Libreria Acqua Alta is one of the most interesting bookstores in the world. While I love visiting bookshops when I travel, this shop in Venice is particularly unique and intriguing. It's a must for any Venice itinerary.
Justin and I meandered around the narrow alleyways and cobblestone paths in Venice to find the shop. Eventually, we turned a corner and there was this quirky little bookshop, Libreria Acqua Alta.
In this blog post, I'll share why Libreria Acqua Alta is such a unique bookstore. I'll detail our visit with tons of photos and show you how to make the most of your visit.
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Libreria Acqua Alta: The Cats
My first impressions of the store were awesome, and this was before we even entered the building. There were two cats resting in comfortable places on either side of the entrance, posing as two kitty bookends.
Neither seemed to mind some gentle scratches on the head. I'm sure they were used to getting lots of attention from store patrons.
Of course, there's no guarantee that you'll see cats when you visit Libreria Acqua Alta. There are shop cats though and they are likely to be lounging inside or outside of the store.
Why Libreria Acqua Alta is Unique
Translated into English, Libreria Acqua Alta means, "library of high water". In Venice each year, the Acqua Alta occurs meaning that the water levels rise and in some cases, flood the streets.
The bookstore could potentially be flooded and that's really awful for anything made out of paper! This store is completely prepared for such instances by keeping the books in some practical choices of furniture.
In one room, there are books piled into a gondola. In other rooms, the books are stacked into rowboats, waterproof bins, and even bathtubs!
The store has a mix of new and used books on a variety of subject matters and in several languages. This is the place to purchase books about Venice itself, art books, history books, maps, calendars, and postcards.
I bought some beautiful postcards here for my collection. The owner, Luigi, was seated behind the front desk when we visited and he was very friendly and helpful.
I'm sure he realizes that his shop is not only a bookstore, but a tourist destination where guests are enchanted by the store's charming atmosphere.
A Bookstore With a View
At the back of the shop, we walked outside and noticed a staircase made out of old encyclopedias. Some writing painted on the wall instructed us to climb the staircase of books to the top.
I don't think I've ever walked up a stairway made out of books before! The short climb was definitely worthwhile, as we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the canal.
One of the rooms of the shop had a back doorway that opened up entirely to the canal at sea level. There was a little seating area where visitors could sit and browse through some of the merchandise.
There was also a small tongue-in-cheek sign marking this doorway as a fire exit with a drawing of a person jumping into the canal. Thankfully, there were no signs of floods or fires while we were there.
Definitely stop by Libreria Acqua Alta when you're in Venice. This place is not only one of the most beautiful bookstores I have ever visited, but the most eccentric and fascinating as well.
How to Visit Libreria Acqua Alta
The address of Libreria Acqua Alta is: C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa 5176b
30122 Venezia (VE).
It's open from Monday to Sunday, 9:00am - 7:15pm with a final entry of 7:10pm.
More Venice Blog Posts
Looking to plan your trip to Venice, Italy? Check out all of our blog posts about Venice aside from the best Venice vegan food.
- 3 Days in Venice Itinerary
- Guide to Visiting St. Mark's Basilica in Venice
- Guide to Visiting Doge's Palace in Venice
- Vegan Guide to Venice
- Getting Around Venice: A Transportation Guide
- Day Trip to Murano, the Venetian Island of Glass
- Day Trip to Burano: Beautiful Colorful Houses
- How to Take a Romantic Gondola Ride in Venice
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Karen says
Love cool bookstores...thanks for sharing! I’ve been to Venice but missed this gem...justification for a return trip!
Traveler says
Thanks for this post and the enclosed photo of the large, cute cat, who, by the way, was still happily around at the time of my visit to this bookstore this past April 30, 2017. May I note, however, that the meaning of "libreria' in Italian in this context is "bookstore", not "library". Also by accident, my recent visit to Venice led me right onto the location of "Libreria Acqua Alta" as I tried to find Piazza S. Marco by following the ubiquitous sign of "Per S. Marco" (though I already read about this bookstore before I went to Italy). A gentleman sitting behind the front desk and his younger assistant soon helped me to find a bran new copy of Il Millione, Fabbri Editori (2016) -- a very thoroughly annotated Italian version of the Travels of Marco Polo, which is not available in the U.S. For a fair price, I came away with a feeling of wonder as I continued my walk to S. Marco with this book and a "Libreria Acqua Alta" bookmark in my backpack, as given to me by the store owner -- extremely happy.
Luigi says
In this library i found out a secret..the gondola which is located at the center of the library is called: "The Francesca's Gondola" commissioned in 1885 by countess Isabella in memory of her daughter whom she unwillingly abandoned
Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says
How did I miss this when we were in Venice? I would have loved exploring this bookstore. That staircase is fantastic.
Amanda & Brian - Eat_Work_Travel says
I'm disappointed we didn't find this place while we were there this summer. The steps made out of old books and the view from the back look like an incredible spot!
RobRob@TravelLatte(.net) says
That is SO cool! I've heard of this bookstore, but never saw the "Fire Exit" before - that's hilarious! What a great place to sit and read for a while. Or for many whiles! ;) #WeekendWanderlust
Ruth - Tanama Tales says
Libraries make my bucket list sometimes too. There is one in Downtown Los Angeles I want to visit (I heard about it recently). This one in Venice looks totally awesome. Hope the book do not get damaged by the high waters (that would be heartbreaking).
Agness says
That is a very quicky, but also so cool place to see!!!! Never heard of it. Unfortunately, I am not the biggest fan of cats... :P
Elizabeth says
You could spend a whole day in that book store! Italy seems to love books- you see them everywhere and unlike some places where books have become cheap- they seem to hold their value as second hand books. One of favourite bookshops is The Tattered Cover in LoDo,(lower Downtonw) Denver. It is an independent bookshop with some fantastic finds!
Anna says
It is a cool bookstore indeed! Buzzfeed has made a list with 25 of them and I've only made it to one in San Francisco called City Lights bookstore. I also wanted to visit the Last Bookstore in LA but eventually missed it!
Lyn aka TheTravellingLindfields says
I love the cats. Judging by your photos it is hard to imagine there is any system of organisation. How on earth does anyone find a book they want or is it just a browser's heaven.