Venice · Month comparison

March vs September

September ranks #1 overall vs March at #9. The best month — Film Festival ends, crowds thin, the golden light of autumn Venice begins

Venice canal in spring with reflections and quiet streets

March

#9 of 12 months

Strong option

Post-Carnevale quiet — Venice briefly returning to manageability before spring crowds build

  • Late winter quiet before Easter; hotels affordable and the sestieri genuinely walkable
  • Doge's Palace, Gallerie dell'Accademia and the Frari church without queues
Venice Grand Canal in golden September autumn light

September

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The best month — Film Festival ends, crowds thin, the golden light of autumn Venice begins

  • Warm 19–24°C with summer humidity gone; the canals smell better and the light is extraordinary
  • Hotels 40% cheaper than August; the sestieri accessible without the tourist crush
FactorMarchSeptember
Weather score
6
8
Value score
7
5
Crowd score
4
6
Events score
4
6
Atmosphere
6
8
Avg high temp12°C24°C
Monthly rain60mm70mm
Daily sunshine6.5hrs8.5hrs

March trade-offs

  • Still cool (7–13°C) and variable; acqua alta still a risk through March
  • Easter approaching; the final week of March can be busy if Easter falls early

September trade-offs

  • First autumn rain possible from mid-September; acqua alta beginning to return
  • Biennale crowds if it's a Biennale year; otherwise September is the best month to visit
Scores compare months within Venice. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →