The main tourist season in Venice runs from April to October and during Carnival. For serious sightseers the best months are from fall to early spring. The so-called low season may be cooler and inevitably rainier, but it has its rewards: less time waiting in lines and closer-up, unhurried views of what you want to see and substantial hotel discounts.

Weatherwise, the best months for sightseeing are March, April, May, June, September, and October -- generally pleasant and not too hot. July and August are the hottest months, hot and sticky. Brief afternoon thunderstorms are common (and welcome) in the whole Veneto region. Venetian winters are relatively mild, but always include foggy days, some rainy spells, and the risk of acqua alta (high water, when portions of the city are flooded). Inland towns are generally colder than Venice but less humid.

To Live Like a Doge

It wasn't easy to be doge of the Venetian Republic. A few even refused the job. Called the Serenissimo ("Most Serene"), he had a life that was anything but extremely serene. In the 1,100 years of the Republic (697-1797), 121 men were elected to lifetime terms as doge through a convoluted election process: the 41 electors of the doge, all belonging to noble Venetian families, were first chosen through five random drawings that alternated with four secret voting sessions over three days. Sequestered in a wing of the Palazzo Ducale, they deliberated in absolute secrecy until a majority of at least 25 votes was reached, which could take anywhere from a few hours to several months. A kitchen was set up on the premises and the electors' beds were installed. But this extremely complicated mechanism, created to prevent tyranny and nepotism, was not perfect. During the late period of the Republic, many of the less-wealthy electors sold their votes.

When a new doge was finally chosen, the cannons of the galleys anchored in the Bacino di San Marco would sound and the city's bells would ring festively. On Coronation Day, 80 arsenal workers would carry the doge through the crowds that had gathered in Piazza San Marco to greet, cheer, and pocket the silver coins that he tossed out of a silver bucket -- most were generous, as Venetians had a reputation for being disrespectful of stingy rulers.

Severe measures were taken to ensure that such a cautiously elected prince did not abuse his office. He was the only man in town who was not free to send a note to his wife, or to anybody else, to prevent the creation of secret alliances. To discourage bribery and collusion, he could not accept any gifts other than flowers and rosewater. He didn't have a royal stall in theaters -- actually, he wasn't even allowed to go to theaters and cafés, where he might have a chance to plot against democracy.

He had to pay for all his office bills, but couldn't engage in any money-making activities. And for all their pomp, dogal garments such as those on display at the Museo Correr were nothing more than a set of splendid state uniforms, to be worn according to rigid etiquette. The doge was expected to literally lead the Venetian fleet into battle, and bad health and old age did not count as excuses. The 90-year-old, blind Enrico Dandolo proudly laid siege to Constantinople in 1203 and 1204 and made off with the four horses (that now adorn the Basilica) and the famous icon of the Madonna Nicopeia.

Even the resting place of the doge was rigidly planned: for much of the history of the Republic, the doges were mummified and put on display in the Chiesa dei SS. Giovanni e Paolo. But Venetian taxonomists were not as expert as their ancient Egyptian counterparts, and after several centuries of bad smells, "symbolic" mummies replaced the real ones, which were interred in family chapels. Though eulogized as the most serene, the Serenissimo of Venice had, in reality, a hell of a dog's life.

Odes to Venice-
Since the early 19th century, Venice has been a stop on every sensitive scribe's Grand Tour, and the result has been a centuries-long serenade sung by some of English literature's greatest names. Volumes of poetry, fiction, and personal narrative tell of the love affairs that generations of writers have had with the city. Lord Byron, for one, was so enchanted that he moved to Venice in 1817, trailed by his literary companion Percy Bysshe Shelley. Charles Dickens, on a break from documenting the societal ills of industrial England, visited Venice in 1844, and, in a departure from his hard-headed style, it seems that he, too, fell head over heels for the city. In a letter to a friend, he wrote, "the gorgeous and wonderful reality of Venice is beyond the fancy of the wildest dreamer;" he went on, "it is a thing you would shed tears to see." Dickens was followed by a steady stream of writers wanting to see for themselves.

