It would be easy to miss this enormous bookshop tucked away at the end of Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, but make sure you don’t. And don’t forget to wear your rubber boots.
Even if you’re not a big reader, Libreria Acqua Alta is a purely Venetian experience, one that offers far more than books. Like, for one thing, a real gondola right in the middle of the store. And, for another, a cozy little family of rescued feral cats sauntering around the place or snoozing in a basket out front. (Watch out – most of them are affectionate, but a couple of them will smack or spit at you if you touch them.)
If you are a big reader, well, prepare to spend some serious time here. There are piles and piles of new and used books and magazines, vintage graphic novels, archival materials of every ilk, a considerable collection of erotica, even a few boxes of old sheet music. (My friend “P” recently found a set of Bach’s cello suites here. His dealer in London offered him a small fortune for them!) Then there are posters, journals, prints, post cards, greeting cards, gift wrap, and… well… I don’t even know what all.
But the weirdest and most wonderful thing about Libreria Acqua Alta is this: its back door opens directly into a canal, and the lagoon wanders in every now and then. Very frequently when I shop here, I find myself slogging around through a few inches of water. I gotta tell ya – it’s a very odd feeling that, I’m certain, no other bookshop in the world offers. You should try it.Libreria Acqua Alta
Castello 5176A, Campiello del Tintor
