10 Things to Do in Venice in November

After a few months when thousands of tourists flock to see Venice's main attractions, the atmosphere becomes quieter in November. The pace slows down and it is the best time to stroll around the city's squares, streets and monuments without crowds.

In November, moreover, Venice celebrates some of its most intimate events, almost conceived only for Venetians. From All Saints' Day to the Festa della Salute, from the Commemoration of the Dead to Saint Martin's Day, these celebrations reflect much more clearly the way of being and living of the inhabitants of the ancient Serenissima Republic.

Whether you're an opera buff or not, a visit to the legendary La Fenice theatre (which first opened its doors in 1792) should be on your list if you're in Venice in November.

Just to see its beautiful interior, its atrium and the Apollonian Halls is worth seeing a performance or, if you can't, visiting at another time. In addition, its proximity to St. Mark's Square and other monuments makes it an ideal place to end the day's tour.

Even in the month of November you will be lucky that there will not be so many tourists and you will be able to enjoy its architecture without being crowded.

Having celebrated the last big October holiday, Halloween, with a bang, Venice turns its attention to another much more traditional event: All Saints' Day. As in the rest of the country, this is a very Catholic-related holiday, honouring all those who have passed away.

If you are in the city on these dates, you will see that this celebration has two different aspects in which you can take part. The first is religious, as all the temples in Venice hold special masses on this day.

The second aspect is closely related to gastronomy. Traditionally, it was customary to prepare a feast dedicated to the dead as a way of remembering them and showing respect. Nowadays, you will be able to find some typical dishes, such as the ones you can see in the gastronomic tours of Venice and its restaurants.

Entering the Doge's Palace is a must on any trip to Venice. This, in high season, means having to queue considerably to visit in the midst of a large number of tourists, but in November you can enjoy this building without the crowds.

I assure you that this makes an important difference in the way you will perceive all the attractions of a palace that has been the residence of the Doges and the prison of the Republic of Venice.

The best way to see the interior is to hire a guided tour of the Doge's Palace to get to know what you are seeing. Generally speaking, the tour will take you to see:

• La Scala d'Oro.
• The floor where the works of painters such as Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese are located.
• And the Bridge of Sighs, which communicates with the dungeons of the palace and which you will be able to cross.

November brings a completely different atmosphere to the city of canals than August in Venice or any other month of the year. In addition to the rain, sometimes the fog descends on the city creating a fascinating layer.

The typical autumn light, which is more muted, combined with the fog can make climbing the Campanile of St. Mark's Basilica a unique experience.

This bell tower of the extraordinary St Mark's Basilica measures 98.5 metres and is the highest point in the city. The views are obviously great at all times of the year, but in autumn the city takes on an almost ghostly appearance.

Those fortunate enough to be able to spend a week or so in Venice can afford to take more than one excursion elsewhere. If you have travelled at the end of November, I recommend you visit Florence in the midst of the Tuscany regional festival.

This celebration is fairly recent, having only been held every 30 November since 2000. It celebrates the fact that Tuscany was the first place in the world to abolish the death penalty, in 1786.

Although Florence has more than enough attractions to go to, attending the activities that take place during this celebration is well worth it.

Most of the celebrations that take place in Venice are reflected in its rich gastronomy. The festa della Salute is no exception and has its own traditional dish that is eaten in the days before and after 21 November. If you like lamb, don't miss the chance to try castradina.

It is a flavourful soup made with salted, smoked and seasoned lamb meat. The traditional method of cooking castradina requires several hours of cooking, so many that locals say it must simmer for a whole day.

If you are in Venice at this time of year you will have no trouble finding this dish in the city's best restaurants and on a food tour of Venice.

On the 2nd of November there is another festivity related to the Day of the Dead. It is the Ognissanti, which can be translated as the Commemoration of the Dead. Although there are other cemeteries in the city, the most interesting is undoubtedly the one on the island of San Michele (St. Michael). Until Napoleon's invasion, burials in Venice took place in churches and Campi.

