Hi, considering crowds and/or weather...what is the best time of year to visit Venice?

Thank you.

Probably January. It has the least precipitation (rain or, rarely, snow) of any month of the year. I would imagine that there are no crowds (as long as you don't run into Carnevale, which only starts in February, I think).

Everything will be open, but at shorter hours than during high season. The Venetians will by then, one hopes, gotten over their surfeit of tourists during the season, which now seems to stretch from April to October, at least.

This from someone who is spending two weeks in Venice in November, the month of most precipitation; I couldn't bear to put my (10th or 11th or 12th) visit off until January.

We were there in late June '05 and it was so hot I didn't want to go into some of museums because they had no a/c and no windows or breezes. Outside was warm but ok. Avoid summer if you can!

I had to respond because Venice is my favorite city. I've been there in every season except the dead of winter, so January sounds intriguing. I had no idea that was the driest month--I would have bet on cold, soaking rains.

Bottom line: ANYTIME except June, July, or August. I've had lovely weather in late March (warm sunny days, crisp nights) and first week in November (foggy mornings, sunny days, crisp nights). The acqua alta floods often start in Nov, but not early Nov.

Thanks. I've been thinking October or April ( I was wondering about the floods in April however).

I've been twice, both times happened to be in August. I loved it.

I was there Sept. 8-12, and it was perfection.

I would check the date of Easter before going in late March or April, and try to avoid it. Easter week is almost as crowded as the dead of summer (but not quite).

Without question, the end of August, through most of September-the weather in all of Italy for my 5 weeks there, was pretty nearly perfection-every day in Venice was bright blue skies, and the most perfect warm days-not hot, warm. And those sunsets over the Grand Canal-oh yes! The Regata Storica, which falls on the first Sunday in September, was just amazing-the photos I have of the historical boats, the partying going on in San Polo,(and further downstream on the Grand Canal), the incredible evening sunset after the last of the boats competed and took their turn in front of the City Hall palazzo (Ca Farzetti)-the scene could not have been more lovely or fascinating-one feels quite Venetian when one take an apartment there and participates in some of the most important Venetian holidays, which the Regata Storica certainly is.

Late August/first of Sept. is ALWAYS when I try to go to Venice-everyone is there, everything is happening: the opening of La Fenice, Regata Storica, the Venice Film Festival-and generally some of the best weather you'll find anywhere. September starts the high season in Venice, and with it the marked jump in hotel/apt. rates-but it's worth it because Venice is such a beehive of activity then.

I can't even conceive of someone saying January is the best month to visit Venice-it's freezing cold, snow is not uncommon then, with the winds whipping up from the Adriatic-bone chilling cold, dark days, and of course, acqua alta is not infrequent during this period also. There are few gondolas about in January, the traghetti (modified gondolas that cross the Grand Canal at 8 different points) are shut down-Venetian life is all about the cruising/boating outdoors/maritime life, and so the winter months only give a partial glimpse as to what Venice is all about; you really do have to get there in the warmer seasons to appreciate Venice in all its fun, never-a-dull-moment glory! (like, when the mayor does a walk-through of Piazza San Marco the first week of September and starts to pitch a fit in front of everybody concerning those damned pigeons which are ruining the Piazza San Marco and the city's patrimony with their excrement, not to mention the health hazard of the excrement and the disease ridden birds in those huge flocks-myself, I won't walk through there because of them. The mayor has declared war on the pigeons, and wants them exterminated -he calls them (and I've said the same thing before as well) "topi volanti" (flying rats).

October and the fall months are not bad, but it is quite a bit cooler, and it is also the time (Oct./Nov.) when you begin to see the rains, and typically, with the rains comes acqua alta (a pretty high acqua alta hit the Piazza San Marco just a few days ago, as a matter of fact).

On the other hand, late summer is idyllic in Venice-sooo romantic!

Girlspytravel, may I ask where you stay in Venice? Which section to you reccomend? An apartment or a hotel? It will be my first time in Italy.

Thanks.

Girlspy travel, may I ask where in the city you stay? An apartment or a hotel? It will be my first trip to Italy.

Thanks.

I'm not Girlspy, or even a girl, but I always try to stay in Dorsoduro, just across the Accademia bridge from jam-packed San Marco.

Thanks Logan69...that area was first on my list so far.

