Walking along the Barbaria de le Tole, you’ll flank a small courtyard with an overflow of bookstands spilling out of Venice’s most curious second-hand bookshop; the Acqua Alta, which refers to the high water that floods many of Venice’s streets in winter time. The theme is clear from the start, as in the middle of the first room is a full size gondola layered with books. Also, of growing interests among visitors, is the staircase made out of books which gives onto the canal. If you see a cat or two jump on a precarious pile of books, don’t be alarmed, they are of course part of the scenery. The selection of books is wide, from literature, poetry, and local history to vintage, comics, and photography, with a great number in various foreign languages.
