Date of visit: August 14, 2026…read more Regularly noted as one of the most interesting and fascinating free things to do in Venice, we enjoyed our time at the Libreria Acqua Alta. Because it is so Instagrammable, it was definitely crowded and we didn't get to spend as much time there as we would have liked. Yes, they have the cats you've seen online. And no, you should not pet them. Would you want strange foreigners putting their grubby mitts on you all day? Okay, maybe you would, I'm not judging, but let's not do that here! They have a variety of souvenirs perfect for the bibliophile you left back home, along with actual books in both English and Italian, so this is a great place to find some things that are not just the same magnets, keychains, and other bric-a-brac you'll find along the Grand Canal. But again, it's often super crowded so it can be challenging to take the time to find what you need; wish they did better crowd control at the entrance so you can take a little more time. We ended up not buying anything for that very reason.

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.