Things to Do in Venice in August

VerdictFair
Ranked#9 of 12
PricesPeak Season

August in Venice means heat, crowds, and the Ferragosto shutdown on August 15. Temperatures hover around 28.9°C (84°F) most days, but the 67% humidity rising off the lagoon pushes the perceived temperature closer to 33°C (91°F) in the narrow calli of San Polo and Santa Croce. The canals take on a sharper smell in the summer heat, briny and mineral, and you'll notice it most in the quieter rii away from the Grand Canal. Many Venetians leave the city entirely around Ferragosto, and family-run restaurants in Cannaregio and Castello tend to close for anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. You'll see "chiuso per ferie" signs on trattoria doors throughout the sestieri.

That said, August still has genuine draws. The Mostra del Cinema di Venezia, the world's oldest film festival, typically opens in the final days of August at the Palazzo del Cinema on Lido. The Adriatic warms to about 25°C (77°F), which means Lido's public beaches at San Nicolò and the Alberoni stretch are swimmable. You get roughly 14 hours of daylight, and the late-summer light after 7 PM turns the palazzo facades along the Grand Canal a warm amber. Evening temperatures drop to around 20°C (69°F), which makes outdoor dining along Fondamenta della Misericordia in Cannaregio genuinely comfortable.

Mind you, the prices match the season. August is peak season, and hotel rates across all categories tend to run 50-80% above the annual average, with the steepest premiums in the first 2 weeks before Ferragosto. Day-tripper crowds from cruise ships peak in August, and the Piazza San Marco can feel less like a square and more like a slow-moving queue between 10 AM and 4 PM. If you do come, plan your outdoor time for early morning and evening, and treat the air-conditioned museums like the Gallerie dell'Accademia and Palazzo Ducale as your midday refuge.

Why visit in August

The Mostra del Cinema di Venezia (Venice Film Festival) typically opens in the final days of August at Lido, with some screenings open to public ticket holders.
Roughly 14 hours of daylight and warm evenings around 20°C (69°F) make outdoor dining along the fondamente comfortable well past 9 PM.
Lido's Adriatic beaches reach about 25°C (77°F) water temperature, the warmest of the year, and the public stretches at San Nicolò are a 15-minute vaporetto ride from central Venice.
The late-summer light between 7 and 8 PM produces a golden-amber quality along the Grand Canal palazzi that photographers prize.

Worth knowing

Peak tourist crowds concentrate on the San Marco-to-Rialto corridor from 10 AM to 4 PM, and cruise ship day-trippers reach their highest numbers of the year in August.
Ferragosto on August 15 shuts down a significant portion of Venice's family-run restaurants, bacari, and shops for 1 to 3 weeks, thinning the local dining scene considerably in Cannaregio and Castello.
Hotel rates across all categories run 50-80% above Venice's annual average during August, with the steepest premiums in the first 2 weeks before Ferragosto.
The 67% humidity amplifies the 29°C heat in the shadeless stone calli, and the canals develop a sharper smell that most visitors notice within their first hour.

Best for

Think twice if

Weather measured 29° / 20°C 74mm rain · 8 rainy days · 67% humidity rains perceptibly ~0.9h/day · 92% of mornings dry

Crowds peak

Pack Lightweight, breathable fabrics (linen or cotton) for daytime. A light cardigan or scarf for church visits, where bare shoulders are not permitted at Basilica di San Marco and most others. Comfortable sandals with a back strap and grip for the stone bridges and fondamente, which get slippery after rain. A compact umbrella for the afternoon thunderstorms.

August ties July as Venice's hottest month. Daytime highs sit at 28.9°C (84°F) with lows around 20.4°C (69°F), but the 67% humidity off the lagoon makes afternoons feel significantly hotter in the enclosed calli. Rainfall totals about 74mm across roughly 8 days, typically arriving as brief, intense afternoon thunderstorms that clear within 30-60 minutes. Mornings tend to start warm and hazy. Evenings cool enough by 8 PM to make the fondamente walkable again. Genuinely overcast days are rare.

