The weather - small meep for help

[westernind]

The wedding planner is giving me stress because she tends to offer options rather than giving me advice. I suspect that she has a list of services for Venice wedding which she's just going through, without thinking about it, and specifically without thinking about the fact that it's going to be February not July. So fr'instance, might be a tad cold for a wedding gondola, hmmm?

So a thing I would appreciate from anyone wot has been out there in the winter, is what Venetian weather is like in practice. I can look at weather websites, but that doesn't tell me whether there's a biting wind and no-one really wants to be on the water, or whether the canals tend to be sheltered and calm.

Comments

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

When we went in January 2000. It was cold, bright and with a light but very crisp and cold breeze - like it is outside today only a *tad* warmer. So basically cold.

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

It was fine on the canals but it was somewhat colder on the more exposed stretches of water near the lagoons/open sea.

[oldnick.livejournal.com]

One little thing to bear in mind - and it's experience from sunny Rome, rather then cool damp Venice, is that they do take winter pretty seriously. Rome in January may be in the mid 60s, and comfortably warm to us Northern barbarians, but all the Romans walk around in very heavy fur coats and hats.

So - you may find that once she does get her head around when the wedding is to be held, that she to some extent over-compensates for the likely weather conditions, albeit it possibly to a lesser extent than further South.

[paulbenwell.livejournal.com]

As I remember Venice in February was a tad chilly. On non costume days we did tend to wrap up (one pic of Anne and me shows some very red noses). However wandering round in costume wasn't to bad. Best ask Anne for a girls opinion (sure she will drop by here anyway).

However its was cold and dry s I recall. We did have some damp fog/mist a couple of times which is to be expected. But main memory clear, sharp and cold.

So sorry I will be missing your great day though :( Oh well least Dubai will be hot!

[xullrae.livejournal.com]

When we went in November it was freezing - we had to go and buy scarves and hats. It wasn't windy, but there was a frost.

[misthawk.livejournal.com]

It is windier on the open docks than it is on the canals, so if you're going for a more sheltered canal vs the Grand Canal, you might be OK. As it's February, it *is* chilly, though, and being on the water may make it feel much colder.

Considering applying for a job at the Met Office...

[velvet-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I'd say it's as much a gamble as it is with hoping for sunshine on a Summer's day for a horse-drawn carriage in the UK.

In the first two weeks of February when I was there there were:

a) a fair amount of dry, foggy, cold, still days - costume with thermals beneath was fine away from the really open part at the entrance to San Marco. Gloves = mandatory. Thermals = goooood. Regular coffee breaks = advisable.

b) two or three gloriously sunny days - one of which was good enough to forego the need for a coat (it was a civvies day afterall).

c) three days of pretty much solid rain (fortunately the three days after the Carnival), plus one isolated evening. Bad for costume and bad for map reading by street lamp, but my did Venice look beautiful like that. Actually she looks beautiful in fog too.

d) some non-descript dull, cold days. (See a))

If you're in a gondola on the Grand Canal I'd hedge my bets and say it's likely to be cold. Down the side canals I suspect it would be all right (and actually looks more fun). Had we the finances to do it we'd have had a go certainly. It's actually still an ambition of mine to try it - when rich enough!

The only weather condition I experienced that would deter me would be rain. But that's just my opinion. It also depends on the undergarments you're wearing, as I appreciate that dressing for your wedding day might not be the same as a day out posing in the streets... :o)

[kathbad]

Have dress, will travel!

[littleonions.livejournal.com]

we are there now; it was snowing yesterday, the ice is still on the ground lovely but NOT gondola weather :)