An Educational Center That Survived For Centuries.

Craco is a hilltop village in the southern region of Basilicata, about 60km from Matera, that was once a monastic center, a feudal town and center of education with a university, castle, church, and plazas. When approaching Craco, you’ll immediately notice its striking appearance. Situated on a very steep summit, which was the perfect spot for defensive reasons, the town is crowned by a Norman tower.

The first written account mentioning Craco dates back to 1060 AD, but Mycenaean settlements developed the land between the 10th and 9th centuries BC. The oldest building of Craco, the magnificent Norman tower, was built in 1040. The population steadily grew to an average of 1.500 inhabitants over the next centuries with 2.600 at the highest in 1561. The construction of the Monastery of St Peter in 1630 helped established a permanent monastic order. However, in 1656 a plague struck Craco, killing hundreds and reducing the population significantly. Towards the end of the 19th century, a severe famine due to poor agricultural conditions caused a mass migration of Craco’s population. Still, many of the “Crachesi” (inhabitants of Craco) were very much attached to their beautiful medieval town and refused to leave.

So what happened? The old part of town was built on bedrock, like most hill towns. When it came time to think of expansion, the people in charge decided to plant houses on the clay that sat over the slippery slope of rock. Modern roads where a must as well and instead of each house having its own water tank, there would be a humongous water-holding tank built to distribute water to the “new city”. Lots of water in the water tank and the added weight of modern roads put an immense pressure on the big field of clay. After a torrential downpour, she came down. Half the town, gone in one sweep.

A Ghost Town Fit For The Movies.

Surviving for over a thousand years, Craco survived the plagues and its share of thieves and bandits, but finally succumbed to natural disaster when landslides occurred. In 1963, the last 1.800 residents were forced to leave Craco for their own safety and were relocated to a new town just a few kilometres away.

Today, all that is left is a ghost town. But thanks to the dramatic landscape and unique atmosphere, Craco has been the set of many movies including Mel Gibson’s the Passion of the Christ or James Bond 007 Quantum of Solace and is a popular tourist destination in the area.

Craco was built on a very steep summit for defensive reasons, giving it a stark and striking appearance and distinguishing it from the surrounding land. The way Craco’s ruins sit high up is quite creepy actually.

Craco is not open to the public. You’ll need a guide to walk you through the ruins due to safety reasons.

Not only do you need a guide to explore Craco, but you’ll also need to wear a hard hat.

It was here that the level of Craco’s destruction became more apparent. This part of the town which was built upon the clay and that suffered the worst of the damage.

It wasn’t difficult to imagine what living in Craco must have been like, standing at the large windows overlooking the surrounding fields which go on for miles or peering inside a desolate church which was once the focus point of a community.

Before Craco was abandoned it was alive with people. People who filled each room with stories and secrets.

It was actually quite difficult to comprehend that less than 50 years ago, this Craco would have been buzzing with life.

Craco was built upon a hillside with the safety of its population in mind. Today, the views over the surround region are absolutely stunning!

After 1.450km & 14 Hours Of Driving: You Have Reached Your Final Destination.

Matera is located in a remote corner of southern Italy in the small region Basilicata. It’s not the easiest place to reach and it took 14 hours of driving from Vienna, but because of its remoteness Matera has managed to remain relatively unknown, especially to foreign tourists. Getting there without a car is possible, but nerve wracking. You can fly into Bari, but then you’re pretty much on your own. Still, since it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, visitor numbers have slowly increased. And they will continue to increase even more if you ask me.

From A Lost City To A Culture Capital.

It’s difficult to imagine that not too long ago Matera was known for its poverty. Inside the sassi (Italian for stones), families lived alongside their livestock without electricity, running water or sewage. In such unhygienic conditions, diseases were on the daily menu. In 1952 the government forcibly relocated the approximately 20.000 inhabitants into modern housing in the new town on top of the cliff. Ironically, Sassi di Matera, once the shame of Italy, turned into the fame of Italy. What was an ancient network of subterranean slums has been transformed into a destination unlike any other in Italy and may be Europe’s most dramatic rebirth.

