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.