During my trip to Venice, I visited Libreria Acqua Alta TWICE. Why? The first time was during the…read moreafternoon on a weekend and seeing a glimpse of the entrance, I already knew that I was going to have a different experience than what I had imagined. ~ SUPER POPULAR PHOTO OP SPOT ~ TikTok/Instagram brought in a huge crowd in this tiny, cramped bookstore. Shoulder to shoulder, we all walked through. It almost felt like cattle being herded. So if you're a bit claustrophobic, your comforts may be tested in here. It was so crowded that my sister-in-law wasn't able to walk through the entire space and opted to leave the store. I was determined to reach the end where there is a mountain pile of books that you're able to climb over. A staff member was ushering everyone to quickly take their photo at this popular photo op spot and get a move on. It was so hectic that I couldn't even function enough to have my photo taken. I wanted to see the gondola, pet the resident cats, and buy a book and some souvenirs, but I was tunnel-visioned on getting some fresh air, that I just had to get out. ~ COME EARLY, RIGHT WHEN IT OPENS ~ On another day, I had the intent of waking up at the crack of dawn so that I would be at Libreria Acqua Alta's entrance a few minutes before they opened. And I am so glad I did! Such a different and wayyyy better experience than prior. I met the two resident cats and was able to pet them. I found the other photo op in a gondola that's on standby adjacent to the store. And I was at peace browsing through the entire store looking for the perfect book and souvenir to take home. There were still a few people who had the same idea of going in early, but it was still a huge 180 from the first time I went. ~ UNIQUE BOOKSTORE, A MUST IN VENICE ~ All in all, I am so glad I went a second time. I was able to appreciate fully this unique bookstore and the piles and stacks of books all around. Love this spot!!!

This place looks better on Instagram than in real life…read more You walk through the store in a single file line at a pretty quick pace. There are books in different languages, and there are other items like postcards and bookmarks. While the ambiance is quirky and cute, there were not any cats when I was there (despite me thinking there would be based on what I had heard). Even as a bibliophile, I don't think I can say this place is a "must do". Rather, it's only a "nice to do".

We found this little gem strolling through Venice on an early weekday morning. 2 cappuccinos and a…read morecornetto was just what we needed to start our day (of course, no sitting fee and a clean bathroom helped too). Still rolling out pastries and sandwiches for the day, this was the perfect quiet little place for breakfast. I even stupidly left my phone here and was certain it would never be returned when I finally realized it. After racing/running back frantically 20 minutes later completely winded, the nice lady brought it out from behind the counter, and smiling. I can't thank her enough for her kindness.

From the owner: Historic Bookstore in Venice offering many books and guides in English and all the main languages…read more Libreria fondata nel 1933, la libreria ancora attiva più antica di Venezia, e probabilmente anche la più grande. Molti ci definiscono "una bellissima libreria" - evidentemente il vintage anni '70 ha un suo nutrito pubblico! - anche se, forse, questa definizione si riferisce molto più al contenuto, che al contenitore. Alla Toletta, infatti, si trovano molti titoli che le altre librerie normalmente non hanno: accanto alle novità e ai best seller, esponiamo migliaia di libri di "centro catalogo" di editori quali Einaudi, Adelphi, Laterza, Mondadori, Rizzoli, Bompiani, ma anche Longanesi, SE, Abscondita, Marsilio e molti altri.