Things To Do In And Around Matera.

• Strolling through Sassi di Matera: Start of at the Church of San Agostino and continue walking along the Via Madonna delle Virtù from where you have an amazing view of Murgia National Park. Once you reach the beautiful Church of St. Pietro Caveoso, be sure to walk back through the old towns center past Matera Cathedral. Around every corner lies another building or view that will leave you breathless.
• Hiking in Murgia National Park: The park is located between the towns of Matera and Montescaglioso and is characterised by a soft limestone, which has played an essential role in the shape of the landscape.
• A visit to the ghost town Craco: Approximately 60km south of Matera lies the town of Craco. It was abandoned due to natural disasters and has since then become a famous tourist destination in the area.
• A day trip to the town Pietrapertosa: Pietrapertosa is a 1 1/2 hour drive (80km) west from Matera, but well worth the trip. This picturesque hilltop town is classed as one of the most beautiful towns in all of Basilicata, and also the highest. It overlooks the stunningly beautiful mountains of the Dolomiti lucane.

Best Place To Stay In Matera.

There are many cave hotels in Sassi di Matera, but Albergo Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita is definitely the best choice! It was one of the coolest, most unique and luxurious hotels we’ve ever stayed at. A detailed review will follow soon!

This is the view of Sassi di Matera from Church of San Agostino. It’S the most iconic image of the city.

Welcome to the real Flinstones village. The ancient Sassi di Matera is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited cave city in the world.

Matera Cathedral is located on the highest point of Sassi di Matera and it’s tower is the landmark of the city.

In 2019, Matera will be the host of the European Capital of Culture.

The Sassi district has gone through extensive re-development and hosts some incredible cave hotels, private homes and restaurants, lovingly restored to enhance their original features.

Sassi di Matera features some breathtaking buildings such as the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Today approximately 2.000 people live in Sassi di Matera. Most of the caves are either still abandoned or occupied by little chic restaurants and hotels.

Sassi di Matera is a maze with hidden gems around every corner.

From Vienna To Passo di Xomo.

From Vienna it’s an 800 km drive until you reach Passo di Xomo, which is the starting off point. The drive itself is a pleasure, because the scenery makes up for the hours of driving. Still, it’s a long way to go with a camper van and we only arrived far after lunch. Therefore we decided to spend the night at Rifugio Passo Xomo (approx. 50 € per room). Early the next morning we drove up the remaining 4 km to Bocchetta Campiglia from where the hike begins. You can park your car here for 6 € per day.

Tunnels 1 to 52.

The road of 52 tunnels is not just any hike; it’s a hike through history. This military mountain road was built during World War I. It was (and still is) a real masterpiece of military engineering and boldness, considering the conditions back then. It was constructed in just 10 months (!) from February to November 1917 under the guidance of Lieutenant Joseph Zappa. It’s hard to imagine how soldiers carried up supplies and minors built these mountain tunnels in the middle of winter.

The hike itself is rather easy, though enduring due to its length of 6.5 kilometres and the elevation gain (with an average 12% grade). There are plenty of rocks to rest and soak up the stunning views.

Every tunnel is special in a way, but one of the most well known and impressive ones is Nr. 20. This tunnel is carved out of a rock tower and is spiralling upwards for 87 meters! Nr. 47 is also amazing, because it’s the highest point from where you have an amazing view of the area.

What Do Bring:

• A (head)torch is essential, because some tunnels are quite long and pitch dark.
• And good hiking boots are recommended, because it can get quite slippery.

Finally: Pasta, Pasta!

It took us about three hours to reach the end of the trail, where you’ll immediately see Rifugio Achille Papa. We spoiled ourselves and ordered a well deserved Italian pasta. As already said, the hike itself is not too difficult, but we were pretty exhausted anyway. Oh and the Rigugio even has a few rooms, so if you feel too tired to walk back the same day, just spend the night. Be sure to make a reservation though (especially on weekends).

