If anyone has recently traveled to Venice, did you find the water in the canals low because of all the heat this summer? AND was there a smell because of the hot summer.

Are you thinking of visitiing or are you already scheduled to visit this summer?

Because I would not skip Venice whether or not there's a smell or not.

I was there the last week in July. It was very hot. The water was not low (it's connected to the ocean) and the canals did not smell.

It was wonderful despite the heat. Just go. Do it. You will never regret it.

I was there the second week of July and the canals did not smell, nor did we find it to be low.

Don't always think it will be hot. We were there around 4th of July one year and I froze! Weather can change. Just go to Venice. One of the do not miss citys.

Is there a high and low tide in Venice? I have heard that there is and that you shouldn't take a vaporetti during a low tide - the rats come out. True or false.

I heard the same thing before going, Ronda. I took a gondola ride, as well as a vaporetto cruise, both in the evening, and didn't notice any unpleasantness (quite the opposite, actually). However, maybe someone else has more tide info.

I will say that we didn't notice much change in the tide while walking around all day either.

was there last week. very hot but not enough to ruin a trip. didn't think the water smelled. also found the city very clean despite reports I had read to the contrary.

The reason you don't take a gondola ride at an extremely low tide is that you have to look up at everything. At high tide, there may be certain bridges the gondoliers can't get under.

We were there in the middle of July and found the weather perfect (although it rained one day and I almost froze!). The breezes from the sea helped keep it cooler than inland -- we were miserable on our side trip to Verona.

There might have been a slight smell, however we didn't think anything of it because it was much better than our lake smells occasionally during the summer.

We traveled by gondola and had no problems (or smell issues). We traveled by vaporetto during morning, noon and night and never once saw a rat or experienced differences in water level. The crowds were another story (but reading the advice here can help you avoid them).