Many illustrious Venetians and foreigners are buried in the cemetery, such as Igor Stravinsky, Joseph Brodsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Ezra Pound and Luigi Nono. It is also worth looking for the bronze sculpture that the Venetians call Sleeping Beauty. It is a representation of Sonia Kaliensky, a Russian aristocrat who committed suicide when she suffered a heartbreak during the 1907 carnival.

The best way to get around Venice to reach the island of San Michele is the Venetian vaporetto, as is the case in the rest of the city.

The commemoration of this saint is especially popular with children. They take to the streets singing and shouting while the locals offer them sweets prepared for them. If you go to Venice with children, you may be able to join in the festivities and taste some of the sweets.

It is also very traditional to eat a curiously shaped dessert on this day. The sweet, a shortcrust pastry, is baked to resemble the figure of San Martino himself on horseback and carrying a sword and a cloak. You can buy it in almost every pastry shop and café in the city.

The Feast of San Martino is one of Venice's lesser-known festivities, overshadowed by the February carnivals in Venice and the splendours of the Biennale. However, it is a commemoration much loved by Venetians and one you should join if you happen to be in the city on the day of its celebration, 11 November.

Venice celebrates the festa della Salute on 21 November every year. During this festival, Venetians enjoy the food and the atmosphere in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.

Its origin is quite particular: a plague epidemic decimated the Venetian population in 1630. As a celebration for the end of this epidemic, the Senate of the Republic of Venice ordered the construction of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.

This origin explains the name of the celebration, the Feast of Our Lady of Health in English. The church is located in the setiere (neighbourhood) of Dorsoduro and the municipality installs a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal so that all Venetians can reach it on that day.

Reasons to visit the basilica on this holiday

The church itself is well worth a visit for its beauty, but 21 November is the only day of the year when access to the area under the dome is allowed, as passage is normally limited by thick cordons.

According to legend, if you step on a bronze disc located right in the centre of the church, under the great chandelier, you will be in good health all year round.

November marks the end of the Venice Biennale, the most important artistic and architectural event in the world. Its origins date back to 1895, when it was born with the purpose of promoting all kinds of artistic disciplines: cinema, music, theatre, architecture, dance and visual arts.

Despite the name, activities are organised every year and alternate every year between the International Architecture Exhibition and the International Art Exhibition. The entire city participates in this event and the activities are divided into three locations: the national pavilions, the international headquarters and various buildings, deconsecrated churches and palaces distributed throughout Venice.

If you are travelling to Venice at this time, I recommend that you go to a tourist office to obtain one of the specific brochures about the Biennale. In them you will be able to see the activities programmed at any given time and choose the ones you are interested in.

November in Venice is characterised by humidity, low sunlight and early morning fog. In addition, according to historical data, there are about six days of precipitation during the month.

It is always advisable to check the weather before travelling to be sure, but statistics show that highs hover around 12 degrees and lows hover around 5 degrees. Bear in mind that the aforementioned humidity and wind make for a lower wind chill.

If any month can be called low season in Venice, it's November. After the last throes of mass tourism in October and before the arrival of Christmas in Venice andCarnival, the city experiences a brief period of tranquillity.

In practice, this means lower prices on flights and hotels, as well as being able to walk the streets in a much quieter way. Similarly, queues at monuments are reduced to a minimum and the atmosphere becomes much more local and intimate.

Despite its small size, finding your way around a city like Venice is not easy. Its narrow streets and canals make it easy to get lost, even if you use a mobile app.

A good idea is to at least know the districts into which the city is divided. This will help you plan your routes and get an idea of where each place is located:

• San Marco: the most touristy and central part of the city, with most of the places to visit on a short stay.
• San Polo: located near the Rialto Bridge, this neighbourhood is one of the liveliest in the whole city.
• Castello: the largest district of the city, from the area of the Doge's Palace to the Arsenale.
• Cannaregio: located in the north, just above the Grand Canal. It is the most populated area of the city.
• Santa Croce: next to San Polo. Although it is the one that receives less tourists, its narrow streets and churches are very interesting.
• Dorsoduro: includes the southwest area and the island of Guidecca. It has a very student atmosphere and, therefore, a lively atmosphere.