Venice in May: a seasonal travel plan
Venice, Italy. In may, the average daytime high is 21.0 °C and the night-time low is 15.2 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
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Selected month: May
Temperatures by month
Air temperature: Venice
Contents
Weather at a glance
- Daytime high
- 21.0 °C
- Nighttime low
- 15.2 °C
- Monthly precipitation
- 109.1 mm
- Days with at least 1 mm
- 14.3
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.
Early, middle and late month
| Period | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Days with at least 1 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–10 | 19.6 | 13.6 | 4.5 |
| Days 11–20 | 20.6 | 15.0 | 5.3 |
| From day 21 | 22.5 | 16.8 | 4.5 |
What this month is like
Venice, Italy. In may, the average daytime high is 21.0 °C and the night-time low is 15.2 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
There are 14.3 wet days on average, with about 109.1 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
How to plan the day
Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
Average daylight is 14.9 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.
What to pack
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
Precipitation and an alternative plan
Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What to pack
Bring light daytime clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for cooler hours. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
Compared with neighbouring months
Average daytime high: previous month — 16.8 °C, May — 21.0 °C, next month — 26.5 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 9.1, 14.3 and 10.9.
Things to do
Venice occupies islands in a lagoon, and the historic centre has no cars: canals, bridges and narrow lanes do the work of streets. The city divides into six sestieri, so explore on foot and use the vaporetto between the far corners.
San Marco
St. Mark's Basilica with its gold mosaics and the Doge's Palace share one square, and early morning still allows an easy passage. Climb the campanile for the lagoon view, and join the basilica queue before noon.
Rialto and San Polo
The Rialto market opens in the morning with fish, vegetables and fruit under the arcades beside the Grand Canal. From there walk inland through San Polo to the Frari church and its Titian altarpiece, away from the bridge crowds.
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro holds art and quiet: the Accademia galleries, the Peggy Guggenheim collection and Santa Maria della Salute on the point. Students gather on Campo Santa Margherita in the evening, where bar prices stay lower.
Where to stay
Cannaregio
Cannaregio runs from Santa Lucia station along the canal, and Venetians live here among bacari, bakeries and quiet courtyards. San Marco is twenty minutes on foot, yet luggage is easy and evenings bring almost no crowds.
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro suits anyone who wants museums and calm evenings: the Accademia, the Guggenheim and the Zattere waterfront are close. The lanes confuse, but the district feels lived in and resting here comes easily.
Castello
Castello covers the eastern city: broad streets, the Biennale gardens and the Arsenale where ships were built. Rooms are quieter and cheaper than near San Marco, which is twenty minutes away on foot.
Getting to and around Venice
From Marco Polo airport, Alilaguna boats and buses reach the city, the buses ending at Piazzale Roma where the pedestrian zone begins. Santa Lucia station sits directly on the Grand Canal. The vaporetto is the main transport inside the city, line 1 stopping along the canal at Rialto and Accademia, while short trips are quicker on foot over the bridges.
Three days in Venice
San Marco and Castello
Reach Piazza San Marco at opening time and see the basilica and the Doge's Palace. After lunch escape into Castello for quiet streets and the Biennale gardens, then return to the lagoon in the evening.
Rialto and Dorsoduro
Start at the Rialto market, walk to the Frari and cross the Grand Canal on the Accademia bridge. Spend the afternoon in the Accademia or the Guggenheim, then take a bar table on Campo Santa Margherita.
Lagoon islands
Take the vaporetto to Murano, where glass workshops still operate, then continue to Burano with its painted houses. Come back in the evening and have dinner beside the canal in Cannaregio.
Weather throughout the year
| Month | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Precipitation, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.0 | 3.7 | 53.2 | 6.9 | 9.1 |
| February | 10.0 | 5.0 | 75.4 | 6.7 | 10.4 |
| March | 13.0 | 6.9 | 60.4 | 7.9 | 11.9 |
| April | 16.8 | 10.4 | 67.7 | 9.1 | 13.5 |
| May | 21.0 | 15.2 | 109.1 | 14.3 | 14.9 |
| June | 26.5 | 20.4 | 68.8 | 10.9 | 15.6 |
| July | 29.6 | 22.9 | 63.4 | 11.2 | 15.3 |
| August | 29.6 | 22.7 | 83.1 | 11.0 | 14.1 |
| September | 25.0 | 18.6 | 84.8 | 11.0 | 12.6 |
| October | 19.7 | 14.1 | 96.0 | 10.6 | 11.0 |
| November | 13.7 | 9.2 | 97.7 | 10.3 | 9.6 |
| December | 9.3 | 5.3 | 73.6 | 7.3 | 8.8 |
Frequently asked questions
Venice: what is the temperature in May?
The average daytime high is 21.0 °C and the night-time low is 15.2 °C. Daytime is suitable for a longer walk around the city. Leave time for breaks and lunch along the way.
How many days with precipitation are there in May?
On average, there are 14.3 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the monthly total is 109.1 mm. Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What should I pack for walks in May?
Bring light daytime clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for cooler hours. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
How does the weather change from the start to the end of the month?
Average daytime highs by part of the month: 1–10 — 19.6 °C; 11–20 — 20.6 °C; 21 to month-end — 22.5 °C.
How many daylight hours are there in May?
The average is 14.9 hours. Long daylight hours make it easy to split a walk between morning and evening, with a longer break in between.
Is Venice worth visiting in May?
The climate suits a trip if daytime temperatures around 21.0 °C and nights around 15.2 °C work for you. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.
What can I do in Venice on a wet day in May?
Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag. Keep a museum, market, café or another indoor route near your accommodation.
What should I pack for Venice in May?
Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. Average daylight is 14.9 hours.