Floating piers: here are some tips

Floating piers by Christo. It’s an art installation, able to change the perception of a place for 3 weeks. Christo usually packs up monuments and iconic sights. Only temporarily. He wants to prove that art, although ephemeral, can leave its mark.

“A work of art temporarily gives rise to a feeling of fragility and vulnerability, the urgency of seeing and together the awareness of the absence, because we know that tomorrow it won’t be there“.

Floating Piers, what you need to know to get started

The footbridge designed by the American artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude is marking a boom in visitors to Lago d’Iseo. People don’t stop coming in groups. They are going to walk on water through the islands. Armed with cameras, smartphones, and with the hope of taking the most creative photo. The walkway is very photogenic, so everyone is trying to have fun.
75,000 people per day, it’s the daily average.
 
How to dress. Don’t forget sunglasses and hat. It’s very hot and the combination with the shimmering fabric and the light of the lake needs sun protection. Beachwear only if you are one of those who loves sun . Going swimming is forbidden. Wear total flat shoes and socks if you do not like to walk barefoot.
Don’t take too many bottles of water with you. A bottle of 50 cl costs 1 euro.

How to walk on the Floating Piers

How to get. The best thing is arriving with the train to Sulzano from Brescia. This is the closest and most convenient point. If you reach the area by car you’ll have to leave it in one of the parking and take a shuttle. This could take a long time.

Once you reach the town you will immediately see the snake – often full of people – to reach the entrance. If there is a very long queue, don’t despair.
Take the ferry from Sulzano to Montisola. With only 3 € and few minutes you will be on the island (no need to book, you can buy the ticket there).  You have lost the first section of the catwalk, but you can walk there later on return. It is also the less interesting and more worn path.

After you took the ferry, walk on land in Montisola – quickly – and hit Sensole. From there take the footbridge to the island of San Paolo.
But first of all, take off your shoes and try the feeling of walking barefoot on the huge floating mattress. Like a beach in the sea. This is the most beautiful and evocative part of the whole piece of art. Enjoy it.
1. It is th because people who do not take the ferry, often arrive there already tired and go back before walking on it.
2. It is the part of the bridge from where you have the complete perception of everything. When the 16 meters along the water bend, it really feels like you walk on water.
3. A unique view on each side and whenever you take pictures, you’ll have a different experience.