Flooding Of Venice, How to Survive During your Visit

Venice’s Acqua Alta: How to Deal With

St. Mark’s Square during acqua alta! Photo by Gwenael Piaser from Flickr.

The acqua alta of Venice recently reached such heights (…or depths), it was all over the news. More than 70 percent of Venice was under water. Last weekend, in fact, the acqua alta got up to 149 cm (4 ft 10 inches), the 5th-highest level the floods have reached in the past 150 years. (See some extraordinary photos of the acqua alta here!).

The pictures are stunning: People swimming through St. Mark’s Square, merchandise floating in shops, locals paddling to work. But what is it really like to visit—or live in—Venice when there’s acqua alta? Here’s a survival guide!

What is acqua alta?

Woman walking in Venice’s acqua

Acqua alta literally means “high water”—and that’s what it is! Because of Venice’s unique position as an island criss-crossed with canals, the city is, of course, very sensitive to water levels. So whenever water levels rise in the Venetian lagoon… the island of Venice is at an increased chance of flooding.

Acqua alta usually happens in the winter, thanks to a combination of the tides, a strong south wind, and the periodic movement of sea waters. But it’s been happening more often—and been getting worse—in recent decades, thanks to Venice’s sensitivity to climate change.

Earlier this year, in fact, it was discovered that the island was sinking five times faster than previously thought, at a rate of 2 millimeters per year. While that might not sound like much, it adds up: The Rialto Bridge, for example, has sunk 1.7 meters (5 feet) since it was first built!

Venice is sinking partly because, thanks to climate change and the melting of the glaciers, water levels are rising worldwide at a rate of 0.14 inches per year. And it’s partly because of issues particular to Venice itself, like the industrialization of adjacent Mastre-Marghera and the increase of pumping water and natural gas from the ground.

How often does acqua alta occur?

Statistically, exceptional high tides—when the water level of the lagoon is 140 cm or more above the standard sea level, the point at which more than half of the island of Venice is flooded—only happen once every four years. But more minor flooding occurs much more often: Water reaching 110 cm, at which point flooding covers 14 percent of Venice, happens about four times a year.

In general, if you’re coming during the winter, particularly November or December, be prepared for the possibility of acqua alta!

Here’s a good video tour of what to expect when it gets really bad:

How long does acqua alta last?

It generally lasts for only a few hours—but not always! It depends on the neighborhood and how hard it was hit.

How do I know when acqua alta is going to hit Venice?

Those who live in Venice are notified by the city by phone or SMS. But if acqua alta is estimated to be particularly bad, everyone gets notified, thanks to a system of sirens that sound throughout the island! Keep your ears open for any whistles… the more there are, the worse it’s going to be. You can also check online at Venice’s acqua alta forecast website.

And, of course, you can always ask your hotel what the likelihood is that acqua alta is coming—you can bet that they’ll know!

How do I get around when Venice is flooded?

Remember that, in all likelihood, half, or more, of the island will be dry. That said, the area around St. Mark’s Square is the lowest on the island… and therefore the first to get flooded! So if you must pass through the flooded areas (or you simply want to see what it looks like), use the passarelle, which are walkways elevated above the water. (Please, walk on the right-hand side to avoid being an obstacle to locals!).

You’ll probably get a little wet regardless–the passarelle don’t always connect at every point—but it’ll keep you out of the worst of it.

Do I pack my rain boots?

Not necessarily! Again, remember that, even in the terrible flooding there was last week, almost half of the island was still dry. So many people prefer to wait out the acqua alta at their hotel or in a drier part of town. 

Otherwise, of course, rain boots can come in handy… but they do take up lots of suitcase space, so you might consider buying them when you get to Venice instead, if you discover they’re necessary. Some hotels are even kind enough to loan rubber boots to guests.

Forget staying dry—this seems like a fun opportunity to swim in St. Mark’s Square and take some great photos! Is it?

No. And it could be unsafe. First of all, remember that the water is going to be very cold. Secondly, it’s very dirty—something you’ll probably notice as soon as you see it, since it often comes with garbage and other debris floating (remember, this is water that’s swept through not only Venice’s piazzas, but its garbage cans, stores, and more!). Full of bacteria, it’s probably not something you want to submerge your body in! And 

no, the smell often isn’t great.

Be safe, and don’t go barefoot in the flooded areas (or anywhere else, for that matter!).

What happens to transportation and sights?

In many ways, Venice trundles on as usual during acqua alta. But some things are hindered. Boats run, but might have to change their routes, because they may not be able to pass under some bridges. And some stores, restaurants, and sights might be forced to close temporarily.

What does acqua alta mean for how much I should pack?

Strange question? Not really! Many people don’t think about what they’ll do if they get to their hotel… and the walk there is flooded. The option to wheel your suitcase vanishes—unless you want to get it soaked. So you need to be strong enough to carry it above your head. Something to keep in mind if you’re visiting

Venice in the high-risk months!

During acqua alta, it’s not always that easy to tell where land stops and the canal begins!

Any other tips?

Yes—be careful if you’re walking on flooded sidewalks next to canals! Because of the flooding, it’s often harder to see the edge between the land and the canal. Watch your step if you want to avoid getting really soaked!

7 Tips for Traveling in Matera Italy

Matera, Italy: 7 Tips You Need to Know

Matera, a hauntingly beautiful town in Italy

Famous for its sassi and stunning landscapes, Matera, located on the border of Basilicata and Puglia, is one of our favorite cities in Italy. It’s not only breathtaking, but fascinating: Its history goes back more than 30,000 years.

And? It’s much easier to get to than people think.

Here are 7 things you need to know about Matera. Read on to find why you should add this scenic spot to your next Italy trip!

1. Matera’s famous sassi aren’t what you think they are

The sassi of Matera

Many people think that Matera’s cave dwellings are called “sassi.” They’re not. The sassi (literally meaning “stones”) actually refer to the two neighborhoods of stone dwellings in the ancient town.

Matera’s Neolithic caves

These dwellings, by the way, don’t always look like caves from the outside. (The caves you see in some pictures, like this one to the right, are Palaeolithic caves located across the ravine from Matera’s ancient center).

Instead, these dwellings, carved into the rock, look like homes piled one on top of the other. (Their interiors, though, often feel cave-like). It’s an ingenious, and space-saving, design: Step onto one of the narrow lanes between houses, and you’re actually standing on the roof of the house below. It’s also smart when it comes to sharing water, since water would be gathered on the plateau above the town and then come down so that the entire community could share it.

Two main quarters sprung up in Matera that were built this way… and these are the two sassi. 

2. Aside from Petra, Jordan, Matera is the oldest continuously-inhabited settlement in history

The Palaeolithic caves of Matera

We call the oldest period in human history the “Palaeolithic period,” a time when woolly mammoths roamed the earth and the last Ice Age was just winding down. And guess what? This is when people first settled in Matera. (We’re talking at around about 15,000 B.C.).

What makes Matera different from other Palaeolithic settlements, though, is that those inhabitants, and their ancestors, never left. Instead, they dug in—quite literally. In the Iron and Bronze Ages, newly-equipped with metal tools, settlers dug underground caverns, cisterns, and tombs in the landscape’s soft volcanic stone (called tufa). Famously, they also dug dwellings.

Those dwellings, and those people, remained throughout the later waves of rulers and empires, from Greeks to Romans to Byzantines. They (and their descendants) are still there today… even though some things are a little different.

3. Matera is where The Passion of the Christ was filmed

Because of Matera’s unearthly, ancient beauty, Mel Gibson chose it as the setting for his 2004 The Passion of the Christ. He’s not the first director to have set a Biblical film here: Pasolini’s The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964), Beresford’s King David (1985), and Hardwicke’s The Nativity Story (2006) were all filmed here, as well.

4. In Matera, the living wasn’t always easy

Life in Matera’s stone dwellings: not always so romantic (photo courtesy of Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario)

Today, Matera seems incredibly romantic. But it wasn’t always this way. Even now, you can imagine the difficulties of living in the town’s ancient sassi: Homes, stores and churches are connected via narrow paths or stairs, so forget driving from your house to the grocery store. For those used to modern conveniences, living in a stone dwelling in Matera would be challenging!

