Acqua Alta
ABOVE: A flooded fondamenta in
Dorsorduro, between the San Basilio vaporetto stop and the Campo Santa
Margherita.
What to expect:
Most of the time, acqua alta is only a mild nuisance: You
might have to sidestep a pond or two in the Piazza San Marco or avoid water
that's splashing onto a fondamenta, or sidewalk, along a canal.
However, if you hear a siren wailing, you should be prepared for
more serious flooding, especially in low-lying areas of the historic center. A
siren means that an unusually high tide will peak in three to four hours.
Depending on the height of the acqua alta and where you are in the city,
you could encounter flooding for several hours before and after the tidal
maximum. Such flooding can vary from a few centimeters to a major inundation
like the one in the picture above.
The city provides elevated wooden walkways in areas of the city
that are prone to flooding; you can see a map of these pedestrian routes at most
ACTV vaporetto stops.
How to prepare:
If you plan to spend time in Venice during the fall and winter
months, you may want to pack rubber boots--especially for visits near the full
moon or new moon, when acqua alta is most likely to occur. Alternatively,
consider packing several plastic garbage bags and strings or elastic bands to
hold them in place. Garbage bags may not be elegant, but they can help to keep
your shoes and legs dry.
Another option is to buy rubber boots in Venice or acquire
temporary plastic rain boots from souvenir stands and street vendors. (See
photos on page 3 and
page 12 of this article.) However,
if you have large feet, you may have trouble finding boots that fit--and in any
case, you'll need to buy protection before the waters rise.
-
Tip: For rubber or plastic rain boots, try
Ratti, which has an excellent selection
of men's and women's wellies in a wide range of sizes. The long-established
hardware and housewares store is a few minutes' walk from the Piazza San
Marco.
Again, it's unlikely that acqua alta will be more than a
mild nuisance during your stay, and it isn't a danger to human life. (No one
drowned during the record acqua alta of 1966, when the entire city was
flooded.)
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