Hotels near Libreria Acqua Alta

Libreria Acqua Alta, whose name means high water, is a secondhand bookshop in Castello that has turned the city's flooding problem into a design feature. Books are piled in bathtubs, waterproof bins and a full-size gondola so they stay dry when acqua alta seeps in, and a staircase made of old encyclopaedias in the back courtyard looks out over a canal.

October is the start of acqua alta season, and the shop is the most entertaining place to understand it. Since 2020 the MOSE flood barriers at the lagoon inlets have been raised for tides forecast above about 110 cm, so serious floods are much rarer, but smaller tides still cover the lowest squares for an hour or two. The city sounds tide sirens a few hours ahead, and its tide forecast service publishes predictions online.

Pro Tip: Visit at opening or in the last hour before closing to avoid queues in the narrow aisles. If the sirens sound, buy cheap waterproof overshoes from a kiosk and carry on.