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, poverty also was rife in Matera, as for so much of southern Italy. People lived in one-room stone homes—or, yes, caves—without heat or plumbing, often with donkeys or other animals sharing the same space. (For the curious, the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario shows what living in the 1950s would have been like). Malaria was rife. Conditions were so bad that, in 1952, the government of Italy passed a law forcing Matera’s dwellers out of their old quarters and into new, modern buildings. This “new Matera” still exists, up the hill from the ancient sassi, and it’s where the vast majority of Matera’s residents live today.

But in 1993, the area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. And as Matera has gotten more popular, people have started moving back into the sassi, restoring the stone homes and even opening them as luxury hotels. If Matera’s 19th- and early-20th century inhabitants could see their town now, they’d be astonished!

5. Now’s the time to see Matera’s stone churches… but please, don’t touch the frescoes

The rupestrian church of Madonna di Idris in Matera

The churches of Matera, like the homes, are carved into stone. (These types of churches are called “rupestrian churches”). They date back to the Middle Ages; many have their interiors covered in vibrant frescoes.

A damaged, but still vibrant, fresco in one of Matera’s rupestrian churches

Fascinating and eerie, these churches are also, unfortunately, in not-so-hot shape. While some restorations have taken place, the frescoes remain extremely delicate. And something that’s making them worse? Damage caused by tourists—particularly from touching them. (Frescoes are especially sensitive to moisture, so the natural oils from your skin damage the artwork). In one church after another, you can see where the frescoes have all but completely disappeared in the parts where people have grabbed onto them, such as around doorframes.

So please, go see the frescoes now, before they disappear. Contribute to their future restoration with your admission ticket price. And never, ever touch them.

6. If you don’t like stairs, you might not like Matera…

Coming to Matera? Expect to climb some stairs!

…or at least might not want to stay in its sassi. To get around, even just from your hotel to a church, you will be climbing stairs. Lots of them. And forget about handicap accessibility.

So bring your walking shoes, and prepare to work up a sweat… especially if you’re visiting in the summer. (Because this is Italy’s south, it can be relatively hot even through the end of September).
You have been warned!

7. Even though no train to Matera comes up on the Trenitalia website, you don’t need a car or bus to get there

This is something that even seasoned Italy travelers don’t realize: Matera is connected by train to Italy’s other towns!

Confusion comes in because if you go to the Trenitalia website and plug in, say, “Rome” to “Matera,” no solutions come up. But that’s not because there isn’t a train station here. (There is!). It’s because it’s not on the national rail system.

Instead, if you want to travel by train, the easiest way is to first get to Bari (which is connected to the national system, so you can look up times and prices on the Trenitalia site; it’s a 4-hour train ride from Rome to Bari). Then go to the regional train site, Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, putting in “Bari Centrale” as your starting point and “Matera Centrale” as your endpoint. A number of solutions pop up; the ride takes between 1 hour and 15 minutes and 1.5 hours, and the price is nominal (something like 2 euros). From the train station, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the sassi of Matera.

Note that the trains to Matera do not leave from the main part of the Bari Centrale station, but from a smaller station just outside the main one. When you walk outside onto the piazza outside the station, just look to your left, and you should see a building with the words ”Ferrovie Appulo Lucane.” That’s where you want to go.

Because this is a smaller train service, on holidays and Sundays, it might not run. In that case, there’s a bus from Bari to Matera; just ask at the station.

There are also buses to Matera from Rome, Ancona, Florence, and Milan—but in general, we’ve found the train is the fastest, cheapest way to get there.

Fascinating Facts About St. Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the most fascinating churches in Italy

St. Mark’s Basilica is one of the most-visited sights in Venice, and a must-see on any traveler’s Italy itinerary! But with a history that stretches all the way back to the 9th century A.D., it’s also a church with a lot of interesting stories and legends behind it.

Here are six of the most fascinating facts about St. Mark’s Basilica!

The basilica began with a swashbuckling tale of kidnapping

St. Mark’s has pretty interesting origins…

The first St. Mark’s Basilica was built on this spot in the 9th century to house very sacred relics—relics that had been stolen! In 828, merchants from Venice stole the body of St. Mark the Evangelist, one of the four Apostles, from Alexandria, Egypt. According to the legend, they snuck them past the (Muslim) guards by hiding them under layers of pork in barrels!