From up here, there are two ways back to the car park: you can either turn around and head right back down on the Strada delle 52 Gallerie or you can take the gently winding road. We went for the dirt road, which is used to transport supplies up to the Rifugio. After 17.5 kilometres, we finally reached the parking lot. Exhausted but also exited to have just walked in the footsteps of history.

Hiking through the Strada delle 52 Gallerie is a walk through history.

The entrance of tunnel Nr. 1.

The Strada delle 52 Gallerie trail alternates between a dirt track and tunnels dug out of the mountain.

The longest tunnel is Nr. 19, with 318 m length.

Strada delle 52 Gallerie starts at Bocchetta di Campiglia (altitude of 1216 m) and ends at the Porte del Pasubio (altitude of 1928 m).

Strada delle 52 Gallerie was originally built as a supply line for Italian troops who were defending against Austrian and Hungarian forces. The path was made to accommodate the soldiers and their mules.

Strada delle 52 Gallerie is located approx. 30km from Lake Garda, one of the most beautiful areas in northern Italy.

Hiking along the Strada delle 52 Gallerie is an amazing experience – also because of the stunning views!

Rifugio Achille Papa is located right at the end of Strada delle 52 Gallerie and a perfect spot for a nice lunch.

Longing For Sun-Rays.

Springtime, longing for sun-rays and a long weekend at the beginning of May meant that we needed to fly somewhere South. Trapani in Sicily made the cut.

Unless you fly with a European budget airline, getting to Sicily from Vienna is impossible without a stop-over in Rome. But since Bratislava is less than an hour away from our capital city, we booked a Ryan Air flight from here directly to Trapani. Less than two hours after take off, we landed smoothly on the west coast of Sicily.

Ciao Regione Siciliana.

A short walk around the area after checking into the apartment and a glass of red wine at one of the open bars brought the real holiday feeling, which was exactly what we were after.

Trapani begins where the sea ends. The city is an important fishing port, being set on a low peninsula stretching in an arc. The fish market is one of the top spots in the city and the place where the people of Trapani meet every morning. You’ll find all sorts of fresh fish here, from tuna (the largest tuna fishery in Sicily is here), swordfish, shrimps, sardines, squids to other sea creatures. Since we had an apartment with a nice kitchen, it was clear that one of these fresh fish would land on our dinner plate. You really can’t visit Trapani without trying the local cuisine. It’s influenced by Trapani’s role as a marine town, therefore menus are dominated by fish, especially recipes including tuna, which is prepared in many different ways: fried, grilled, baked, boiled or used in the preparation for sauces.

Gateway to the Aegadian Islands.

Apart from the salt and fish production, Trapani is also the main gateway to the nearby Aegadian Islands. We took the Hydrofoil to Favignana, the largest of three islands. This fairly easy access hasn’t spoiled the island (yet), because it’s a pretty low-key destination. Visitors are mostly Italians.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with the lovely smell of flowers. The entire vegetation was blooming this time of the year and the scent of lavender, thyme and many other flowers will accompany you throughout your stay here.

Travellers who come here are happy to fit in with the leisurely island way of life. Simply rent a scooter and you’re good to go. Small bars and typical Italian restaurants are the perfect spot to stop by after a long day out in the sun. One of the charms of this island is that it has never been populated with villas, nor frequented by high society, so compared to the crowded tourist island of Capri for example, Favignana has a refreshing simple authenticity.

Locking the harbour where Peter III of Aragon landed in 1282, Trapani still gives the impression of simple Sicilian authenticity. .

When walking along the Admiral Stati in Trapani, you will notice the ancient castle “Castello della Colombaia”. Hannibal’s father, built the tower around 260 B.C. called “Peliade” at the same spot where the castle lies today.

