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!!!

Super cute and viral bookstore in Venice known for their picturesque book steps and book wall in…read morethe back of the store. Funny enough, I totally forgot about the book steps/wall when we got there but still had a great time walking around and exploring the bookstore. Their totes are popular and they had a variety of colors but it felt a bit pricey (€15 as of May 2026) for what it was. Lots of different books, with some specialty Venice books. I got a "Cats of Venice" book for a cat lover in my life which I thought was a unique souvenir to bring back. They had the entire "Little Books of Fashion" collection so I picked up a Little Book of Bottega Veneta as my own souvenir but noticed the book was priced higher than what they sell in the States (€20 versus ~$12-17 in US) - just FYI. They also had Libreria Acqua Alta postcards and bookmarks. We came mid-day in May and there was no line to get in. The actual bookstore itself is not big with narrow aisles so it was a bit crowded once we got in but it was manageable. No line to check out. We had several days in Venice which is why we stopped by but if you're only here for a day, I don't think it's a must-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.

While wandering around Cannaregio, we happened on this sweet little bookstore. Claudio the…read moreproprietor has created a vast collection of well cared for treasures, books on a huge variety of topics, beautiful posters and unusual collectable postcards. I could have spent all day there perusing the collection of books in Italian, English and several other languages but unfortunately it was the end of the day in January and I couldn't feel my toes anymore so I had to tear myself away, vowing to return! While there DO NOT miss the exquisite early Renaissance church Santa Maria Miracoli and don't miss the Virgin and Child.

This is a wonderful bookshop with a trove of new and used books on many, many subjects including,…read moreparticularly, art. As if Sta. Maria dei Miracoli were not enough to justify the visit to this part of the Cannaregio, this store, with a personable proprietor, tops it off.

In Italy, Barnes and Nobles does not exists, instead there are many small bookstores that sell a…read moremyriad of books. Is almost impossible to search for books other than getting the help from somebody that works in the bookstore. At this 'libreria' I was able to find what I needed (a book in photovoltaic systems); I sent them am email and they replied back to me in a very short period of time. Highly recommended if you are in the Pordenone city. Inside the bookstore, air conditioning is available (which is not very common in Italy). Check the opening hours, because in Italy, 'open 24 hours' does not exists.

From the owner: libreria editriceread more