Hello!
Planning a 4 day stay in Venice mid-August, and just learned that our visit falls during the Feast of the Assumption (a bank and high church holiday). I’ve been told that most local restaurants and shops/tours and even some museums are closed for the week, and that most Venetians head to the coast. What’s left is LOTS of tourists, and I’ve heard that all the typical tourist traps stay open.
Thoughts??
Posted by
12 posts
Hello margarete,
My wife and I spent August 16-19, 2017 in Venice, just after the Ferragosto holiday. We didn't visit any museums but shops and restaurants were open. We didn't encounter any closures. The humidity was quite high, and the mosquitoes were happy to sample our Canadian O-positive when we ate dinner al fresco. Have a great trip!
Posted by
19 posts
I’ve been to Venice four times. A couple of times it was very crowded. This is so easily solved by getting off the main paths. Take a 90 degree turn and you’ll find plenty of places to eat and drink and sights to see with minimal crowds. Our favorite restaurant is on some side canal. Never had to wait for a table.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16133 posts
August 15 is indeed a major holiday in Italy, when most people head to the beach. This year it falls on a Tuesday, therefore expect that people will be taking the whole long weekend off from Saturday Aug 12 through Tuesday August 15.
If there are specific museums you want to visit on August 15, check the website for that specific museum.
Venice is a major tourist destination, therefore most restaurants and shops will stay open during that time in Venice, so you won't starve. Closures tend to affect only non-tourist areas (for example Venezia Mestre) but certainly not the historical center.
If you are annoyed by the large number of tourists, don't worry. They tend to congregate on very specific areas and calli (streets). In the article below there is a map with blue streaks that indicate the large number of crowds. That map was built using cell phone traffic data. Just move away from those areas, and the place will be almost deserted.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5494 posts
Don't know what you mean by the 'typical tourist traps'. The Doges Palace is open- it even has late hours on the 15th. The Duomo (San Marco) won't open to the public until afternoon, due to the morning masses. The other churches likely have similar hours. It is a national holiday, so banks, government offices, factories etc will be closed. SOME businesses may close for their usual summer holidays ( like in France). They may close before, during, or after the Holy day. But you won't lack for places to see, food to eat, or things to buy.