The fish at Trapani’s fish market is as fresh as you can get it. We highly enjoyed watching the locals barter for their fish and visit with each other during this morning ritual.

The real action happens at around 5.00am in the morning when the fisherman come in with their catch, while most of the locals go and do their shopping after 8.00am.

The fish market in Trapani has all kinds of shellfish and other sea creatures besides just fish.

Trapani’s fish market is colourful and noisy and a great possibility to get to know a bit of Trapani’s daily life. You will get to see some really bizarre fish – and also human – examples.

Favignana is a great place to absorb the islands idyllic atmosphere.

Even though life on the island of Favignana, the younger generation knows how to have fun – here in a cute little Piaggio.

Cala Rossa beach on Favignana island lies a pretty bay with turquoise sea and is one of the most visited beaches of the island.

It’s quite a scramble to get down the rocks of Cala Rossa beach, but determined holiday-makers don’t this obstacle keep them from it.

It’s a deal.

Ulli and I made a deal not too long ago, to drive somewhere new at least once every second month. After all, we live in the centre of Europe and have neighbouring countries pretty much in front of our doorstep. This time, South Tyrol was on our list. We’ve been here before, but never in the area around the Antholzer See. For a travel photographer, this area offers truly great photo opportunities!

Crystal clear turquoise water.

After driving along for a while, we checked into a small farmhouse B&B and were ready to explore the area further. Accommodation can easily be found in the surrounding villages, either on the Austrian or the Italian side, so there’s no need for pre-booking.

Anyway, as a good start, we decided to walk around the crystal clear Antholzer See. The turquoise water is in fact out of this world! Combine this with the amazing mountain range - still with some snow on the top - as well as the thick forests surrounding the lake, and you’ll get the most enduring impression ever!

It was a long weekend and therefore we were not the only ones, but the good thing is that this location is pretty much a dead end, so not too many people come here. There is only one road that continues to the Austrian border up to the pass, as a one way system regulated with a traffic light. The road is pretty narrow and winding, so only cyclists can get along fast.

In this area it seems like time has stood still. Sure, there’s (limited) internet and phone access, but the way of living hasn’t changed all that much. I felt like the mountains radiate some sort of energy that automatically makes you feel more at ease. Exactly what you need after a busy week in the city…

The village of Bruneck.

A visit to the largest town of the area followed. Bruneck is a great place for real authentic Italian food, which was what we were after. But it has more to offer: It’s a cute little town with a neat pedestrian area, cosy cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops. Bruneck’s picturesque streets bustle with life. Nearby await the Dolomites where walkers, hikers and climbers can set out for some of South Tyrol’s most striking beauty and variety.

This short weekend trip again reminded us of the fact, that Europe has some of the most stunning landscapes you can find!

The water of the Antholzer See, South Tyrol, is so clear that reflections can be seen pretty much any given day (if the weather is on your side).

Walking around the Antholzer See, South Tyrol, will give you some of the most stunning impressions in the area…

The best time to visit the area around the Antholzer See, South Tyrol, is definitely summer and the beginning of autumn.

Living away from all the hassle of a city has it’s advantages: Not only do you get a stunning view every time you look out the window, but if feels like the way of living is more relaxed…

The striking mountains in the area around the Antholzer See, South Tyrol, are really amazing!

For a travel photographer, the area around the Antholzer See, South Tyrol, offers great photo opportunities.

Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop is a mix between a flea market and a serious library. It’s a definite must for book lovers (without dust allergies I might add). It’s spread out through various rambling rooms; one room with a gondola stacked with books, other rooms are packed with rowing boats & bath tubs full of old second hand atlases, dictionaries, art books, biographies and history books. There’s something for every one, you just have to look long enough. In the back room you can look out to one of the channels, which makes this place even more special.

The bookshop is called Libreria Acqua Alta, which literally means “library of high water” … And if you know Venice, you also know that Acqua Alta happens every year and if this is the case, the bookshop is completely flooded. But, all books are safe because the gondola simply floats. Not a bad idea, huh?!

