We want to primarily avoid the cruise ship crowds and throngs of tourists descending upon the city during high season.

We live in San Francisco and I imagine that Venice in late autumn (mid-October) probably has a similar climate. I could be mistaken.

My wife detests cold and especially the combo of wind + cold. I know we can't get it all, but I'm trying to determine what would offer the best of both worlds; ie. decline of tourists but also relatively mild weather and sunshine. We'll be in Vienna and Salzburg for a week afterwards, so I'll have to check the climate there as well. I imagine it will be a lot cooler in the mountains. Hopefully no snow that early in season though!

The other concern is flooding, though I'm told it's really just a minor inconvenience for several hours at worst, if we encounter it at all. Is this something we're likely to expect in Venice in October? The thought of cool winds and rainboots doesn't appeal strongly to the missus. The circus of tourists in summer months even less, to me.

I assume that all museums, palazzos, trattorias and osterias, etc. stay open year-round at reasonable hours, despite low season; correct?

What's the ideal middleground then? Should I plan for April or October?

Sweater and trench coat weather is fine, but heavier winter coats isn't really what we want for this trip.

Is there a particular week in Spring that sees less tourist traffic? Would late-March be more ideal than October in terms of crowds and climate? What about the risk of flooding? Google Images "Venice in October" and you'll understand my concerns.

What's the general cut-off in September for tourism? Would we be alright to travel by the last week of September or is it still pretty packed with vacationers trying to get a last breath of summer in? Honestly, the October floods worry me more than the cold, though it would be nice to be able to sit outside at a caffe in the early mornings and evenings without the chilly winds. At least if travelling in Spring, we could avoid crowds by spending evenings and early mornings touring without the effects of the cold. If a chilly night in Venice drops to around 10�C (or below with windchill) and the streets are flooded due to high tides, I imagine the missus would not enjoy walking around late at night, which looks to be the most intriguing time to explore the city streets. I'd really appreciate some advice from those who've travelled to the city in either Spring or Autumn.

Thanks so much!

I've been in Venice recently in mid May and mid/late October. Temperatures both times were rather pleasant - not too cold, not too hot. Around 20-24C by afternoon. I don't think it got much below 12-15C the 5 nights were were there last October. No floods either but the gang planks are available and ready for deployment all the time. Mostly summer wear for us but we did have a pullover for ferry rides to the outlying islands. I do seem to remember there was evidence of recent flooding- at least seaweed washed over the quays - after we got there.

Maybe keep an eye on the tide table coefficients (if offered) when you plan to visit. 100 appears to be the benchmark for past historic tidal highs but Atlantic France is getting coefficients of 115 or even more some days. Med tides seem to be a lot-less variable than Atlantic tides but every little bit makes a difference for Venice.

My wife and I also go to Austria often (she has relatives there) and were where you plan to go (Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck) in mid October 2012 and 2013. Weather again is rather pleasant. I would say not cool/cold at all. We've had some scorching early springs (32C+ by 10am).

Check out this tidetable link for your dates there. The tide coefficient was high 90s the 2 days before we got there which would explain the evidence of recent flooding.

Thank you so much, it's a big help!

April seems to be the loveliest month for Vienna and Salzburg so I'm strongly considering the first few weeks of the month for the whole trip, but tracking the tidal coefficients is a good idea that I hadn't thought of. I doubt it's much of a concern for April regardless. Crowds would be more of a problem. Did you experience hoardes of tourists on your recent visit in mid-May and did it detract from the romance of the city?

Thanks again!

We couldn't get into San Marco or the secret tour of the Doge's palace in mid May. Long lines for the former, impossible to get tickets for the latter. Maybe we planned it better but found a good time to see it in late October and managed to get tickets for the Doge's Palace secret tour (albeit in Italian only). It was still crowded but maybe a titch less.

Good thing about October is that all the seasonal cruises ships have migrated or are migrating for their overwintering grounds in the Caribbean by late October. We only saw, IIRC, MSC ships and Costa ships which may be based there year-round.

Advantage of Austria in October is that the fresh young wines are available at the city's heuringens and also the lightly-fermented grape juice.

There really isn't one. The era of "summer high season" is long gone and the city is busy pretty much all year round - the exception being the period between New Years and the start of Carnevale, but that is usually quite cold.

Given your parameters, I would seriously consider April - but look carefully at when Easter happens to fall.

Thanks very much!

Based on what you've written, I assume that early-April vs. mid-April shouldn't make much difference then?

The weather in Venice in early October is typically like the weather in SF has been the past few days; cool, in the 60's, comfortable, but wear a long sleeve knit and a light jacket. During the day you usually have to take the jacket off because it may get hot. Maybe it will be a little colder in Venice. Just as in SF, it's unpredictable, but it's not going to be brutal either way.

There is a huge seasonal difference when it comes to visiting Venice. With the heat, mosquitos, and crowds during late May, June, July, August and early September it can be a torturous, "I'm never going back there again," experience.

Mid-October starts to get more pleasant. There is still some crowding but it is not at all like it is during the highest season. From then on it gets progressively better, even though cruise ships keep coming in until mid-November. From mid-November until mid-March it can be pretty cold. That's a great time to visit, but that's another issue.

June through September are out of bounds in terms of tourists and weather.

The risk of a combo of wind and cold is pretty low in October, but it is as unpredictable as the weather is anywhere. I've been there in late October when a storm made it brutal, but by the evening I was walking around with nothing but a light sweater and a windbreaker. It's like visiting NYC in October; it may have mild, early fall weather, or it can be capriciously cold. It's unpredictable, but you won't freeze.

