Comacchio is a year-round destination in theory, but in practice it is most rewarding in spring and autumn. Spring (April–June) brings migrating birds to the Valle di Comacchio in vast numbers — flamingos, herons, marsh harriers — and the light over the lagoon is exceptional. The town itself is quiet and accommodation easy to find.
Summer (July–August) is the Italian beach holiday season, and the Lidi di Comacchio fill to capacity with families from Ferrara and Bologna. The town itself remains manageable, but accommodation prices rise steeply and the beach resort strip is very busy.
Autumn is the most evocative time to visit. The Sagra dell'Anguilla (Eel Festival) takes place in October, when the traditional eel catch is celebrated with cooking demonstrations, markets, and a procession of fishing boats. The lagoon light in September and October is warm and low, and the Valle di Comacchio hosts another wave of migrating birds on their way south.
Winter is quiet and sometimes grey, but Comacchio with no tourists has a melancholy appeal. The canals and bridges, empty of people, have exactly the feel that earned the town its comparison to Venice.