A visit to this bookshop when in Venice is almost compulsory, because it’s clearly one of the most interesting ones you’ll ever come across.

• Address: Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa (Corte Senza Nome) | 5176/B – Castello, 30122 Venice, Italy – it’s close to Piazza San Giovanni e Paolo, but every local in the area knows the place and will show you the direction.

P.S. The owner also has some cats that frequently roam through the books and love to be patted.

Libreria Acqua Alta is one of the most original libraries in the world.

With thousands of books on every subject, most look like used, spread out in several rooms, placed on shelves, in boats and a gondola, one could spend hours browsing through the treasure of Libreria Acqua Alta!

Libreria Acqua Alta is definitely the only place where you will find booked piled up in a special shelving.

One could spend hours and hours looking through all the material at Libreria Acqua Alta.

It might look messy inside Libreria Acqua Alta, but there is a system behind it. It’s best to just look through the books because you’ll come across something interesting for sure.

Bath tub & boats filled with books can be found here at Libreria Acqua Alta.

The owner of Libreria Acqua Alta, Luigi Frizzo opened this place over ten years ago. Apart from books, he also loves cats.

This is why I love living in Europe: We only decided to visit Venice two days before boarding the overnight train from Vienna. With a sleeper compartment you arrive relaxed at 8.00 am in the morning. We were greeted with warm sun-rays and immediately enjoyed our first Italian cappuccino. After leaving our luggage at the hotel, we started our “workout-weekend”.

“Workout-weekend” because unless you take the Vaporetto around the Canale Grande, (one-way 7 €, a day-ticket something like 25 €), you have to walk. We quickly noticed a lot of good looking, trim locals … no wonder; after speaking to an Italian shop owner we were told that the average Venetian walks 2.5 hours per day (!) through the city. Everything in Venice needs to be delivered through the canals and after that, one has to continue by foot with all the goods. So it seems, the Venetians are in pretty good shape.

Let’s start.

We started at Santa Lucia, where the train arrives, down to the easternmost point in Castello. Quite a walk. It’s all cobblestone down the way with lots of bridges over the channels that need to be crossed, so make sure to bring your best walking shoes. Walking is definitely the best choice to really discover Venice the right way; every turn holds a new discovery, may it be a little Plaza, an inviting looking Trattoria or another famous Pallazzo.

Don’t be put off by reports of tourist hordes; once you venture into the side alleys you’re almost on your own, even during peak times. Of course Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge, Guggenheim Museum and the sights around the Grand Canal are packed during high season. But it’s your choice whether or not to flow with the masses or venture into a small lane that you’ll have for yourself…

One place that we came across this time really caught our attention: The book store Libreria Acqua Alta. A bookshop that will impress you even if you’re not a book worm. It’s really unique and we’ve never seen anything like it before.

The Grand Canal in Venice forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city. Public transport is provided by water buses and private water taxis.

The bookstore “Libreria Acqua Alta” in Venice makes quite the impression.

Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture, and its artworks. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon.

The history of the Piazza San Marco can be conveniently covered in four periods, but the only pre-renaissance buildings and monuments still standing there are St Marks, the Doges Palace and the two great columns in the Piazzetta.

The Rialto Bridge in Venice is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.

Venice’s popularity as a major worldwide tourist destination has caused several problems, including the fact that the city can be very overcrowded at some points of the year. It is regarded by some as a tourist trap, and by others as a “living museum”.

For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. It’s driven by a gondolier. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as ferries over the Grand Canal.

Venice is just around the corner from the Austrian border, so a weekend away can easily be arranged. Yet there’s no need to live near by – just hope onto a plane or train and head on a lovely weekend trip to the “City of Canals”. We did exactly that last fall during Aqua Alta.