Seasonal caution

UV reflection off the canal water increases sun exposure even in shaded calli. Apply SPF 50 sunscreen even on overcast days, as the water reflection can double effective UV exposure along the fondamente.
The 67% humidity makes the 29°C temperature feel closer to 33°C (91°F) in the stone-walled calli where air circulation is limited. Drink water frequently. Venice's public fontanelle (drinking fountains) provide free, clean municipal water.

Year-round climate

Averages from the last 5 years.

Monthly climate averages for Venice
Month	Avg high (°C)	Avg low (°C)	Rainfall (mm)
Jan	8	1	73
Feb	10	3	49
Mar	13	5	77
Apr	16	8	85
May	21	14	149
Jun	27	19	57
Jul	29	21	84
Aug	29	20	74
Sep	24	17	116
Oct	19	12	104
Nov	13	6	85
Dec	9	3	57

Headline events

Citywide

Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia (Venice Film Festival)

Final week of August through first week of September (typically opens around August 27-30)

The world's oldest film festival, founded in 1932, opens at the Palazzo del Cinema on Lido in the final days of August and runs through the first week of September. Part of La Biennale di Venezia, the festival premieres major international films competing for the Golden Lion. Public tickets are available for many screenings, and the red carpet at Palazzo del Cinema is free to watch from behind barriers. The festival transforms Lido's atmosphere, with international press, actors, and directors visible around the Excelsior and Des Bains hotels.

#VeniceFilmFestival

Best things to do in August

Swimming at Lido's public beaches

beach

The public beach at San Nicolò on the northern end of Lido offers free access to the Adriatic. The sand is coarser than Italy's western beaches, and the water is calmer, with gentle swells. The Alberoni stretch on the southern tip is quieter and backed by pine forest. Both are reachable by vaporetto lines 1, 5.1, or 5.2 from San Marco in about 15 minutes.

The Adriatic reaches its warmest temperature of the year at about 25°C (77°F) in August, making it genuinely comfortable for extended swims.

Booking tipArrive before 10 AM to claim a good spot on the free public sections. The stabilimenti (private beach clubs with loungers) fill up by mid-morning on weekends.

Evening passeggiata along the Zattere

walking

The Fondamenta delle Zattere runs along Dorsoduro's southern edge facing Giudecca. After 7 PM, the stone promenade catches a breeze off the Giudecca Canal that the interior calli lack. Gelaterie and bars line the waterfront, and the sunset views toward the Redentore church on Giudecca are some of the best in the city.

August evenings drop to around 20°C (69°F) after 8 PM, and the Zattere's open exposure to the canal creates a noticeable cooling effect compared to the enclosed interior streets.

Visiting the Gallerie dell'Accademia

culture

The Accademia holds Venice's most important collection of pre-19th-century Venetian painting, including works by Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. The climate-controlled galleries in the former Santa Maria della Carità complex make it a practical retreat from the August heat. The Vitruvian Man drawing by Leonardo da Vinci is displayed only on rare occasions.

The air-conditioned interior provides genuine relief from the 29°C heat and 67% humidity outside, and you're likely spending more time indoors during midday than in cooler months.

Booking tipBook timed entry online in advance. August wait times without a reservation can reach 45-60 minutes by late morning.

Kayaking the quieter canals

outdoor

Several operators run guided kayak tours through the secondary canals of Cannaregio and Santa Croce, away from the gondola and vaporetto traffic of the Grand Canal. From water level, you see the underside of the stone bridges, the waterline moss on the palazzo foundations, and the domestic life on the ground floors that pedestrians miss entirely.

The calm summer lagoon conditions and long daylight hours (until about 8:30 PM) allow for extended evening paddles when the canal traffic thins out after the day-trippers leave.

Day trip to Burano and Torcello

day_trip

Burano sits about 40 minutes by vaporetto (line 12) from Fondamente Nove. The island's painted houses in vivid pink, blue, yellow, and green line canals barely wider than a rowboat. Torcello, one more stop north, holds the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with Byzantine mosaics dating to the 11th and 12th centuries. The population of Torcello has dropped to fewer than 10 permanent residents.

