The international festival of giallo and noir literature in the most evocative locations in Venice
Venice Noir is Venice's international noir literature festival, born in 2025 from an idea that grew in a bookstore to become a four-day event dedicated to giallo, thriller, and genre novels. Ian Rankin called it "the most beautiful book festival in the world".
The heart of the festival is the Ateneo Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, the oldest active cultural institution in the city. Previous editions have also included the Ridotto of the Hotel Monaco—the original salon frequented by Casanova—and the Sale Apollinee of the Teatro La Fenice, locations that amplify the "noir" charm of the lagoon.
The festival attracts top international giallo and thriller authors—past editions featured names like Ian Rankin, Mick Herron, Lucy Worsley, and Mark Billingham—alongside Italian writers. Many panels are public and free. The event is organized by The Venetian Circle Ets, based in San Marco, Venice (Veneto).
The second edition of Venice Noir is scheduled for November 2026 in Venice. On the official website, the organization announces that work is underway for the 2026 edition ("We are working on the 2026 edition") and that details on the program, guests, and registrations will be released shortly. The historic Ateneo Veneto has been confirmed as the main venue for the festival.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition has not yet been published. The organization announces that information on the schedule, guests, and registrations will be available soon on the official website: venicenoir.com.
The usual structure of the festival includes four days of panels, dialogues between authors, and public meetings in the historic venues of the center of Venice (Ateneo Veneto and other locations in the city).
Venice is reachable by train to Venezia Santa Lucia station, and by car to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto. The Ateneo Veneto is located in Campo San Fantin, a short walk from the Teatro La Fenice, reachable on foot or by ACTV water buses (Santa Maria del Giglio stop).
Many panels and meetings are free; some events may require booking. Information and registration on the official website.
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Ateneo Veneto
Campo San Fantin, 30124 Venezia