I wouldn't bother with tidal charts for aqua alta. You can predict the tides, but the wind and daily temperature play a huge part in the weather and water level, and no one knows what they will be months in advance when buying plane tickets.

In fact, I would't bother myself about aqua alta at all. The photos of high water are interesting shots by photographers, but look at peoples' faces; they are usually smiling, or wondrous, as if they are in a museum. High water means the weather is not cold. It is a treat, unless you have to get to school or work and the only way there is on the passerelle, blocked by tourists. You won't get wet if you don't want to, and it is a great opportunity for unforgettable photos.

The trade offs for going in October outweigh any other considerations, because the weather is usually just fine. With a few layers you won't really need a winter coat. However, mid-November through early March can be pretty cold.

In my opinion, everything said here is more or less the same for April, except the weather may be a little better.

You will also love Salzburg. A snowy day in Salzburg is magical. These are two terrific cities to visit.

Wow, such great feedback!! I really appreciate your detailed response!

It sounds like April is definitely the time to visit and you've certainly put my mind at ease.

The one and only downside that I've just discovered, is that the Venice Simplon Orient-Express from Vienna to Brussels which we were hoping to book, looks as though it's only operating in October. We may need to do Venice as a separate trip in April with Salzburg, Hallst�tt, Vienna, and Brussels in the fall. I'll continue to research that angle.

Thank you so much for your extremely helpful input!

You guys wear long sleeves and a jacket in the 60's?

(I know what you were after, New England is all about layering)

i think crowd avoidance is the main issue in venice. we prefer feb,march,april(until carnivalE). then after carnivalE is also good. high water is a minimal problem. the temps are not that bad, particularly when compared to the mobs of summer. snow is very bad when it happens. no one moves it, and the steps over bridges are very difficult.(happens about once every few years).

pretty much everything is open these days, so no museum or feeding problems. hotels are empty, and rates are lowest.

We loved Venice in the first week of May. Wonderful weather and crowds weren't that challenging.

We just returned from 6 wonderful days in Venice. Yes, in August.

The key for us:

1) A good travel planner to help organize the itinerary
2) We rented our own apartment 'embedded' in the neighborhood (Dorsoduro)
3) For the popular destinations, we had our planner arrange a guide. This way we did not have to wait in line at all.

It was hot, and muggy at times - evenings would cool some, but still short sleeved weather. We loved it.

We generally avoided the most crowded places (Rialto, San Marco, Accademia) during the day unless we had a tour / destination on the schedule.

No high water, no smell from the canals. (What time of year is worst for odors?) There are mosquitoes.

It did rain - One night was a torrential downpour with strong winds. Fortunately it had mostly blown through by morning. We bought umbrellas and carried them, but did not really use them much.

We spent an incredible day at Lido Beach.

Some stores, and even restaurants and wine bars, close down for some or all of August.

Cicchetti touring from Bacaro to Bacaro in the evening before dinner (from 6:00 - 8:00 or so) was incredibly fun. Then dinner at 8:00 or 9:00, again, still warm enough to sit outside in short sleeves.

There were cruise ships and crowds, of course. While annoying at times, we did not let this deter our enjoyment of this beautiful city!

Highly recommended: Cooking school with Enrica Rocca or one of her associates (highly ranked, easy to find on TA). Truly ended up being one of the highlights of our trip! (Thanks Marloes!)

Wonderful! I am so glad you enjoyed Venice. It sounds like you did it right. Instead of making it a day trip you stayed for six days in an apartment far enough away from Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge to see the city in a more authentic way.

Venice is hot and muggy in July and August, but anyone who lives in Texas or Florida, or who deals with the summer mugginess of Boston, New York, or Philadelphia, will find it cool enough. Mosquitos, I admit, can be a real problem; keep your windows closed all the time.

As Slaweki has said, in Venice, it's all about dealing with the crowds. You did the right thing by not staying near San Marco or the Rialto Bridge. In my opinion, Castello and Dorsoduro (as well as some outlying parts of Canareggio) are the parts of town to stay in, as they are the furthest away from the overwhelmingly depressing tourism industry.

The smell of the canals is at its worst right now, in August, and depends on the tides. As you learned first hand, it is an old myth that there is a problem with smell. It's no worse than standing next to the Hudson River at low tide during certain times of the year. Rain in Venice, walking through the narrow side streets with an umbrella, is romantic and wonderful. It's not as much fun as aqua alta, but it is good.

It is true that many places are closed in August. Italy requires every citizen to have 30 days of paid vacation. Almost all Italians take it in August because it's too hot to work, and they don't want to be around during the tourism invasion. They close shop and go to the beach, or to the cooler mountains.

The stores that are dependent on tourism only close on August 15th and stay open the rest of the month. They tend to close in December and go to the beach in some place like Cuba, where you will find many gondoliere during the winter.

There is a movement in the USA to require mandatory vacation. It wasn't too long ago that US citizens didn't even get paid for maternity leave. http://www.theguardian.com/money/us-...-time-off-work

It is terrific that you stayed for six days, rented an apartment, and made sure that it was quite far away from San Marco and Rialto, even though nothing is far in Venice, and everything is in walking distance for most people. I hope you come back!

One additional consideration is the length of the day. I just looked at the time of sunset in Venice on:

April 15 - 7:58pm

Oct 15 - 6:26pm

That's 1 1/2 hour of later sun in April.

April and October are both great times to visit Venice - October will probably be when I plan my next visit (2015, not this year). There is something about Venice after dark, hard to explain but just very cool. I wouldn't mind an earlier sunset.