The long August daylight allows you to visit both islands in a single trip without rushing. Burano's gelato shops and waterfront restaurants are all open, unlike some shoulder-season closures.

Cicchetti crawl through Cannaregio

food

Cannaregio's bacari (wine bars) along the Strada Nova and around Campo Santa Fosca serve cicchetti, Venetian small plates that function like tapas. Typical bites include baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod) on crostini, polpette (fried meatballs), and folpetti (baby octopus). A glass of house wine and 2-3 cicchetti at each stop is the local rhythm.

While some bacari close for Ferragosto around August 15, the ones that stay open in Cannaregio tend to be the more established, year-round operations. The post-Ferragosto week is a sweet spot when locals return but tourist density has dropped slightly.

What to eat in August

In season: fruit

Pesche bianche (white peaches)
Veneto's white peaches hit peak ripeness in late July through August. They're the base ingredient for the original Bellini cocktail, and you'll find them piled high at the Mercato di Rialto produce stalls in San Polo. The flavor is more floral and less acidic than yellow peaches.
Fichi (fresh figs)
Green and purple figs from the Veneto countryside appear at the Mercato di Rialto stalls starting in late July and running through September. They're served fresh with prosciutto crudo at many osterias, and the ripe ones have a jammy sweetness that pairs well with the local Prosecco.

On menus now

Sarde in saor
This traditional Venetian dish of fried sardines marinated in sweet onions, pine nuts, raisins, and white wine vinegar likely originated as a preservation method for fishermen. The sardine catch from the northern Adriatic tends to be strong through August, and the cold, tangy preparation suits the heat. You'll find it at most bacari as a cicchetto (small bite) served on bread.

Street food peaks

Granita
Granita vendors set up along the Riva degli Schiavoni and near Piazza San Marco in August. The Sicilian-origin ice treat appears in lemon, coffee, and almond varieties, and it's one of the few things that genuinely cools you down while walking the fondamente in 29°C heat.

What to drink

Bellini
The original Bellini uses puréed white peach and chilled Prosecco. Harry's Bar on Calle Vallaresso in San Marco has been serving them since Giuseppe Cipriani created the drink in 1948. August is the right month because the white peaches are at their peak. Most bacari around town serve their own versions, though the texture and sweetness vary.

Regular events in August

FerragostoFree

Italy's national summer holiday on August 15, rooted in the Roman festival of Augustus. Venice empties of locals, and many businesses close for 1-3 weeks. The vaporetto schedule shifts to a reduced holiday timetable. Some churches hold special services.

August 15 (closures extend 1-3 weeks around this date)

Open-air cinema screenings on Campo San Polo

Campo San Polo, one of Venice's largest campi, sometimes hosts outdoor film screenings during summer evenings. The screenings start after dark, around 9:15 PM, and the campo's size means the crowds spread out. Past programs have included both Italian classics and international titles with Italian subtitles.

Evenings throughout July and August (schedule varies by year)

