Is Venice Safe At Night?

Is it safe to walk around Venice at night? Here's our personal experience.

The Grand Canal of Venice at night.

Venice has a distinct spooky feeling which is amplified at night. With limited street lights glowing in piazzas and passageways it can be a dark city, leading your imagination to expect a masked vandal looming behind every corner. But in reality, it's more likely that you'll wander down dark steps and find yourself in the canal than it is to be accosted by seedy characters.

So, is Venice safe to walk around at night?

In short, yes, but BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS. Mugging and robbing using a weapon are almost unheard of in Italy. Coming from the US, it feels like a completely different world in that way. However, Venice is notorious for pickpockets. You're most likely to be pick-pocketed in large crowds (particularly in touristy areas like Piazza San Marco and Ponte Rialto) and on public transportation.

How to protect yourself from pickpockets in Venice

• Use a cross-body bag and hold the bag in front of you

• Keep your hand on the bag in crowded areas

• Keep valuables in inside pockets (when wearing a jacket, for instance)

• Never leave a bag open on the ground

• Never leave a phone or wallet on a table when eating outside

• If you're a couple/family, bring only one bank card in case it is stolen

• Passports... some people may tell you to leave your passports at the hotel, others will note that, legally, you must carry your passport with you, so what do you do? That's up to you. You could run the risk of carrying a photo-copy and if you're stopped by police or Carabinieri asking them to accompany you back to the hotel to show them the actual document, but they don't have to agree. You can be fined for not carrying your passport.

When we visited Venice, I didn't carry a purse or tote as a would at home or in other cities. It's easier to snatch a bag than get into a pocket of a jacket. When we went out for the day we only brought one phone, one bank card, an ID for each of us, and a small amount of cash. Nathaniel and I were almost always together and, being winter, he was able to carry everything we needed in the inner pockets of his jacket. This meant that I didn't carry anything valuable. I'm a short woman, I look like an easy target, plus my jacket didn't have inside pockets.

Venice is known for its winding narrow streets which are beautiful, but can seem extra scary at night and particularly if you're walking around alone. If you're traveling solo, use your street smarts, stick to well-lit, well-traveled areas. Know that if you're a woman you look like an easier target, so keep your guard up as you would anywhere. Venice is truly a safe city, but we all know that the world is less safe for women and girls.

I felt safe walking around Venice, but in busy areas I kept my hands in my pockets (if I happened to have cash or a phone) and I kept my guard up at night. When walking around at night, in addition to staying in well-lit, well-trafficked areas as much as possible, I walked quickly past unruly crowds outside of bars and looked around dark corners before passing by. I would say that I'm almost hyper-vigilant, but I've been in unsafe situations in the past and would rather be safe than sorry.

A dark canal at night in Venice.

What time do ferries stop in Venice?

During the day, vaporetti, or public ferries, run between about 5am and 11:30pm/midnight, however it depends on what what stop you're leaving from/going to. You can look at timetables by going to the official ACTV website here.

At night you can take the N line (or Linea Notturna) which runs from 11:30pm–5am. Line N connects San Marco and San Zaccaria stops to Lido. Finding your stop on a vaporetto can be difficult during daylight, so be extra careful finding your correct stop at night. If you're using Google Maps for directions, Linea Notturna/N line stops will be marked with an N when clicked on the map. Click here to go the official ACTV site for N line timetables.

What can I do in Venice at night?

Venice at night is a little less lively than other cities like Rome and Florence. This can be wonderful, not only for residents, but tourists as well because it means the city is literally quieter at night than some others. However, there are still things to do if quiet nighttime strolls aren't what you're looking for.

Of course, there are bars and restaurants, but what else? You can take a nighttime history or ghost tour. You can take a tour of Saint Mark's Basilica including the crypts! Night tours of the Basilica typically start around 7pm and end around 9:30pm. Try your luck (but only bet what you're willing to lose because... gambling) at the historic Casinò di Venezia which is open only on weekends: Friday-Saturday 8:30pm–3am and on Sunday 7pm–2am.

So, is Venice safe at night? Yes, but use your street smarts, after all it's a city just like any other. In case of emergency you can dial 112 which is a generic emergency line. To get in direct contact with the police dial 113, for an ambulance call 118, for fire call 115. We both felt safe in this spooky city, but its better to be prepared than not.