Among the literary names enticed by 19th-century Venice were Edith Wharton, George Eliot, Henry James, and Marcel Proust, who came to Venice on a visit with his mother and refused to leave. Mark Twain visited in 1867, and, unlike Proust, refused to be seduced; in Innocents Abroad he dismissed the fabled gondola and gondolier as "the one an inky, rusty old canoe with a sable hearse-body clapped on to the middle of it, and the other a mangy, barefooted gutter-snipe�" In the 20th century, Venice inspired the words and the adoration of Ernest Hemingway, Erica Jong, and Ezra Pound, who is buried in the cemetery of San Michele, and Thomas Mann, whose 1913 novel Death in Venice is Venice's most bittersweet love song.

Exploring Venice's literary past, unlike that of, say, Paris, will not require falling in with a circle of bereted bohemians or passing late nights in a smoky coffeehouse. Venice's literati have, for the most part, been tourists like the rest of us, and the Venice that spurred them to their poetic heights is the traveler's Venice, the one that you can see every day. Henry James, who described Venice in Portraits of Place (1883) and Italian Hours (1892), waxed poetic not only about Venice's great monuments, but also its simple street scenes: "it is charming to disembark at the polished steps of a little campo -- a sunny, shabby square with an old well in the middle, an old church at one side and tall Venetian windows looking down." Ezra Pound was moved by nothing greater than the play of light on an evening gondola ride: "the prows rose silver on silver, taking light in the darkness."

If Venice inspires you to take pen to paper, you certainly won't be the first, and if it eludes you, you're not alone. In a letter to a friend, Dickens wrote "with your foot upon its stones, its pictures before you, and its history in your mind, it is something past all writing or speaking of -- almost past all thinking of." On the other hand, William Shakespeare set two plays in Venice (the beginning of Othello, and The Merchant of Venice,) without ever having set foot here -- proof that for some, at least, Venice inspires nothing so much as the imagination.

Venetian Masks Unveiled
Elaborate masks with veils and glued-on decorations are looked down upon by purists, who stick to traditional shapes and designs. But which tradition are they talking about if none of the workshops can claim to have been in business for more than 30 years? In the time of the Republic, the mask trade was as vibrant as it is now (Venetians used masks all year long to go around town incognito). The mascareri (mask makers) founded their own guild in 1436, and techniques haven't changed much over the centuries. Masks are first modeled in clay, then a chalk cast made from it is lined with layers of papier-mâché, glue, gauze, and wax. You can buy a molded mask at this stage of production and paint it yourself.

But masks were popular way before the mascareri's guild was established. Local laws regulating their use appeared as early as 1268, often in a vain attempt to prohibit the then common practice of masked men disguised as women entering convents to seduce nuns, and more importantly, to prevent people from carrying weapons when masked. Even on religious holidays -- when masks were theoretically prohibited -- they were commonly used when Venetians went to the theater, and to spare embarrassment of being seen at the city's numerous brothels and gambling tables.

In the 18th century masks started being used by actors playing the traditional roles of the commedia dell'arte. Arlecchino, Pantalone, Pulcinella, and company would wear leather masks designed to amplify or change their voices. Inexpensive papier-mâché versions of these traditional, all-black masks can be found everywhere. Arlecchino has the round face and surprised expression, Pantalone is the one with the curved nose and long moustache, and Pulcinella has the protruding nose.

The least expensive mask to buy is the white Bauta, smooth and plain with a short, pointed nose. It's also reproduced in ceramic and brass. Invented in the 18th century as a disguise, a properly made Bauta will also alter the tone of the wearer's voice. It was particularly popular for women going to the theater, and whether worn by a man or woman, it was always accompanied by a black three-cornered hat and an ample black cloak. The pretty Gnaga, which resembles a cat's face, was used by gay men to "meow" compliments and proposals to good-looking boys. The basic Moretta is just a black oval with eyeholes. The most interesting-looking of all of the traditional masks is perhaps the Medico della Peste (the Plague's Doctor), with an enormous nose shaped like a bird's beak and surmounted by a pair of glasses. During the terrible plague of 1630 and 1631, doctors took some protective measures against infection: they examined patients with a rod to avoid touching contagious bodies, and wore waxed coats that didn't "absorb" the disease. Inside the nose of the mask they put medical herbs and fragrances thought to filter and clean the infected air, while the glasses protected the eyes.