Best places this August

Mercato di Rialto
market
Venice's main food market on the San Polo side of the Rialto Bridge has operated since the 11th century. The fish market (Pescheria) opens Tuesday through Saturday, roughly 7:30 AM to noon. In August, the fruit and vegetable stalls stock white peaches, figs, zucchini flowers, and local Lido-grown tomatoes. Go before 9 AM for the widest selection and the fewest tourists.
San Polo
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
landmark
Baldassare Longhena's octagonal baroque church at the entrance to the Grand Canal took 56 years to build (1631-1687). The interior holds works by Titian and Tintoretto in the sacristy. It's less crowded than San Marco in August, and the waterfront position on the Punta della Dogana catches a breeze from the basin. Free entry to the main church.
Dorsoduro
Fondamenta della Misericordia
dining_street
This long fondamenta in northern Cannaregio lines a quiet canal and hosts a string of restaurants, bars, and bacari that locals tend to prefer over the San Marco tourist strip. The waterside tables face north, catching shade by early evening. It stays lively past 11 PM in summer, which is late by Venetian standards.
Cannaregio
San Giorgio Maggiore
landmark
Andrea Palladio's 16th-century church sits on its own island across the basin from San Marco. The bell tower offers a panoramic view over Venice that rivals San Marco's campanile but with a fraction of the queue. Vaporetto line 2 reaches it in about 5 minutes from San Zaccaria.
San Giorgio Maggiore
Giardini della Biennale
park
The public gardens in the Castello sestiere, originally laid out under Napoleon in 1807, contain permanent national pavilions used during the Venice Biennale. In odd-numbered years (when the Art Biennale runs), the pavilions may still be open in August. Even in off years, the gardens offer some of the only green shade in central Venice.
Castello
Lido di Venezia
beach
Venice's barrier island separates the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. The 12 km-long island has a distinctly different feel from central Venice, with cars, tree-lined streets, and art nouveau villas. The public beaches at San Nicolò (north) and Alberoni (south) are free, while the central beach near the Palazzo del Cinema is mostly occupied by private beach clubs.
Lido

Your packing checklist

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Lightweight linen or cotton clothingThe 67% humidity makes synthetic fabrics cling uncomfortably. Linen breathes better in Venice's enclosed calli where airflow is minimal.Shop
SPF 50 sunscreenUV reflects off canal water into the shaded calli, so you're getting sun exposure even in places that feel shaded. Reapply after sweating.Shop
Compact umbrellaAugust averages about 8 rain days, usually brief afternoon thunderstorms that appear fast and clear within 30-60 minutes.Shop
Refillable water bottleVenice's fontanelle (public drinking fountains) provide free municipal water throughout the city. There's one in most major campi. Staying hydrated is critical in the humidity.Shop
Comfortable walking sandals with back strapsThe stone bridges and fondamente get slippery after rain or morning dew. Flip-flops lack the grip you need on the marble and Istrian stone steps.Shop
Light scarf or cardiganRequired for entering Basilica di San Marco and most Venetian churches, which enforce a bare-shoulders dress code even in August.Shop
Mosquito repellentThe lagoon and canal edges breed mosquitoes that are most active at dusk, right when the fondamente become comfortable for walking.Shop
Waterproof phone pouchUseful on vaporetto rides and at Lido's beaches. Splash from boat wakes in the narrower canals is common.Shop

Insider tips

The vaporetto line 1 runs the full length of the Grand Canal and functions as a floating sightseeing tour for the price of a transit ticket. Sit on the open-air section at the back. The late-afternoon run from Piazzale Roma to San Marco catches the best light on the palazzi facades.
Venice's fontanelle (public drinking fountains) are everywhere but rarely marked on tourist maps. Look for small bronze spouts mounted on walls or low stone basins, often in the corner of a campo. The water is the same municipal supply that feeds the buildings.
The traghetto gondola crossings at several points along the Grand Canal cost a fraction of a private gondola ride and let you cross the canal in about 90 seconds. There are 3 active traghetto routes, including one near the Rialto fish market. Locals stand; tourists tend to sit.
If Ferragosto closures thin out Cannaregio's restaurant options, Fondamenta della Misericordia tends to stay open longer than most streets because its restaurants draw from a mixed local-and-tourist clientele. Check posted signs on doors for exact closure dates, which vary year to year.
The Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell'Accademia) is the best spot in central Venice for photographing the Grand Canal toward the Salute church. The wooden bridge itself has been "temporary" since 1933. The light on the Salute dome between 7 and 7:30 PM in August is why photographers gather here.
For a genuinely uncrowded church experience in August, try Santa Maria dei Miracoli in Cannaregio. The Renaissance marble interior by Pietro Lombardo (completed 1489) is one of the most refined in Venice, and it rarely has more than a handful of visitors even during peak season.

