March Festivals and Events in Venice

Venice is a magical city at any time of year. The rest of the world seems to have discovered this, and La Serenissima—"the most serene", as the city is nicknamed—is usually crowded with visitors year-round. They brave its sweltering summer heat, rainy, flood-prone autumns, frigid winters, and chilly, humid springs, all to visit one of the most iconic, unique and instantly recognizable cities in the world

If you visit Venice in March, you'll find that crowds are probably not at their peak (except at Carnevale), and the weather is cold and possibly wet, but tolerable. There's also a nice variety of festivals and events in Venice during March to keep you entertained all month long.

01 of 06

Carnevale and the Beginning of Lent

Man And Woman In Costume During Venice Carnival On Street — Insung Choi/EyeEm/Getty Images

Carnevale and Lent can be one of the most exciting times to be in Venice. Travelers from all around the world crowd into Venice for Italy's most famous Carnival celebrations, which include masquerade balls, parades on both land and in the canals, food fairs, children's carnivals and numerous other activities. Events start several weeks before the actual date of Carnevale on Shrove Tuesday, culminating on Martedi Grasso, or Fat Tuesday. If you plan to visit for Carnevale, expect to pay a premium for your hotel and make your reservations well, well in advance.

02 of 06

Festa della Donna

March 8, International Women's Day, is known as Festa della Donna in Italy. It is often celebrated by groups of women leaving the men at home and going out to dinner together. So if you want to eat at a particular restaurant in Venice on March 8, it's a good idea to make a reservation in advance. Some restaurants serve a special menu on this day, too.

03 of 06

Holy Week and Easter

river side view of Santa Maria Della salute Church,venice — JaCZhou 2015/Getty Images

Tourists, rather than locals, tend to crowd Venice around Easter time. But that doesn't mean that you cannot take in some lovely pageants, classical music concerts, and Easter services in Venice during Holy Week. Visitors may also wish to attend mass in Saint Mark's Basilica on Easter.

04 of 06

Festa di San Giuseppe

Zeppole di San Giuseppe — Postiglione, Fabrizia/GettyImages

The Feast Day of Saint Joseph (the father of Jesus) is also known as Father's Day in Italy. Traditions on this day include children giving gifts to their fathers and the consumption of zeppole (a sweet, filled pastry, similar to a doughnut).

Continue to 5 of 6 below.

05 of 06

Opera and Classical Music Performances

Gran Teatro La Fenice with king balcony in Venice Italy — Mats Silvan/Getty Images

Because so much classical and opera music was written in or set in Venice, it's one of the great cities in Europe in which to see a performance. Venice's legendary opera house, La Fenice, stages performances year-round. If you're not ready to spend €100 or more on an opera or classical performance, there are less expensive performances in churches and music schools across the city. On Venice's busier streets, you'll encounter people in elaborate period costumes trying to sell you tickets to these performances. An evening spent at one of these concerts can be equally enchanting as a more costly performance.

06 of 06

One-off shows and exhibits

Concert in Venice — Awakening/Collaboratore/GettyImages

As a city packed full of museums, theatres, bars, and performance and exhibit spaces, Venice presents an exciting cultural calendar that changes from year-to-year. VeneziaUnica is a good resource for finding of-the-moment concerts, events, and exhibits during your stay in the city.