Temperature in February: maximum 9℃. 1℃ lower
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 2 hours
Time difference: GMT +1
February is Carnival time in Venice, which can be the best or worst time of the year. In Piazza San Marco, aristocrats rattle their swords, courtesans in red silk float down the Grand Canal in feathered gondolas, and royalty in gilded masks walks freely among the common people. Every year, something like Canaletto’s painting comes to life when revelers gather for three weeks of masked debauchery. Those looking for the quiet charm of a floating city may be disappointed, but those who dare to join the crowd will be rewarded with an otherworldly experience. Flaunt your fancy costumes on the Rialto River, dance the quadrille at the Doge’s ball, and wake up the next morning in a plush four-poster bed in your very own Venetian palace, wondering if it was all a dream. There is also.
Where to stay: Palazzo Cristo, a converted 16th-century mansion. With original exposed wooden beams, Carrara marble, oak parquet floors and canopy beds, all finished in a pared-back palette, this is a step down from the usual gilded ceilings and Murano glass. Ten thousand miles away. waste. A recent addition to St. Mark’s Square is Cadi Dio. The 66-room hotel has chic décor, many with views of the lagoon. The canal-side balcony of this Airbnb apartment is one of the most romantic Airbnbs in Europe and will make your stay like a best-kept secret. For more accommodation options, check out our guide to the best hotels in Venice.
Above: Palazzo Contarini Polignac in Dorsoduro.
