bdemaria is very knowledgeable - and her statement pretty much sums up our stay in Venice earlier this year. The sirens will tell you , and you can get some local knowledge and plan your day / evenings accordingly. Given we prefer the freedom of travel with only carryons (if we don't check it in, they can't lose it,) taking rubber boots seems a bit unnecessary to my way of thinking.

(I'd not try to do a wander on the passerelle if I had a lot to drink; they're handy but have no guardrails or the like and if it's crowded, well...)