christmas markets in Italy.
Location
Christmas in Venice
Local Specialties
- Fritole: Doughnuts that you often see at street food stalls around the city. They’re deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Local bakers usually add raisins or pine nuts for extra flavour and texture.
- Cicchetti: Venetian tapas-like dishes that you can order at bars. These small bites can range from mini sandwiches, known as tramezzini, to skewers of seafood or olives. They’re commonly made with local ingredients such as fresh fish, cheeses and cured meats.
- Baccalà Mantecato: Spreadable and creamy, Baccalà Mantecato is a whipped salted cod dish. It’s often served on top of grilled polenta slices. This dish combines ingredients brought back from Venetian sailors’ voyages and the local lagoon’s offerings, making it a unique regional specialty.
- Vin Brulé: To ward off the winter cold, stalls often sell vin brulé, an Italian mulled wine. Made by warming red wine with spices like cloves, cinnamon, and anise, it’s an Italian take on the traditional German Glühwein.
Gifts and Stocking Fillers
- Murano Glass: The signature craft of Venice is prominently displayed in various stalls. Made on the nearby island of Murano, these glass items are hand-blown by expert artisans.
- Venetian Masks: Another classic, Venetian masks make a compelling gift or souvenir. Often adorned with fine materials such as gold leaf and feathers, each mask is typically hand-painted. Historically used in Venetian carnivals, these masks are not just trinkets but hold cultural significance.
- Burano Lace: Lacework from the island of Burano is especially prized as a quality gift. You can find items such as tablecloths, handkerchiefs, and linens. Each piece often takes hours to craft, making it a meaningful and traditional gift.
- Paper Products: Marbled paper is another artisan product you’ll find at the market. Commonly used in bookbinding, this unique paper also appears in the form of notebooks, journals, and stationery sets. The marbling technique involves floating dyes on water to create intricate patterns, and each sheet is unique.
Sustainability Tips
- Eco Hotels: Book a hotel that uses renewable energy sources. These places are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and often incorporate other green initiatives, such as water-saving systems.
- Limit Food Waste: Consider sharing portions to minimise waste. Many stalls serve dishes in generous sizes, making it easy to over-order. By sharing, you not only get to try various dishes but also help reduce food waste. This is what makes cicchetti so great: you can try lots of things without the waste.
- Mindful Consumption: Venice is renowned for its artisanal products, such as Murano glass and Venetian masks. While it’s tempting to buy several items, focus on purchasing only what you genuinely need or will use.
- Plant-Based: Sustainable eating is another way to be responsible. While Venice has numerous traditional seafood dishes, you can find plant-based alternatives at many stalls and restaurants.
- Public Water Transport: Venice’s vaporetto system serves as a green alternative to motorised road transport. The vaporettos serve multiple locations across the city and the surrounding islands.
- Walk: Venice is a compact city, making it ideal for walking. Choose to explore the city on foot when you can, especially within the main island, where many attractions are close by.
Comment below if you want to leave a Xmas review, have any questions or would like to report any inaccuracies.
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Recommendations are independently chosen based on personal travel experiences and extensive research. While we make every effort to provide accurate information, the dates and details listed here should not be relied upon as definitive. Please consult the official website before booking your trip or planning a visit.
Hi, just letting you know that this Christmas market info is incorrect. There are no Christmas markets on the island of Venice at the moment. We are disappointed 🙁
There is NO Christmas market in Venice, nothing at all, nada, no stalls, no hot chocolate, a few lights are up around Venice, but not in the square which is advertised. Lots of tourists wandering around thinking the market is here somewhere. It is not. Huge disappointment, and disgusting that it is still being advertised.
There has been no market in the past 4 years
Please note that san polo skating rink is only open until 19:00 and only on weekends. We wandered over last night to a dark square.
No tree on murano that we’ve found this year which is a shame.
Did you find any Christmas markets? We went to every square mentioned and there was nothing, very disappointing. We also went to Murano looking for the glass tree and couldn’t find anything either.
Standing in campo San Stefano at 5pm today. No market. Double check your info because even the shops around the piazza had no idea about a market.