May !

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/showgallery.php?cat=4440

Here are some shots to get you excited.

Yep April or May. Less crowded. I recommend renting an apartment. Much better value and more space.

Personally I don't consider the winter too cold, and if you avoid Carnival and New Year's, you should be able to avoid the worst of the crowds. However, my one regret (which I hope to make up for some day) is that I did not hear the dueling orchestras, because those don't start until spring. Plus, generally you can get nicer hotels cheaper.

What's too cold is obviously personal.

ANY time is wonderful in Venice!! I'm off next week. I've been most months of the year. Less queues in Winter....but even the tourist hoardes of summer can easily be avoided.

We like May and early October. Blue skies in Venice just add to the beauty and we have normally been able to avoid the crowds.

I would do late April or May - so the days area little longer - you don't have the worst of the crowds yet - and the weather will be warm but not hellishly hot yet.

Why don't you want to come in the summer? And when is your birthday - doesn't that make a difference? The winter can be *very* cold and in fact I remarked to my DH that if I'd come for the first time this last weekend (still only October!), I thought I wouldn't have liked it - cold, torrential rain & strong winds. Weather is of course weather and varies from year to year; this year March was cold but sunny while April & May were very mixed with lots of rain. When we used to come on holiday (before moving here) I always preferred June as the weather is fairly reliably good.

P.S. Can't believe I forgot to mention the acqua alta! Yesterday (along with everything else) we had c.20cm outside our front door - now acqua alta 3 mornings running & an even higher level currently predicted for Wednesday night. Most likely October-April around the full moon & new moon. Not on the whole romantic, although I keep meaning to go to the Piazza late one night to see it under water & empty.

hope you've got your waders ready, caroline.

Polas - I've been to Venice in high summer, November, and at Easter [ last week in march that particular year]. I've always loved it, but Easter was my least favourite time as it was VERY crowded. By all means go in spring, but avoid Easter.

Hi Ann - I finally got fixed up with normal wellies, the day before the first acqua alta of the autumn 2 weeks ago! I have noted a couple of shops which sell waders, but hoping it won't come to that

You're right about Easter, even the usually crowded areas were pretty quiet until about a week before Easter & were so again a week after.

caroline - i've probably mentioned it before, but i got DD an excellent pair of very smart black wellies for only €10 somewhere along the strada nuova. They were in a shop aimed at locals near one selling linens.

i loved wandering along there early in the morning seeing how real Venitians live.

Based on your previous tip I think I got similar ones - extra shiny, patent-style? - at a Chinese shop up near the railway station, but had to pay E15 now. Of course, once the first acqua alta arrived, all the shops had wellies! And as of half an hour ago, we've now clocked up hearing all 4 possible levels of the warning sirens!

YES - they're the ones. sorry you had to pay 50% more, but the good news is that 5 years later, they are still going strong.

good luck with the aqua alta!

Wednesday night was apparently the highest level since 1966, so hopefully we have nothing worse to fear!

Our most romantic trip to Venice bar none was in November. The city was wreathed in fog, mystery upon mystery, and we stood in Saint Mark's Square at midnight, all alone. Does it get better than that?

I've been in late March, mid-April and October. I'd go again anytime, but April was most lovely.