We’re not the planning kind of people; of course there are certain sights one has to see in every city, but we usually just go with the flow. This way, you’ll visit places you’d never come across in the first place. Plus it’s much more hassle free. In Venice, there are lots of sights that shouldn’t be missed. Naturally, a 48-hour holiday isn’t enough to do it all, but definitely enough to get the full on Venice experience.

Day 1 – By Foot.

Piazza San Marco & La basilica di San Marco.

No surprise here. These two sights are probably the most well known in Venice. The Piazza San Marco is not only impressive due to its size, but also because of the adjoining landmarks like Doge’s Palace or St Mark’s Campanile. Saint Mark’s Basilica is the most famous church in Venice, one of the great examples of Byzantine architecture and well worth a visit. But, be sure to calculate enough time, because crowds of people will want to enter the Basilica as well.

Basilica San Marco in Venice is the most famous of the city’s churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture.

Ponte dei Sospiri.

Commonly known as the “Bridge of Sighs”, it lies between the Doge’s Palace with the New Prison. Not a romantic sight one might think, yet a local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge.

Ponte dei Sospiri “Bridge of Sights” in Venice connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace.

The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.

The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is a small palace near the Rialto bridge, which we actually just came across by accident (see, no planning does work). It’s hard to find but definitely worth the effort. The palace itself is nothing special from the outside, yet it’s best known for the spiral staircase & white arches in the inner courtyard, known as the Scala Contarini del Bovolo (which somehow reminded us of the Leaning Tower of Pisa). From up the staircase, you have a really nice panoramic view over the roof-tops of the city.

Scala Contarini del Bovolo in Venice is best known for the external spiral staircase, with a plethora of arches.

Rialto Bridge.

The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges across the Grand Canal. It’s definitely one of the sights you should see at least once in your live, yet unfortunately it’s totally overrun by tourists and vendors who just want to make a quick dollar. Still, it’s an impressive structure and I hope that the government orders to restore it in the near future.

is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.

San Giorgio Maggiore.

This sight is for everyone who likes to see Venice from above. You’ll have a fantastic view over the lagoon and city, but be sure to get there earlier, because otherwise you might just have to wait for more than two hours to get up to the top.

Today, San Giorgio Maggiore is the headquarters of the Cini Foundation arts centre, known for its library and is also home to the Teatro Verde open-air theatre.

Day 2 – By Waterway.

A Kayak Ride through the canals.

In Venice boats mean more than cars, canals more than roads. The only way one can really say to have experienced the ‘real’ Venice, is to experience the city and the lagoon by boat, gondola or – even better – by kayak. It’s best to book the entire day to make the most out of the experience. But be sure about one thing: Try to find a private guide or a small group because some of your fellow accompanies might not be very experienced and this can really ruin your day.

A Kayak Ride through the canals of Venice, Italy.

Venezia, veniamo!

After arriving at the train station in Venice (we took the overnight train), we felt the action right away. The “Canale” in front of the station was full with boats. Water taxis, garbage freighters, post boats and “Vaporettos” – the public transport boats. It really gets pretty busy on the channels on certain times of the day.

We started the day well rested and therefore walked to our hotel. The hotel was quite nice and in a great area but we usually prefer renting apartments during our weekend trips.

So anyway, before heading out to explore the city, we stopped at a lovely “Cafeteria” for the first of many Cappuccinos … Italian coffee just tastes so good! Just shortly after we started walking further on, we realized that it was “Acqua Alta” time in Venice. During this, the city is almost completely flooded … So we bought ourselves rubber boots and continued exploring.

A little History before we head on.

Lesson 1: Venice was founded around 400 a.C. as a trading post by authorities in Padua. In the beginning, it was a collection of lagoon communities. Around 800 a.C., the first leader of Venice – the “Doge” named Ursus – was elected and between 900 a.C. and 1200 a.C. it developed into a city state. It soon later became a center of commerce and art, as well as an important trading point.

