Venice: The bookstore Libreria Acqua Alta

Libreria Acqua Alta: A Curiosity in Venice

Very small, the entrance to this other world is hidden in an alleyway of Venice, a bit off the usual tourist stream. If it weren’t for various piles of old maps, prints and books lying around in front of the door, one would hardly suspect this treasure for book nerds like me. There’s always something special about bookstores and libraries for me – they are so calming and so inspiring.

Looking for the best places to stay in Venice?
Get the best price here

And the Libreria Acqua Alta is not only that: it is magical. A total work of art. Thousands of stacks of books, old, new, a mess, it’s cramped, dark, yet fascinatingly beautiful. It’s like being in the middle of a Harry Potter book. In between all the books, there’s always a bowl of cat food, because the (I think) eight cats want to be fed, too.

You can find even more of the “Dolce Vita” on my Italy blog!

The most unusual bookstore in Venice

Books are stacked everywhere—whether in an old gondola or in a bathtub—the possibilities for storing books are endless. Creative chaos around every corner. The name Acqua Alta becomes immediately clear when you see the “emergency exit”: One little hop and you land in the canal that runs along the back of the store. Just a bit of typical Venetian high water—and the bookstore is flooded.

Unfortunately, Libreria Acqua Alta isn’t really a hidden gem anymore, so during peak hours you have to jostle your way through the store with dozens of other tourists—and if you also want to snap an Instagram photo in the particularly Instagrammable spots, you’ll have to wait in line for at least a quarter of an hour. Crazy, right? Still, it’s worth a visit!

Address: Libreria Acqua Alta, Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa 5176 – Castello, 30122 Venice
Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

***

Recommended reading:

Here’s another special bookstore: Livraria Lello—the Harry Potter bookstore in Porto