Where exactly is High Water Bookshop located in Venice?

High Water Bookshop is located in Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, not far from Piazza San Marco, nestled like a precious pearl between two buildings. The shop is positioned near the canal, which contributes to its unique character and the salty scent that fills the air inside.

Why are the books stored in gondolas and bathtubs at High Water Bookshop?

Owner Luigi Frizzo creatively displays books in a life-size gondola, canoes, old bathtubs, and wooden basins as a practical solution to Venice's frequent flooding issues known as 'acqua alta' (high water). This innovative storage system ensures that the precious collection remains safe during periods of high water while creating a whimsical and uniquely Venetian shopping experience.

What kind of books can I find at High Water Bookshop?

The shop specializes primarily in books about Venice, including rare texts written in Venetian dialect like El Principe Picinin (The Little Prince in Venetian). You'll also discover ancient nineteenth-century texts in original languages, out-of-print comic book series, and hard-to-find novels that collectors and enthusiasts search for worldwide.

Who is the owner of High Water Bookshop and what makes it special?

Luigi Frizzo, a native of Vicenza and adopted Venetian, owns the bookshop and has infused it with remarkable creativity, including a staircase made entirely of books outside the library. His vision transforms a simple bookstore into an immersive literary experience that celebrates Venice's culture and relationship with water.

What sensory experience should I expect when visiting High Water Bookshop?

As soon as you enter, you'll be greeted by the distinctive salty scent of the adjacent canal mingling with the unmistakable aroma of aged books with yellowed pages. This atmospheric combination creates an unforgettable olfactory experience that perfectly captures the essence of Venice and its literary treasures.

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High Water Bookshop

Name: High Water Bookshop
Rating: 4.1

Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 30122 Venezia, Italia• ★★★★☆• 216 views

Flavia Romanoff

Venezia

About High Water Bookshop

It is located in Venice, not far from Piazza San Marco, in Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, and is set like a precious pearl, between two buildings.

To Luigi Frizzo (owner), native of Vicenza and Venetian by adoption, creativity is not lacking. He has even created a staircase made of books outside the library. The texts of his library are not arranged in simple shelves, but in a life-size gondola that stands in the center of the room, in some canoes, or in old bathtubs or huge wooden basins. Thus, in case of high water, the books are already safe.

As soon as you enter, you can't help but smell the salty scent coming from the canal next to the bookstore, which makes even stronger that unmistakable scent of old books with yellowed pages that hovers in the air.

Most of the books are about Venice. It's not surprising to find texts written in Venetian dialect, such as El Principe Picinin, or The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

However, there are also many ancient texts dating back to the nineteenth century, written in the original language, comic strips series no longer on sale and many novels now impossible to find.