Has anyone ever been to Venice during one of their high water flood periods? I've read there was one recently and was concerned about how this may effect a trip I will be taking real soon. Any thoughts or advice are welcome.

As far as I know the recent worst was the weekend of 16-17Nov (approx.145cm above sea level). When I was in Venice 29Nov-03Dec, I had 2 first rainy/cloudy days, then 2 sunny (was perfect to visit Burano) and finally I experienced Acqua Alta for the first time (last year the same time, I had all sunny days.). 30cm high of water in front of Basilica at Piazza San Marco and people used the elevated side walks. That was not so bad.That was my first acqua alta and I rather enjoyed it, maybe because it was only for an hour or so. I could also make a use of the half-boots I brought because of acqua alta.The arcade areas of the Piazza (Cafe Florian, Quadri) were dry. it didnt get cold at all during my stay.

What was once a somewhat unusual even now occurs about 100 times a year. Piazza is one of the low points so this area always seems to be the worst. Elevated walkways are high enough for usual aqua altas.Can purchase rubber boots if needed but not really a problem just watch the tides. RR

Hi Pam,<BR><BR>It won't affect your trip at all. We were near San Marco 2 years ago and it flooded at high tide. People set up what look like picnic tables around the Piazza so you can walk through. Once you walk farther away from the Piazza, the roads aren't flooded, so we just went touring around the side streets until the tide went out.<BR><BR>You will be fine. Have fun, and don't worry!

The flood in Venice on November 16, 2002 was the worst in forty years. I was there that Saturday. Most of the city was flooded, not just San Marco. Hotels were providing heavy plastic trash bags to tape around your legs in order to walk around the city. The water came to about mid-thigh level on me (I'm 5'4&quot. It is obviously very unusual for Venice to experience flooding like this, but it can definitely ruin your vacation.

We were there in early Nov 2001 when it reached 120cm - (that's not water depth but how they measure it above normal sea level )- it did slow us down a bit that morning as we were away from a Vaporetto or raised wlakway when it peaked- but the flooding is tidal so it goes away after a couple of hours. I found it one of the most fascinating parts of the trip. The raised walkways are clearly marked at all of the Vaporetto stops, so you can still get around quite easily and most of the shops still open. The cafes were full of people standing in mid-calf high water having their mid-morning coffee!! I'd not be worried at all - just enjoy it and wear shoes that you don't mind getting soaked.

When you hear those sirens..it means 4 hours until max flood..so you have some time to put on those garbage bags and go out hunting for boots..Some hotels do have plastic leg coverings for their guests however..I say bring along some big garbage bags (with ties) and you can maneuver fairly well. The catwalks do go up pretty fast and cover some of the most travelled areas. This is a city that seems to know what to do with the acqua alta. We were there for flooding in October of this year (level 110)..at first we were daunted by in truth life seemed to continue on..we found our way to a hardware store(fist block in from the Grand Canal near the Accademia) bought some boots for 13 euro and could wade about with no problem. Most of our pictures of Venice were taken that day!

We were there for A.A. in Sept. 2001; the 18th and 19th, I think. Only San Marco area was really affected; they were ready, and had the wooden walkways up. I would guess it peaked at a little less than a foot (=30cm) in front of the cathedral. Once you got about 3 blocks (alleys?) away from San Marco, there was very little evidence of a problem. A few puddles, some water lapping over the side of the canals.<BR>This was just &quot;normal&quot; seasonal high tide Acqua Alta.<BR>If I recall, the recent floods were just that - they had a foot or more of rain upriver from Venice, some suburbs of Milan were even flooded, etc.

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