What time of year do restaurants open up their outside seating areas? I will be in Rome and Venice April 21-28 and I'm hoping we aren't too early for it.

Clareita, restaurants all over Rome had outdoor seating open at Christmastime - it was sunny and in the 60s, but they also had heat lamps - so I don't think you'll have any problems sitting outside! In fact that is probably a perfect time to visit - not too cool and not too hot.

We were in Rome two weeks ago and most restaurants had the propane heat lamps burning. Sitting outside was quite comfortable. On a previous trip to Rome in April, though, there were none to be found. Normally they are not needed then, but we were there during a cold snap. I hope you have better luck!

I agree. I was in Rome last March and there was plenty of outdoor dining. I would imagine it would be the same in Venice since I've eaten outdoors there in late October when it was chilly out.

In April I imagine all the restaurants will have outdoor seating available.

Yes, agreed. Unlike here in the States, when they don't put the outside tables up until usually late April or May, in Italy, if the weather is nice (and it has been the warmest winter in over 200 years throughout the country this year) they just put those tables out at any time of year-and, as noted, in Rome, they have those outdoor heating lamps in many of the outside terrace seatings.

Two places in Rome you might want to try: OPPIO CAFE, which has FAB views of the Colosseum at night-really, in full view, there's nothing like seeing it all lit up-open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, and at night, there's a cocktail bar, with live blues, jazz, every night. This is good for pre or post aperitifs, and open until 2am. On Via della Terme di Tito.

As for restaurant dining outside, there are a million to choose from, here's one more: TOTO, on Via delle Carrozze, leading off from the Piazza di Spagna, which has been around since the 1920's, a real Roman institution, they have a scrumptious vegetable "frittarello" with zucchini flowers-my favorite! Great seafood dishes, and house-made tiramisu. The street it's located on has a rather romantic ambience, where horse-drawn carriages once passed. It is one street over from the Via Condotti.

In Venice-you might want to try this upscale pizzeria and restaurant, owned by the Michelin starred "Da Fiore" folks, IL REFOLO-with outdoor seating on a canal-on Campo San Giacomo dall' Orio in Santa Croce. I've not tried it yet, but friends of mine really like it, and its lovely canalside location.

By the way, if anyone wants to look up a restaurant or other place of interest in Venice, there is an interactive map display at www.veniceexplorer.net.-just click on the link to the left: "Venice restaurants," type it in, and then when the restaurant name and address show up, click on the link to the name, and an interactive display will show a pulsing red ball as to the exact location of the restaurant in question. It also shows various palazzo or churches that are nearby to use as reference points. I find the site to be quite useful.

http://venicexplorer.net/

Note that outdoor eating areas are now where smokers sit (assuming they wish to smoke with their meals instead of running outside for a break between courses), and unless it's breezy it may be quite smoky indeed. So if you're sensitive to cigarette smoke you may want to consider indoor seating.

Yes, thanks, Travelnut!

Thank you for the restaurant advice. I really like the veniceexplorer.net site.