As water routes attracted trade and cultural exchange, Cities by the seas and rivers accumulated a valuable legacy of art, at times becoming masterpieces on their own. Many of these places become increasingly vulnerable in the face of rising sea levels, extreme storms, and human-induced hazards. These challenges find their way of interpretation and representation in the culture. From visual and literary arts to festivals and popular culture - collective memory and action depicts the meaning and gives the clues of balancing our everyday life with big water.