Following the boom of mask shops, a bunch of costume rental stores opened in the 1990s. Here you'll find an assortment of masks and simplified versions of 18th-century costumes (for men both civil and military) that are warm enough to be worn outdoors and at the same time suitable for dances and parties. They can be rented for one or more days (reduced rates for longer periods), and most models are also for sale. If you plan to rent a costume during Carnival, it's a good idea to make a reservation several months in advance.

Best of Venice in 3 Days Itinerary

Day 1
Before the building of the bridge that connects Venice with the mainland in 1846, all visitors from abroad approached the town from the sea, most of them landing on the Riva degli Schiavoni or the Piazzetta di San Marco. Today, no matter how you arrive, the best introduction to the city is an early morning vaporetto (water bus) cruise along the Grand Canal from Piazzale Roma (or the train station) to the San Zaccaria landing stage. The latter is just past Piazza San Marco, and you will treasure the experience of seeing it for the first time from the water, as did the astounded travelers of the past. Then spend the rest of the morning visiting the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale, allowing time to climb to the top of the Campanile.

After lunch, take Salizzada San Moise and Calle Larga XXII Marzo -- passing some of the most fashionable shops in town -- to reach Campo Santa Maria del Giglio and from there take the traghetto (gondola ferry) across the Grand Canal. On the other side, bear left and walk to the Baroque Santa Maria della Salute, which has several paintings by Titian in the sacristy. The Punta della Dogana, to the right as you come out of the church, opens to one of the best panoramas and breezes in town. Head toward the Collezione Peggy Guggenheim to see first-rate 20th-century paintings and sculpture. Rest in the museum café afterwards, then stretch your legs on the Zattere promenade and bask in the late afternoon sun over a cup of gelato (ice cream) or a glass of prosecco. Plan on a romantic gondola ride after dinner.

Day 2
On the second day, make an early start to beat the crowds that clog the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) and nearby markets, making sure you don't miss the lively pescheria, where fish has been sold for more than 1,000 years. Follow the main drag to Campo San Polo and Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, which has two important works by Titian. Visit the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, famous for a series of more than 50 paintings by Tintoretto; it is to Venice what the Sistine Chapel is to Rome. After lunch, immerse yourself in 18th-century Venice by visiting the Museo del Settecento Veneziano in Ca' Rezzonico. Finish your day with a quick visit to the Gallerie dell'Accademia, with masterpieces dating from the 14th to 19th centuries, or stroll over the Ponte dell'Accademia to do some late-afternoon shopping in the center.

Day 3
On the third day, take a quick look in Piazza San Marco at the Museo Correr, dedicated to the art and history of Venice, before setting out to explore the Castello neighborhood. (Or, if it's a clear morning, a good alternative to the museum would be a short trip to the Isola di San Giorgio and up the elevator of the San Giorgio Maggiore church for a breathtaking view of the lagoon and the city below.) From Piazza San Marco, go to the church of San Zaccaria, with a famous altarpiece by Giovanni Bellini and wonderful Gothic artworks, then visit the Greek San Giorgio dei Greci, lined floor to ceiling with glittering Byzantine icons. Time your walk so that you can hit the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni before it closes for lunch. Find your way to the graceful Santa Maria Formosa, then take Calle del Paradiso and head via Campo Santa Marina toward a miracle of marble, the Lombardesque Santa Maria dei Miracoli.

After a late lunch in the neighborhood, visit Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo with the massive Gothic abbey of the same name and the equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni, a 15th-century Venetian condottiere. Then take Barbaria delle Tole and find your way to the Campo dell'Arsenale, only a short walk -- via Campo della Tana, Fondamenta della Tana, Fondamenta Sant'Anna -- from your next stop, the picturesque island of San Pietro di Castello. Next, take vaporetto Line 82 from the Giardini della Biennale to the Giudecca, where you can stay for dinner, or return to Piazza San Marco along the Riva degli Schiavoni, particularly beautiful at sunset.

When to Go -

The main tourist season in Venice runs from April to October, with an additional late-winter surge during Carnival. For serious sightseers the best months are from fall to early spring. The so-called low season may be cooler and inevitably rainier, but it has its rewards: less time waiting in line, closer-up, unhurried views of what you want to see, and substantial hotel discounts.

Weatherwise, the best months for sightseeing are March, April, May, June, September, and October -- generally pleasant and not too hot.