During summer, the Floating City sizzles with the mercury regularly rising to temperatures in excess of 85 Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). If, during the course of your trip here, you find the heat and humidity becomes a little too much for you to bear, you’ll want to have an escape plan. We’ve got a few ideas in mind of ways to cool off.
Take a Gondola Ride
If after dutifully inching your way around Venice’s biggest attractions and threading down people-packed lanes in the summer heat, you find yourself yearning for a break, escape the shuffling masses and charter a gondola to take you out on the water, where you can glide past Venice’s glorious canal fronts. Even better, go during the evening when a refreshing breeze blows in off the lagoon.
Cool Down in a Gondola on One of Venice's Many Beautiful Canals
Visit Venice Lido
If the heat in the historic center starts to become oppressive, make a break for it and head to the shores of the glamorous Venice Lido. Once a magnet for silver screen stars and the filthy rich, this long strip of sand now includes a public section where anyone can come and enjoy the cooling breeze. The beach is clean, loungers and parasols are available for rent and there are lots of beachside bars and cafés where you can take shelter in a shaded terrazzo.
See the Giardini Pubblici
These charming leafy gardens go by more than one name. They are also known as Giardini Napoleonici (because they were founded by Napoleon) and as Giardini della Biennale (because they host exhibits during Venice’s Biennale). They are one of scant few green spaces to be found in Venice’s historic center, where real estate is limited and in extremely high demand. On a hot day, find shade from the blazing sun beneath the laurel and linden trees.
Indulge at Suso Gelatoteca
One good way to combat the soaring temperatures in Venice is to indulge in some ice-cold gelato. Suso Gelatoteca is located right in the heart of attraction-packed San Marco. Grab a scoop of “Manet” (hazelnut and salted pistachio) or a refreshing fruit cone and slurp away as you stroll across the nearby Rialto Bridge
Sit at Bar Canale at Bauers L’Hotel Venezia
If gelato is a touch too sweet for your taste, you could always cool down with a more adult-oriented Italian treat. The Canale Bar at Bauers Hotel has one of the finest terraces in the city, overlooking the historic rooftops, the creamy dome of Santa Maria della Salute and the gondola-strewn Grand Canal. Sip on a glass of chilled prosecco while watching the action at ground level bustle away without you.
Get a Coffee at Vincent Bar
If the crowds of central Venice are making your temperature rise, leave them behind and kick back with the mellow locals at this laid-back bar on Sant’Elena at the southeastern tip of Castello. Take a seat at one of the outdoor tables, which overlook a small waterside park, and linger over a coffee or a spritz as you watch the boats drift by on the lagoon.
Enjoy the View at the Skyline Rooftop Bar
Located atop the Hilton Molino Stucky on the west end of the island of Giudecca, the Skyline Rooftop Bar is quite possibly the best rooftop bar in town. Time your visit for sunset and toast the day’s end in the outdoor terrace, which looks directly out toward the familiar skyline of the main island. As it gets dark, watch Venice light up and the mammoth cruise ships pulling out of port.
Venturing to Venice in summer? Check out our range of Venice day trips , Venice food tours and we have also got various Venice tours with skip-the-line-access so you can avoid having to stand around in the summer heat.