Lesson 2: The world-famous St. Mark’s Basilica was built around 800 a.C. but burnt down with a large part of the city around 950 a.C. It was rebuilt but only finished around 100 years later. It is the most famous of the city’s churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture.

Lesson 3: Venice was also a magnet for lots of celebrities: Titian, Giacomo Casanova, Thomas Mann, Richard Wagner lived here; Antonio Vivaldi and Marco Polo were born here.

History really does follow you at every turn.

Some buildings are absolutely unique, like for example the snail staircase of “Scala Contarini del Bovolo” – the only round shaped stairway of the Renaissance era, which is hidden at the end of a small alley, not far from Rialto bridge. But it’s not only history for which Venice is known for: Cultural events are happening all the time; the most prominent ones are the Carnival of Venice and of course the Venice International Film Festival – the oldest international film festival in the world.

Almost at every corner you’ll find a gallery where you can admire paintings, sculptures and other creative art. If you have enough time, a visit to the “Peggy Guggenheim” Museum in a beautiful palace along Canale Grande is a must! And for the real romantic ones, hiring a “Gondola” and rowing down the Grande Canale is definitely a highlight.

Yes, Venice has a lot to offer and it’s one of these cities you can never get enough of …

The canals in Venice are simply breathtaking and one could get lost walking in-between them.

Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 117 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges.

A water taxi along the lagoon in Venice.

“Street Art” can also be found along the canals in Venice.

Water taxis along the Grand Canal in Venice.

Exploring Venice in a Gondola is a great way to get around the city – it’s one of those things tourist from all over the world love to do.

The view of the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

But this is future talk and for now, autumn is the time when you better come prepared. That means if you’re planning a weekend trip, check the weather forecast beforehand; if it looks a bit undecided/grim, be sure to pack up your rubber boots, an umbrella and a raincoat because this means “Acqua Alta” time in Venice. We arrived unprepared and looked pretty stupid when we wanted to leave the hotel after breakfast and the street was knee deep full of water. Our hotel was a really nice one (nothing fancy but who needs that anyway if you’re just planning on sleeping there), not far away from the train station but unfortunately they had no rubber boots to borrow.

But, as we’re all not made out of sugar, we took off our shoes and socks, rolled up the trousers and walked down fifty meters to the next shoe shop. Lots of people were already lining up get a pair rubber boots – imagine winter sale at Macy’s … people start doing anything for a last pair of those new trendy shows … As the place was not directly in the city center, the boots were on 16 € per pair – not too bad for a quick solution of the problem. In the city center we saw people paying up to 40 € for a pair of rubber boots. Depending on your negotiation skills you can get them for 30 – 35 € when buying them from one of the “flying merchants”. They were the obviously winners of the day!

The thing that worried us a bit was the electricity issue. So much water and high voltage is not the best combination. But Venice is prepared for these occurrences. Even the shop owners were pretty unimpressed by the situation, so we didn’t give it that much more of a thought.

So we were on our way and got to see how other visitors handled the weather conditions. We came across some funny sights indeed. Some simply walked barefoot, not worrying about catching a cold (it was pretty cold that day), others had a garbage bad wrapped around their feet to keep the water our of the shows. This method might work for a little while but in the long run, they usually give up – that’s why you see lots of garbage bags floating around in the streets.

Anyway, so we walked all day long without getting any blisters. The walking itself was a bit tough though; we weren’t able to run or walk pretty fast because we needed to avoid an overflow of water into the boots. Then at around 3 pm the tide turned and it was “business as usual” again…

“Acqua Alta” on Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy.

The walkways are flooded during “Acqua Alta” in Venice, Italy.

High water in the streets of Venice, Italy.

“One time” Rubber boots are a must during “Acqua Alta” in Venice, Italy.

Uncle Chrisi enjoyed the trip to Venice, Italy.

Interesting show styles during “Acqua Alta” in Venice, Italy.

Some people simply give up during “Acqua Alta” …

… others try to save money by wrapping plastic bags around their shoes.