The shoulder months — May, June, and September — are the most rewarding time to visit. Days are warm enough for the beach, the lagoon is calm, the restaurants are open, and the crowds are nowhere near Venice levels. July and August bring strong sun, Italian holidaymakers in force, and a much busier Sottomarina; the old town itself stays surprisingly quiet because most beachgoers stay on the spit.
October to April is the off-season. Many beach restaurants close for the winter, but the old-town trattorias stay open and the fish market runs year round. The biggest events are the Sagra del Pesce in mid-July (a week of food stalls, music, and a regatta along the canal) and the Palio della Marciliana in late June, a costumed re-enactment of a medieval naval victory that fills the corso with archers, drummers, and rival neighbourhood crews.