While at sea, a storm almost drowned the graverobbers and their precious cargo, it’s said that St. Mark himself appeared to the captain and told him to lower the sails. The ship was saved, and the merchants said they owed their safety to the miracle.

The entire story is pictured on the 13th-century mosaic above the left door as you enter the basilica.

There’s enough mosaic here to cover 1.5 American football fields…

Just one of the dozens of mosaics in St. Mark’s Basilica…

There are more than 85,000 square feet (or 8,000 square meters) of mosaic in St. Mark’s Basilica… or enough mosaic to cover over 1.5 American football fields! The mosaics were done over 8 centuries, mostly in gold, and the result is astonishing. Enter the basilica at different times of day to see how the light makes the colors, and scenes, look different.

…and there are more than 500 columns

Just another example of the sheer size, and amount of amazing stuff, in St. Mark’s is the number of columns. There are more than 500 columns and capitals in the basilica, and most are Byzantine, dating between the 6th and 11th centuries. Some classical, 3rd-century capitals are mixed in, too!

A lot of the basilica’s treasures came from the Crusades—and from Constantinople

The bronze horses of St. Mark’s Basilica, originally  from Constantinople!

The Fourth Crusade, in particular, gave St. Mark’s Basilica a windfall. After all, this was the Crusade that ended, in 1204, with the conquest of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
The result? A lot of treasure was shipped to Venice, and installed in St. Mark’s Basilica—including the four bronze horses, icon of the Madonna Nicopeia, enamels of the Golden Altar-piece, relics, crosses, chalices, and patens!

The belltower of St. Mark’s Basilica

The Pala d’Oro puts the Crown Jewels to shame

Forget the glittering gems at the Tower of London: The Royal Family has nothing on St. Mark’s Basilica! The Pala d’Oro, a Byzantine altar screen of gold, is studded with hundreds of gems—literally. They include 1,300 pearls, 300 emeralds, 300 sapphires, 400 garnets, 100 amethysts, plus rubies and topazes.

That bell tower? It collapsed once… not so long ago

The 323-foot (98.6-meter) campanile of St. Mark’s dates back to the 9th century… but it had to be rebuilt in 1903. The reason? It collapsed! It had been reworked in the 16th century, and apparently not that well: It collapsed on July 14, 1902. (To be fair, it had survived several earthquakes before that!). Although it buried the Basilica’s balcony in rubble, fortunately, the church itself was saved. But the incident was embarrassing enough!

From 1903 to 1912, the belltower was rebuilt exactly as it had been… except with better, safer techniques.

Italian Airports

Italian Airports and Tips for Flying to Italy

Italy has more than 130 airports throughout the entire peninsula and islands, services have gotten better and with the cost of gas and train tickets, there are several great options to connect your travel destinations by air. The two major direct international gateways in to Italy are Rome and Milan, and there are several other airports that serve as primary hubs for their regions many offering limited direct international connections.  Many of the smaller Regional airports can be reached by flying into an European hub first, this gives you many more options on ticket prices.
The list below is of the major airports in Italy, this is a working list so it is not 100% complete and there is constant change of services that I can not keep up with.   Depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re going in Italy, there may be a smaller regional airport that would also be a good option for you (you can often find these by looking at Google maps and zooming out a bit until you see an airplane icon, or by consulting the official website for the city you’re visiting).

Read more at McClure's Bike Italy

What is Aperitivo Italiano in Italy

For Italians, having an aperitivo is NOT  like “Happy Hour” in the US and else where. In fact, if I ever see an Italian bar advertising “Happy Hour,” I know it must cater to tourists, and generally avoid. One should practice saying, “Let’s go get an aperitivo” or “Prendiamo un aperitivo.” Happy Hour in the U.S. is a concept about getting a drink “discount” and drinks and/or appetizers are usually discounted or bundled together.

Not so in Italy. Aperitivo in Italy is plain and simply aperitivo: A pre-dinner drink, meant to “open” the palate and it gives you a chance to socialize, relax, and nibble as dinner approaches or is overlooked altogether. Aperitivo is more popular in the north of Italy, though you’ll find a form of it throughout Italy. Ask a local for the best aperitivo restaurant or bar to find the one in the town you’re in.