I almost always take an apartment in Cannaregio, because it is considered to be the authentic "heart" of Venice, it is where most of the Venetians live, the hotel and apartment rates are generally much lower than in the San Marco/Dorsoduro area, and you have some great little bacarie (bars that sell "cicheti" something like tapas, you go to the counter and pick one or two with your glass of ombra (wine) or you do as I do and get a whole plate (or two, depending on how big the plate is) of delicious Venetian cuisine, which costs quite a bit less in Cannaregio than the same food closer in to San Marco-something like 20-30 euros cheaper than in some restaurants! (as a result, I generally eat a plate or two of cicheti, rather than go out and spend so much more on a sit down restaurant meal-or I cook).

I do really love the area around Ca d'Oro vaporetto stop, in Cannaregio, which is centered around the main shopping thoroughfare for Venetians-the Strada Nova. There are some charming hotels and B and B's in this area, plus the beautiful Ca Vendramin Calergi Casino, which you can walk to within a couple of minutes if you're staying in Cannaregio. The Strada Nova is close to everything-you can walk to San Marco in about 15 minutes from the area around Campo Santi Apostoli (if you go straight through and don't tarry, but who doees that? so much to explore and investigate along the way!) The good thing about this area is, if you need to run out and get a pair of say, panty hose, you know you'll be able to go out on the Strada Nova and get that and whatever else you need, either in an individual shop that sells nothing but socks and pantyhose, or run into the Billa supermarket, which carries some as well. Also, I had some medical problems with my ever problematic feet, but the pharmacy was only 20 feet away from the door of my apartment building-and Italian pharmacists are always quite helpful, they're quite good at prescribing the right cremes and ointments!

They're also starting to open some swank, ubercool restaurants in this area as well, as I noticed this last trip that a brand new terrace bar/restaurant that is above the Lush cosmetics store (around the corner from Ca d'Oro and just at the bridge/gondola station at B&B Ca' Gottardi) has just opened, with appropriately high prices, but with a very interesting terrace view of the Strada Nova as well as part of the Grand Canal-a great place for a sunset cocktail, and people-watching!

I like the San Polo area as well-VERY lively, some really good zhopping bargains can be found in this area, as well as some great wine bars/bacarie, such as BANCOGIRO, (my favorite) which partly fronts the Grand Canal, MURO CUCINA E VINO, (very popular with the post-college crowd, and has gotten some good-write-ups for its nouvelle take on Venetian cuisine) and the ancient (15 cent.) but always interesting CANTINA DO MORI, with its copper pots hanging from the ceiling-all of these and others are clustered around the very picturesque Campo San Giacometto, with its large clock tower (this is located just behind and to the side of the fish and vegetable markets). I generally take the traghetto (ferry) across from Ca d'Oro to San Polo (always standing in the gondola, like the locals do) so I can go and do some shopping/take photos in the markets during the morning, stop off at Bancogiro for some delicious cicheti and a glass of prosecco, (early afternoon) then go shopping for cheap but stylish leather handbags in the area behind the fish market (found a nice bright red leather purse there for 30 Euros).

At night, San Polo generally has some rock/jazz band playing in the summer months (not too bad, either) for the Communist Party's various festivals/political agendas ("No Mose" when I was there-the movement that wants the huge billions of dollars Mose project to save Venice from the seas to cease, on the grounds that it will destroy the lagoon environment).

I think you get a better feel for Venice and its community the further away you move from the tourist crowds of San Marco-but this is not a put-down of San Marco-some people really like staying there near the Piazza and the waterfront, but it IS a very different experience than the less touristed areas of Venice.

I ahve to agree with some of the posters above, I have been in the end of Aug and also in Sep, loved it both times. I would say that for the first time, warmer is better, just to experience what it is like to stroll around lesiurely and take in the local tranportation!

I found August and early Sept quite warm; 3rd week of September was about perfect. I'd like to try April or May next.

I was there during acqua alta (Christmas 2004). FUN! My answer has already been given:
ANYTIME!!!

We have only been to Venice once, this year, September 19 through the 24th. Weather was wonderful, quite warm in mid-day though. We had a great B&B (B&B Sandra) that had a terrace we were able to escape too, enjoy our wine, a book and later a nap before we ventured out for the evening. This was in Cannaregio and we loved this area. We are from the midwest so the September, October kind of weather is what we like the best. We are looking forward to a visit back to Venice soon. Shirley

I was there the first week in May this year. It was warm enough for jeans/slacks and light top during the day and a light jacket after the sun went down. I encountered no lines or waiting anywhere and a few times found myself alone in churches and museums.