ALTA ACQUA BOOKSHOP, VENICE

…the most beautiful bookshop in the world!

It's hard to know where to start, talking about the bookshop. To me, it's one of the most amazing places I've ever experienced. I'd love to take everyone there who shares my love of reading, especially my grandkids!

I found it totally by accident, in my six days of just wandering and discovering this mesmerising, magical city. I lost it again, then re-found it when my son Aaron came to Venice.

Not far back from the Rialto Bridge is the Santa Maria di Formosa church and piazza. So many churches in Venice, this one's no bigger, or brighter than most of the others. Nice piazza, gondola stop on one edge and a couple of cute little bridges - one that takes you over to Cip Ciap, great little eating place - but that's another story...

Walk out of the piazza with the church behind you and to your right, you'll see a street called Calle Longa. Pass shops and buildings along the typically narrow Venetian street, in a hundred or so metres along on your left, it opens out to a tiny piazza and a building set back from the others. At the front are a few odd tables with calendars, posters and postcards, and hanging from the front table is a large, rather dilapidated hand-written sign that says 'The Most Beautiful Bookshop in the World'.

Above the door is a proper sign 'Libreria Alta Acqua'

Ordinary wooden doors open into the main room, which is quite wide - the width, I'd say, of a normal Venetian building, and stretching back towards the canal behind. In the middle of the room is a gondola - full of books, posters and other bits and pieces, with a couple of strange looking mannequins in Carnevale dress behind it.

There are books from floor to ceiling on both sides, shelves upon shelves up so high that I'm sure nobody could reach the top. New books, some not so new, mostly in Italian, but who cares? Some French, a few German, and I did see a number in English.

Close to the front door, boxes, stands and tables are laden with photos, postcards, and fabulous old prints and posters of all sizes and types.

There is an extremely disorganised looking cashdesk, with an even more disorganised looking person who sometimes sits behind it. Other times wanders around, talking to customers, or looking for things. Or not?

A wide archway on the right leads to an adjacent room, also full of books, all new, in lovely condition. These seem to mainly focus on art, music, Venice and its history, many quite old, some still in protective packs and covers.

At the back of this room are two big old green wooden doors which are open directly onto the canal; the shop name is painted on one. In a little open area here, with a rope barrier, there are three very comfortable, lived-in chairs and a small table, a couple of ashtrays. Currently no-one's there, but it's obviously used a lot!

The hand-painted sign on the doorpost close to the canal says: 'FIRE EXIT'!

Right at the back of the main room is a little open courtyard area and a wall, eight/ nine feet tall. We are instructed to 'follow the signs for a wonderful view'. You climb up some stairs and as promised, you have a view of one of Venice's magical little 'backstreet' canals. Except that the stairs are made of books!

The Alta Acqua name tells the story. At some stage, the shop must have flooded quite badly, books were soaked beyond repair and seemingly destroyed.

But someone - obviously someone who loves books - decided to use them to create some magic! Dried out, tied up tightly in bundles, then lacquered with something to protect them from the weather, they now give people access to beautiful Venice on the other side.

The first time I visited the bookshop, I was looking at some calendars and wondered if they sent things abroad.

I have seen three men in the shop, all of whom seem to work there, but I've only spoken to one. All could be described as a tad on the 'hippy' side, however.

Using my Italian, I asked this one - with his very lived in face and shoulder-length hair - did they send parcels overseas? He answered in Italian: 'England?', with what seemed rather a lack of interest. 'No, Australia', I said.

His face lit up! 'Australia!' He said in reasonable English, 'I spent six very happy months in Australia a few years ago.' I asked him where in Australia.

'Byron Bay', was the answer. Of course! I laughed and said: 'You look like Byron Bay!', which he enjoyed.

For those of you who don’t know, Byron Bay is a picturesque little east coast town in Aus, with residents such as Paul Hogan, Russell Crowe and Chris Hemsworth. It’s known for its very ‘relaxed’ living style.

We had a good laugh, talked a little more about Australia and Italy, he gave me a couple of Alta Acqua bookmarks, and I left. But I loved it so much!

So... if you're going to Venice, and, like me, you're a person who still loves the look, and the feel, and the smell of real books, you just have to take the time, make the effort to find the Alta Acqua bookshop!