Best time of year for Venice?
 

We are thinking about a trip to Venice - wondering when the best time of year is to go?

I've been very happy there late Sept, early Oct. Warm but not overly hot during the day, comfortable at night<BR>( we still wanted a/c in our room though) and rain only once or twice.

Winter.

You didn't elaborate on what kind of "best time" you have in mind---less tourists? better weather? lower prices? Depending on your answer, the recommendation might be different. I personally like the months of May and early October for weather, winter for better prices and less tourists.

I was wondering about the best time of year in terms of weather - we have done the off-season thing on other trips and aren't too crazy about it. Would you say late spring (i.e. May) or early fall (i.e. Sept/Oct) is a nicer time of year there, as far as weather, crowds, etc.?<BR>Also, I know that some people come away from Venice with an impression of a dirty, smelly city - do you think this relates to the time of year they visited? (I've heard this comment from numerous people)

We were there in June 1st, 1999 and it was 95F or hotter.<BR>We were there Sept.18 2001; Italy was unseasonably cold that time, and evenings were definitely sweater weather, mid-days were barely T-shirt weather; but the tourists who wanted to bypass the crowds on the raised walkways during high water had no problem walking barefoot through the square...<BR>There are pictures of snow in Venice, which can happen in Dec.-Jan-Feb I imagine?<BR>Venice anytime is fantastic. We were there twice - neither time did the canals smell. It's a 1000+ years old city, most of the buildings are 200+ years old and the outsides are deliberately left "old". Many need serious maintenance but the money is lacking. It does not have the pristine "just polished" new building look, like the Las Vegas Venetian (a different interesting site).<BR>But, this IS history. St. Mark's wouldn't be authentic if they dug up the floor, levelled it, and replaced any cracked tiles with shiny new ones...

we were just in venice a week ago and it was beautiful! temperature was comfortable, in the mid to high 70's. it wasn't smelly but i've heard in the hotter summer months that the canal does smell...

May.