Avoid these mistakes

Walking the San Marco-to-Rialto route between 10 AM and 4 PM and concluding that all of Venice is unbearably crowded. The route through Mercerie is a tourist corridor. Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, and Castello's eastern end are noticeably quieter even during peak August.
Not checking Ferragosto closure dates before choosing restaurants. The August 15 shutdown varies by establishment (1 to 3 weeks), and many don't post closure dates online. Walk your target neighborhood a day before to check door signs.
Buying a single-ride vaporetto ticket repeatedly instead of a 24, 48, or 72-hour transit pass. If you're taking more than 3 rides in a day, the pass saves money, and August's heat means you'll likely rely on water transit more than in cooler months.
Attempting to visit Murano, Burano, and Torcello in a single day. The vaporetto connections between the three islands add up to over 2 hours of transit time, and rushing through all 3 in August heat leaves no time to actually enjoy any of them. Pick 2 at most.
Skipping water entirely while walking the calli. The 67% humidity suppresses the feeling of thirst even as you're losing fluid. Venice's enclosed stone corridors trap heat, and dehydration symptoms (headache, dizziness) appear faster than you'd expect.

Practical tips for August

Book museum tickets online before arriving, particularly for the Gallerie dell'Accademia, Palazzo Ducale, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. August wait times at the ticket window can reach 45-60 minutes by mid-morning. The ACTV transit pass (24, 48, or 72-hour options) covers all vaporetto lines including the Lido routes and is worth it during August when you'll use water transit to avoid hot walks. Check your target restaurant's Ferragosto schedule before planning dinner in Cannaregio or Castello. The vaporetto runs a reduced holiday timetable on August 15, with fewer late-night departures. Gelato shops and bacari near the Rialto and San Marco stay open throughout August, but the more neighborhood-focused spots in eastern Castello may not.

FAQ

Is August a good time to visit Venice?

August is the hottest, most crowded, and most expensive month in Venice, which is why it ranks 9th out of 12 for visiting. That said, the Venice Film Festival opens in the final days of August, the Adriatic is warm enough for swimming at Lido, and the late-summer evening light along the Grand Canal is genuinely special. It comes down to whether the heat (29°C with 67% humidity), peak pricing, and Ferragosto closures are trade-offs you're willing to accept for those specific draws.

What is Ferragosto and how does it affect Venice?

Ferragosto on August 15 is Italy's national summer holiday, originally the Roman festival of Augustus. In Venice, many family-run restaurants, bacari, and shops close for 1 to 3 weeks around this date. Venetians traditionally leave the city for the coast or mountains. The vaporetto runs on a reduced schedule. Restaurants in tourist-heavy areas like San Marco tend to stay open, but the local dining scene in Cannaregio, Castello, and parts of Dorsoduro thins out noticeably.

Can you swim in Venice in August?

Not in the canals (which are polluted and it's prohibited), but the Lido barrier island has proper Adriatic beaches about 15 minutes by vaporetto from central Venice. The water temperature reaches roughly 25°C (77°F) in August. The public beach at San Nicolò on Lido's northern end is free. The central Lido beach near Palazzo del Cinema is mostly occupied by private beach clubs with lounger and umbrella rentals.

How do you beat the heat in Venice in August?

Plan outdoor sightseeing for before 10 AM and after 6 PM. Use the air-conditioned museums (Gallerie dell'Accademia, Palazzo Ducale, Peggy Guggenheim Collection) as midday refuges. Carry a refillable bottle and use the fontanelle (public drinking fountains) found in most campi. The Zattere promenade in Dorsoduro catches a breeze off the Giudecca Canal that the interior calli lack. A midday vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal puts you in the breeze without walking.

Is the Venice Film Festival open to the public?

Partially. The Mostra del Cinema opens at the Palazzo del Cinema on Lido in the final days of August. Many screenings sell individual public tickets, though premieres and competition screenings prioritize press and industry badge holders. The red carpet arrivals outside the Palazzo del Cinema are free to watch from behind barriers, and the festival atmosphere on Lido is open to anyone. Tickets typically go on sale through La Biennale's website a few weeks before the festival.