Drinks during aperitivo are not only not discounted, but often they have a supplement added to them to compensate for the refreshments being offered alongside. How much supplement will depend on the reputation and location of where you are. I’ve had an aperitivo with fresh mozzarella for 2.50 euro and a cocktail with potato chips for 15 euro. Cocktails in general will be more expensive than the classic aperitivo drinks listed below, though some bars will charge you “a consumazione” and charge the same price for all drinks. A good aperitivo ranges from 6 to 10 euro and can be a good meal replacement if the buffet is plentiful.

A good rule of thumb for evening aperitivo is from 7-9pm. Lunch aperitivo can be offered from 12pm on and you can even find a mid-afternoon aperitivo. Make sure you check with your particular bar because there are some hours which will be “peak” offerings and potential buffets will be more plentiful, usually in the evening.

What is offered with your aperitivo drink really depends on the bar. A few olives and potato chips are the classic offering, though some get very elaborate with fresh pizza, fruit salads, roast, hot pasta, cold cuts like prosciutto and bresaola, fresh savoury pastries and even fresh mozzarella in some bars!

Ordering an Aperitivo Drink in Italy

Aperitivo drinks are divided into two categories: alcolici (alcoholic), and analcolici (non-alcoholic / “virgin”) drinks. Analcolici drinks can range from a soft drink like Coca Cola to delicious fruit juice cocktails (aperitivo analcolico alla frutta – pictured below) to a non-alcoholic bitter like Sanbitter.

If the aperitivo’s liquor selection is extensive, a wide selection of cocktails will be available as aperitivo drinks and you can find anything from Manhattans to Cosmopolitans to Mojitos. For many Italians, Campari is their drink of choice for aperitivo, and it forms the base of many traditional Italian aperitivo drinks.

Here are some “traditional” aperitivo drinks based on bitter alcohols like Campari and Aperol: the Americano, the Spritz, and the Negroni. A Negroni is gin, vermouth and Campari, and garnished with an orange peel as in my picture.

There are other ways to make a Negroni, too. A Negroni sbagliato (“wrong”) substitutes the gin with spumante brut (dry, sparkling white wine). Sometimes they can really get it wrong. When I ordered a Negroni sbagliato recently, I realized it was a Negroni sbagliato sbagliato as instead of spumante he had added vodka, which made it a Negroski.

The Americano starts out like the Negroni but instead of using gin, soda is added to the cocktail in a tall glass that lightens up the cocktail quite a bit.

Many regions have their own aperitivo specialty one drink that is popular in the Veneto is starting to get popular elsewhere, is the Spritz.  The Spritz is made by combining soda, prosecco (sparkling white wine) and either Campari or Aperol.

Wine is always an acceptable aperitivo drink, and sometimes much cheaper than a cocktail. If you like sweet or sparkling wines, aperitivo is the time to drink them: Prosecco (sparkling white wine), Spumante (a sweet or dry sparkling white wine), Fragolino (a sweet sparkling red wine), Brachetto (sweet, sparkling red wine) are all excellent aperitivo drinks.

The Bellini, invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice, is a good choice if you like prosecco and peaches but it is not always widely available if the bar doesn’t stock peach juice or puree.

Tips for Venice

Top tips for romantic Venice

Take a water taxi from the airport, but don't bother with a gondola

Within minutes of landing at Marco Polo airport we were zipping across the lagoon on a water taxi, with the wind in our hair; 10 minutes later we were on the Grand Canal and slipping beneath the Rialto Bridge before pulling up right at our doorstep. A Venice water taxi (+39 337 494444) must be the most romantic and exciting way to arrive in any city. At €90 one way for up to three people (or €100 for four to six), it's not cheap but it drops you straight in among all the floating fabulousness – which is what Venice is all about – and you get to feel like a film star for 20 minutes. Once you've taken a water taxi, there's probably no need to ride in a gondola: they're more expensive and will feel tame and touristy in comparison.

