Christmas in Venice 2021

Winter is coming to Venice and with it comes children’s favorite time of year, and not only, Christmas.

If you think you’re going to read about kayak trips now, I’m sorry, but we at Venice Kayak and Classic Boats Venice use this time of year to restore boats and organize trips for next year.

The project Christmas of Light 2021 aims to illuminate the most prestigious areas of Venice as the area around San Marco. The lights will remain on until March 1, 2022, the last day of Carnival.

The Christmas lights will decorate Piazzale Roma and the Train Station, the main points of access to Venice and illuminate the various routes of Christmas shopping in the districts of Santa Croce, Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro, San Marco and Castello. The lights will also illuminate the Grand Canal of Murano.

A project that, thanks to the commitment of the City of Venice and Vela Spa and the collaboration of American Express, sponsor of the initiative in the areas of Piazzale Roma, Lista di Spagna and Strada Nuova, lights up to support the discovery of lagoon craftsmanship and the novelties of Christmas 2021.

The lights will remain on until March 1, 2022, the last day of Carnival. There will also be opportunities for Christmas shopping with the market in Campo San Maurizio Saturday 11 and Sunday, December 12 in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Venice.

Of course, the Gran Teatro la Fenice also offers a rich program for this Christmas period:

• Lac | from Swan Lake (Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo): choreography Jean-Christophe Maillot | music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
  From Wednesday 15 December to Sunday 19 at TEATRO LA FENICE
  The famous ballet in the splendid setting of one of the most famous opera houses in Italy and in the World
• Fabio Luisi conducts the New Year Concert 2022: Saturday, January 1 live on RAI 1 at 12:20 #capodannofenice from Thursday, December 30 to Saturday, January 1, 2022

When we speak of a New Year’s Concert, we immediately think of Vienna, but there is also the New Year’s Concert at La Fenice which, as per tradition, offers a musical program in two parts: the first is exclusively orchestral and the second is dedicated to melodrama, with a series of arias, duets and choral passages interpreted by prestigious soloists and the Choir of the Teatro La Fenice. Every year the Concert closes with two famous pieces by Giuseppe Verdi, cornerstones of the Italian musical heritage: the Chorus “Va’ pensiero sull’ali dorate” from Nabucco and the festive toast “Libiam ne’ lieti calici” from La traviata.

Info: www.teatrolafenice.it

Venice hosts some museums whose visit allows you to enter into the depths of Venetian life and cultural heritage of the city, below you can see the rich offer aimed at Venetians:

Evening openings:

• Palazzo Ducale and Museo Correr will be open during the Christmas holidays until 11pm (last admission 10pm).
• from Friday, December 3 to Tuesday, December 7, 2021
• every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from Friday December 17, 2021 to Sunday
• January 9, 2022.
• During the month of December, the National Archaeological Museum will be open until 7 p.m. on the following days: from Friday, December 3 to Tuesday, December 7, 2021
  Friday 17 to Sunday 19 December 2021
  Friday 24; Sunday 26; Friday 31 December 2021

Extraordinary openings:

• The Civic Museums will also be open daily from Friday, December 17 through Sunday, January 9, 2022.

Click on the links below for their respective opening hours:

• Palazzo Ducale
• Museo Correr
• Ca’ Pesaro – Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna
• Ca’ Rezzonico – Museo del Settecento Veneziano
• Casa di Carlo Goldoni
• Museo del Merletto (Burano)
• Museo del Vetro (Murano)
• Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo
• Museo di Storia Naturale
• The Museo Storico Navale (Naval History Museum) will also be open for the holidays, from 11am to 5pm: from Friday, December 3 to Sunday, December 5
  Wednesday, December 8 to Sunday, December 12
  Friday, December 17 to Sunday, December 19

Those who think that Venice is only made of liquid water, here you will find the Venetians and not only twirling on the water, but of ice! Open every day, with the possibility of skate rental. In Venice, the skating rink is set up in Campo San Polo, from December 4, 2021 to March 1, 2022.

Opening hours and shifts

• Access to the rink takes place according to shifts lasting about an hour and a half interspersed with a break of 30 minutes.
• ON THE TRACK IT IS COMPULSORY TO WEAR GLOVES AND SHOW THE GREEN PASS.
• Times may vary.
• The program may be subject to changes and modifications due to the health situation, consult the official website of the City of Venice for all updates.
  

The island of Murano although close to Venice has different traditions including a different liturgical calendar, civil and religious services. For example in Venice the patron saint is St. Mark, while in Murano is St. Nicholas.

On December 6, 2021 Murano celebrates St. Nicholas, patron saint of glassmakers.

18:00 Holy Mass at the Basilica of Saints Mary and Donato presided S.Em. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco.

19:00 Opening Benefit Exhibition with the works made by the Murano glassmakers in honor of the patron saint, at Punta Conterie.

You can admire the works until 30/01/2022 at Punta Conterie, Fondamenta Giustinian 1 Murano (Ve) from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm (closed from 17 to 24 January).

On December 19, 2021, returns the Santa Claus Running! The RUNNING CLUB VENEZIA in collaboration with VENEZIA TRIATHLON has organized the Santa Claus Run that will take place on December 19 at 9.30 am.

• There will be the possibility to make two types of paths: 10 km for runners and 5 km for families.
• The cost is 10 € for adults while for children is free up to 12 years old: it includes the dress, gadgets and final refreshment.
• Part of the proceeds will be donated to AVAPO VENEZIA ONLUS.

The traditional Regatta of the Befana returns, on the Grand Canal, on the morning of January 6, 2022, with arrival at the Rialto Bridge.

At the moment the timetable has not been communicated, but the atmosphere is quivering inside the Società Canottieri Bucintoro, organizer of the event.

Unique is the selection of the racers, they must be at least 60 years old and members of the Bucintoro. Only men participate, not for sexism, but because Venetians don’t like to be called Befana.

They must dress with the typical clothing of Befana, so long skirt, shawl and cap on the head. It tends to be the uglier you are, the better. A long or badly shaved beard is a must.

You will understand why women stand on the shore cheering their husbands and friends racing and laughing at their “heroic” deeds. The route is along the Grand Canal from San Tomà to Rialto.