bhuty

I don't know if it's actual sewage water but it smells like it.

Now I know that I haven't done as much research on Venice as I have other places but at no point in time has any website any thread here or any blog that I've read ever mentioned anything about walking ankle deap or higher in water.

Although it's too late for me, can someone please explain why I'm walking in water?

Traveler_Nick

Ankle deep? St. Marks?

It's likely acqua alta. High tide.

cdnyul

PIazza san Marco is 1 meter above sea level.
Spring tides in Venice are 1.06 meters.
Distance between sole of foot and ankle is about 5 centimeters.

You need a website or a blog for that?

bilboburgler

The problem of Venice sinking and climate change raising sea level has passed you by? Why?

This is exacerbated at high tide.

cdnyul covers it pretty well

Travel_Nerd

The acqua alta is very often mentioned in every guidebook I have ever read on Venice. Is it in huge bold type? No. But is often there. The Fodors and Frommers versions I own mention it. I'm sure others do too. Maybe it was something you glanced over without much thought or did not make the connection that what you're experiencing is, more than likely, what it is.

And it ihas been mentioned on this forum. A lot. It is often suggested, on here, to bring proper waterproof footwear to Venice between October and April. When we ask for dates of travel, things like this are why. I'd be shocked you haven't seen locals wearing waterproof footwear....!

sassy27

I’ve never visited during acqua alta. Once it smelled like marsh, similar to the marsh, wetlands near my childhood beach vacation home and it was in early March, so I’d say the smell is a seasonal thing. Another time in November and the walking boards were set up and being taken down with a bit of big puddles in areas but no smell. Then another time in August and again in late March with no smell, flooding or puddles. I never had to bring waterproof shoes/boots but I’ve always checked weather reports 1-2 weeks before arriving.

janisj

Acqua alta has ALWAYS happened in Venice. In the 6th century, during the Renaissance. during the 19th century. Written descriptions go back 1500 years. The highest recorded level was in 1966 so it certainly isn't a recent development.

bilboburgler

And of course there is Mose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOSE and the fortune spent on providing this

Madam397

Over the past few years, there have been several instances of flooding in Venice and scenes of people hoisting suitcases over the heads while trudging through the water, all of which are well covered on nightly news stations, PBS NewsHour, the New York Times and other national newspapers.

bhuty

The presentation of harsh reality by some of you guys can be ..... well.... harsh.

I think it could be true that I glanced over it and never connected the reality of the experience. It would be easy to assume that if it's in just one spot that it could be something that didn't affect me if I just chose to not go there.
but St marks is a massive tourist spot.
The first thing I noticed was some kids wearing plastic covers and I first thought it was just a thing that they chose to do.... until I followed a crowd into water with no way forward or back.

Now that j think if it i would agree that it smells like marsh wetlands more so than sewage

For the critics out there, I did admit straight up that I didn't research this place as much as other places.
I'm going to a total of 15 cities..... I'm from Australia so the nuances of each European city is not obvious to me. I had 2 weeks to research 15 cities.

Traveler_Nick

St. Marks is the lowest spot in the city. So it was likely just the one place.


That's November 2022

Sassafrass

Looking for Venice hotel not affected by Acqua alta
Some Good News: The MOSE system in Venice worked!

Honestly, I think people were not judging you or being harsh. I think they are mostly shocked that anyone would never have heard of the issue, and to say they had never seen it mentioned anywhere or on any threads here when there are many, many mentions of it just here on Fodors. I posted only two - but there are a ton. It is a well covered topic. Have you never heard anyone say, “See Venice while you can, before it sinks?” That is the sad reality.
That being said, there are always things we don’t know, sometimes pretty big things that we somehow missed, but that is just the way it is. Happens to most everyone at some time during their life.
St Marks is one of the lowest points in Venice. I have seen it more than ankle deep for a couple of hours there. It was mid-calf on me. I have also seen flooding where docks were so covered at night, people could not safely board boats.
I sympathize with your getting caught up in a crowd moving into the water and not being able to get out. I have seen that too and almost had it happen to us. People get really nasty and pushy and it can be frightening even. I hope in spite of everything that you had a great trip and enjoyed the adventure

Travel_Nerd

Yes, a bit surprised - almost to the "where have you been?" level of surprise than judgement. I apologize if you felt my response was one of the harsh ones. It was going off what you initially described that no guidebooks or blogs mention this or no threads mention this. And, I did not realize that you only had 2 weeks to plan such a busy trip.

I am from the US. I do not know every nuance of every European city, either. And it is a bit unrealistic to think that anyone else does. Not to mention, Americans are infamous for being uneducated, out of touch, and ignorant, among other things. You being from Australia has nothing to do with the information or even with the situation.

You said you only had 2 weeks to research 15 cities. Ok, that is a very short time to plan but it was still some time. You post on here often but the last posts that you started where in August 2023. And you posted in early March 2024 on many other threads. The thing here, I do not see where you are asking questions or could have asked questions about what to expect or any other logistics of these 15 cities two weeks ago or so especially given that short turnaround, Venice included.

Again, not judging. It is what it is. But I am a bit surprised you did not ask here when you have posted often historically, that's all.

The experience you described being pushed into the situation does sound awful. And I am sorry you went through that. The streets are in fact very narrow just before St. Marks (well the entire city, really) and it is easy to get caught up in the push even in the best of circumstances. I hope that in time this situation will be a funny memory rather than a negative one.

I hope the rest of your trip is much more enjoyable.

Madam397

Hope you didn't think I was being harsh as I didn't realize you were in Australia where perhaps this issue isn't covered as much in the news as in Europe or the U.S. but again it isn't all that surprising or shocking. Trip planning for many people varies tremendously from people who plan extensively down to the hour for a trip they plan for the following year or two or others who do minimal planning and are not all that informed about their chosen destinations.

dknudsen

We will be in Venice Sep 11-14 and have no desire to haul along additional waterproof footwear. On the off chance that we experience acqua alta in early September, my thought is we can simply see other areas and wait for lower tide to see St Mark’s.

Travel_Nerd

Acqua alta is not *usually* a problem mid-September. But perhaps note the resources mentioned above to check the status before you head out to San Marco on the day of your time there.

Traveler_Nick

Even when it's an issue it's not 24/7. Picking the 15th of September high tide is about 10.30am. If there is no wind the forecast should be for a dry St. Mark's. It's more likely the next seven days. With the peak just after noon. That means all morning the square would tend to be dry.

bilboburgler

For those interested in how an ancient city built into a pond manages its sewage https://bestveniceguides.it/en/2020/...does-it-work/?

julies

This is usually more of a winter phenomenon. But, we contended with it in May one year and it wasn't just in St. Mark's Square.

happy_traveler_too

It’s Venice, and St Marks square almost always gets flooded during high tide since it’s low and I’m at a loss as to how you didn’t know this. Only ankle deep? Haha. I’ve been to Venice and have walked in the water practically up to my thighs. This was before they installed those ugly temporary acqua alta walkways. It’ll pass. Be happy it’s not pouring rain. Piazza San Marco has ALWAYS flooded during spring high tides. Always refers to when records were started to be kept, which means more than 1800 years since Italians record everything.