I watched the show about the flooding in Venice last night and it totally convinced me NEVER to go there in January. While I have known about the 'aqua alta" for some time, the footage of lines of tourists on the wooden walkways was enought to convince me. I mean, the best thing about Venice is how you can just walk and walk -- but not when the streets are flooded like that. Horrible. And and it looks like nothing will be done for at least 10 years, if then! Poor Venice . . . .

Is it true that flooding is unlikely if it's not a full moon or new moon? I'll be there in between this winter.

Sandra, the whole city is not flooded during aqua alta, just the lowest parts like Piazza San Marco, and the water usually recedes in a few hours. I'd jump at the chance to go to Venice any time of the year, including January!<BR><BR>I saw the program too and thought one of the most interesting points was that the weight of the alps is one of the factors that is causing Venice to sink.

Tides are highest just after a full moon and new moon. These are known as spring tides, when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon is combined. When the sun and moon are pulling in different directions, the tidal range is less - these are neap tides. The tide rises and falls twice a day, and follows a fortnightly cycle with the phases of the moon.

January is actually a great time to go. I went there a few years ago in January, and the only place I saw any flooding was Piazza San Marco (for a few hours, as reported - and not very high, although there were walkways put up) and again near the train station - don't recall the name of the street, but it was a 'main drag' near there. and that street, it was more walkways than actual water, when I saw it. <BR><BR>January has the advantage of very few tourists (comparatively anyway). Very eerie to walk ALL over the place and not see ANYONE unless you are in the obviously touristy areas - I walked around one night and didn't encounter anyone outdoors for at least half an hour. Even in the daytime I would walk at least 5 minutes without encountering anyone. completely empty (and echoing) campi, etc. you feel you have it ALL to yourself!!

Interesting program, and hopefully they will decide to do something to alleviate the problem. In the meantime for upcoming visitors, look on the Veniceword website --- http://www.veniceword.com/weather.html , to check out weather &amp; upcoming predictions for alta acqua.<BR>

We spent a lovely week in Venice during January and had no problems with flooding, bad weather, tourists, or anything else for that matter. I would highly recommend going at this time. And what an adventure it seems to me to be there during the aqua alta! Though - I didn't see the show!!!<BR><BR>Karen<BR<BR>

OK, you guys, I'm sold. I will go to Venice, my favorite city in all the world, in January . . . next chance I get!

We just left Venice this morning, and it was acqua alta. After everything that we had heard, it really wasn't that bad. The water is only really high twice a day, and it isn't the entire city-- only near San Marco and close to the canal. You can buy rubber boots, or some hotels, like ours, let you borrow them. Once you have boots, it's no big deal at all. I wouldn't let acqua alta keep me from going back again-- in fact it made for interesting pictures.

This TV program was discussed in another thread and I, like a couple other viewers were given the impression that Venice doesn't have a sewage system? That doesn't make sense. Surely this is something other than dumping into the canals.<BR>

We were there 2 years ago in March. The wooden platforms were set up. At first we thought, that's nice, they set up places for us just to sit and rest, then it occurred to me that they were platforms for floods. The water was at the tops of the steps but went no higher than that. I didn't see the show, but I would imagine, these platforms make strolling around a bit unpleasant.

One of the coolest, unexpected experiences I had in Venice was witnessing the workers put up the wooden planks for pedestrians when St. Marks was flooded. What many would consider a negative, I found fascinating and one of the highlights of our stay in Venice. Like previous posters have said, I walked around a deserted Venice and could hear my echo as I walked on this elevated platforms. Don't let this stop you from going any time of year.

Any of you ever notice there are absolutely no benches or any place to sit except for the two cafes in St. Marks square?

The only places we saw really flooded were the areas around St. Marks, for about 2 &quot;blocks&quot; (alleys?) inward. Beyond that, you would occasionally run into puddles (like after a heavy rain) around drains and near some canals. Most areas not affected.<BR><BR>The major inconvenience of the plank walks was the inability to stop and take pictures - the traffic cops make sure everyone keeps moving; makes sense, since they have to fit two-way traffic on about 3-1/2 feet of space.<BR><BR>It started last Sept. at about 11AM (Waves lapping over the quay at St. Marks) and disappeared by 2PM. Probably a repeat performance at midnight - never checked.<BR><BR>I never saw any &quot;floaters&quot;, so I assume the sewage is treated like everywhere else nowadays. That's better than Halifax or Victoria here in Canada. Actually, the canals seemed pretty clean, a nice bright green, and didn't smell at all. Where they were doing street repairs, you could see a big network of pipes, wires, and such buried under the walkways. After all, the buildings have phones, electricity and running water too with no visible signs the city is modernized.<BR><BR>The complaint is that with industrialization and silting, the traditional &quot;flushing&quot; of the lagoon doen't happen. Seems that years ago, the water circulation was such that garbage and such was washed out of the city with each tide. (small as they may be) Now, garbage (pop bottles, etc.) gets stuck in backwater canals.

Actually this is an old program, they have now discovered by examining Canaletto's painting that Venice is not sinking as fast as they had supposed