Everything You Need to Know About NYE in Venice!

Venice is a crowd favorite for NYE fireworks in Europe and the show is definitely something to see. But it will take some planning if you're thinking of heading to the famous floating city for New Years. I spent NYE in Venice this year and after getting a great view of the fireworks and experiencing some amazing sights in the city I have put together my comprehensive guide for 3 days in Venice during NYE! I found some great information about attractions and top sightseeing spots in my DK travel guide "Top Ten European Cities".  I would definitely recommend this small and easy book for anyone planning to see multiple cities in Europe on the same trip! It makes information so easy to find in a pinch! 

Day 1

On my first day in the city I flew in and took an airport shuttle to the island. I then had to take a water taxi to my hotel near Basilica Saint Marco. The water taxi can definitely be expensive but it also doubles as a fun tour of the city! I arrived on the 30th the day before the fireworks. I checked into my hotel and then headed out to find some lunch because I love Italian food! I found pizza, pasta, and cannolies at a great restaurant right outside my hotel. Then I headed out to explore the city a bit. I walked down to St. Mark's square where the palace des Dosges and the basilica are located. I decided to visit the palace since the church was already closed in the evening. The palace stays open until 7pm and offers self guided tours where you can see the different room where the Venetian government operated. 

Day 2

On my second day I decided to get up early and take a water bus to the famous isalnd of Murano, where the glass museum is located. The waterbus is much cheaper than the taxi boats but it takes about an hour to get all the way to Murano. I spent a few hours on the small island and went to the glass museum which was open on NYE until 5pm! The palace and Basilica were also open on the 31st. The glass museum was definitely worth the trip and has amazing historical works of art made from glass dating back centuries. It also shows the process used to make Venetian glass which was super interesting to see! 

After returning to town I grabbed lunch at another amazing restaurant and then headed back to my hotel to get ready for dinner and the fireworks show. The fireworks don't start until 11:30pm but people usually start lining up around 10:30 or so. In Italy NYE is celebrated with a big feast and many restaurants will offer a special pre set menu with an array of gourmet options. However the price can range from 80-250 euros a plate and if you're planning on a big dinner you should definitely book in advance. If you're doing a more last minute trip like I was don't worry though! There are still many restaurants that have regular seating and plenty of space on NYE. I ended up at a cute little bistro situated right on the canal and ate a delicious plate of cheese raviolis while looking out at the water. I would recommend starting dinner around 7pm so that you have plenty of time to eat before making your way over to the square for fireworks. After dinner I wandered around and looked in a few boutiques for a bit before heading to the square. There was still plenty of space when I arrived. Venice gets pretty cold at night in January so depending on how good of a spot you want you may have to be prepared with warm clothes to stand outside for an hour before the fireworks actually start. 

Day 3

On my last full day in the city I decided to see the Basilica and checked out the major shopping streets in the city to do my souvenir shopping. Most of the major attractions are closed on New Years Day but the Basilica is still open. I even tried "Pasta to Go" and wandered along the canals eating my freshly made spaghetti from a carton. The trip was definitely a success and I found the city to be cery walkable which I enjoyed. Thanks for reading! 

Felice Anno Nuovo!