Stay in an apartment instead of a hotel

Venice is so popular that hotels don't have to try very hard, so we opted for an apartment, Guistinian, in the thick of the action, overlooking the Accademia Bridge. Given that we walked around all day and the nightlife in Venice isn't particularly memorable, it was a boon having a gorgeous, spacious pad to hang out in at night and in the morning. Venetian Apartments (020-3356 9667, venice-rentals.com) has more than 80 chic properties to rent all over the city. There's Altana, a stylish studio apartment with a rooftop terrace in Dorsoduro; or Giudecca Mare Riva, a new, one-bedroom designer pad with a communal courtyard, two terraces and its own a private jetty, perched on the lagoon. Studios start at €695 for four nights or €895 a week, and one-bedrooms start at €760/€910 – those are year-round prices that don't go through the roof in high season.

Don't eat out all the time - shop at the Rialto market


Seafood at the Rialto market. Photograph: Paul Williams (Funkyfood London)/Alamy
Staying in a self-catering place gives you the perfect excuse to shop like a local. Just a minute away from the tourist bottle neck of the Rialto Bridge is the brilliant food market of the same name, in front of the small church of San Giacomo di Rialto (the city's first church, founded in 421AD). All of Venice comes here to buy its fruit, veg, meat and, most famously, seafood. There are glistening baby octopus, giant prawns, soft-shell crabs and fish straight out of the lagoon or from as far away as Asia. Veggies include purple baby artichokes and white asparagus, plus more than half a dozen types of mushroom. We spent one morning shopping and cooked it all up in the apartment that evening. Once you've bagged your catch, head round the corner to All'Arco (Calle Arco, San Polo 436), a friendly bacaro (see below) heaving with market shoppers and serving great little snacks of langoustines, calamari, speck and so on.

La Fenice is not the only opera


I haven't been to La Fenice, Venice's famous opera house, but I doubt it could be more romantic than Musica a Palazzo (+39 34 0971 7272, musicapalazzo.com, tickets €50), the operatic equivalent of a secret supper club, which takes place in a fading historic palazzo down a blind alley just off the Grand Canal. We saw La Traviata by candlelight, and though there are only three singers and a quartet of musicians, the intimate setting more than compensated for the pared-down ensemble. There were only around 100 people in the audience, and we were right next to the quartet and within touching distance of the performers. Each of the three acts takes place in a different room, the audience following the performers from set to set. A very special evening.

Sights schmights! Head for quieter neighbourhoods

Venice has more than its fair share of world-class churches, squares and museums, and though St Mark's and the Doge's Palace et al are obviously worth a gander, for me the labyrinth of medieval alleyways and canals is what makes the city so special. Getting lost among it all (a small square here, another beautiful bridge there), and snatching the odd moment of solitude, is hopelessly romantic. We slipped out of the back of St Mark's Square (to the west) and spent all afternoon wandering aimlessly through the Cannaregio area, which is more about atmosphere than major sights. We ended up in the Ghetto, one of Venice's most evocative areas, and sat at a cafe watching kids play football after they'd come out of the synagogue.

Dorsoduro, the protruding southern leg of the city that feels more like a village the further east you venture, is another great neighbourhood to wander round. One night we got hopelessly lost here in a maze deserted narrow alleyways, but eventually fell out in the buzzing campo Santa Margherita. The huge square is full of students and lively cheap bars – by Venetian standards it rocks – and the perfect spot for a few beers.

Avoid the tourist traps and eat like a local at a bacaro

To get a taste of real Venice, and take a break from sightseeing, pop into a bacaro, one of the small bars where locals go for a glass of wine, a quick snack and a chat. In a city bulging with crappy tourist restaurants, bacari, where you can get a small tasty snack for a euro and a decent glass of Veneto wine for two or three, are life savers. On my last trip to Venice I ate exclusively at these places, and we found a couple more on this trip. Sitting on a canalside in the late afternoon sun for aperitivo hour at Anice Stellato (Fondamenta della Sensa 3272), knocking back vino rosso and freshly prepared €1 crostini ("little toasts" topped with ham, cheeses and salty Italian goodies) is a particularly lovely memory. And from the look of the larger dishes being eaten by the mainly local clientele, this also looked like a fine place to have dinner.


Skip the queue at the campanile (bell tower) of St Mark's, and take in the view from the San Giorgio Maggiore or out on the lagoon ferry.