St Mark's Square in Venice has reopened to the public after record-breaking tidal waters forced it to close.
Despite sunny skies, the city remained on edge on Saturday due to warnings that wind-propelled high tidal waters could hit again during the weekend.
Although the high tides - or "acqua alta" - have become more frequent in recent years, the city was struck on Tuesday by devastating floods, the worst in decades.
Late on Tuesday, water levels reached 1.87 metres (6ft 1in) above sea level, the highest flooding since 1966.
By late Saturday morning, water was rising again in St Mark’s Square and more was forecast for Sunday. The tide was expected to peak at 1.15 metres (3.7ft) above sea level on Saturday at noon.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has said publicly that the rise in water levels in the canal city were "the result of climate change".
The Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte declared an emergency to provide extra funds and resources to the city.
The scenes pictured in Venice this week have been described as "apocalyptic".
The crypt and priceless floor of the basilica of St Mark’s had been badly damaged, and will take years to repair.
While shops, homes and hotels have been ruined, boats and gondolas have been tossed or smashed by the torrents.
There continues to be anger over a flood barrier which was commissioned in 1991 and begun construction in 2003.
So far, it has cost the Italian government £5 billion but still it has been completed and now much of what has been built has fallen into disrepair with steel contraptions going rusty.
Fraud and corruption in the country has been blamed for the disappearance of funds.
