Venice · HIDDEN GEMS & BACKSTREET TOURS
Two turns off the Rialto route the crowd simply stops. These 15 walks head for the quiet sestieri, the working boatyards and the courtyards with no signposts, priced and timed for a slow afternoon.
Walk quieter Venice with a local guide through Cannaregio and the Jewish Quarter, ending at Rialto Bridge on a 2-hour route.
“Exploring the back streets away from the tourist areas you get to experience what the locals get to do”
Private gondola on Venice canals with a local gondolier. Pick 30 minutes to 2 hours, see quiet streets, bridges, and iconic sights.
“It lived up to its expectations. And was definitely off the beaten track. It really was a special half hour”
Secret Venice walking tour near San Marco, ending with a gondola ride. Hidden piazzas, iconic sights outside, and smart local history.
“Our guide was amazing, took us to some little out of the way places that I don't think I would have found on my own. The gondola ride was very relaxing”
Private gondola ride through Venice’s quieter canals and major sights, with flexible 30-min to 2-hour options and a local gondolier.
“The gondola ride was not what we expected at all. Specifically, the canals that we explored were kind of abandoned, some were working sites or filled with floating garbage. Additionally, the whole ride lasted a total of 20mins instead of the expected 30mins that we paid for.”
Actor-led Venice Carnival walking show with Codega tales, Casanova secrets, and theater scenes in 75 minutes near Piazza San Marco.
“Great fun; quirky, informative and good value for money. Excellent feedback about it from both the adults and the teenagers in our group. I recommend it!”
Cruise Venice’s quiet hidden canals on a full electric boat, small group, English guide, open-air comfort, and great photo time.
“Book this tour instead and cruise around the many fascinating districts of Venice in a quiet and comfortable electric boat with Niki. SOOOO enjoyable! We learned so much over the course of 2 hours, laughed a lot, and saw so many sights that would have been impossible in an overpriced gondola. Just a superb way to see the hidden canals of Venice!”
Skip queues for Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica, then stroll Venice backstreets, La Fenice, and the Bovolo staircase with a small group.
“My two friends and I had a great time with our guide. She was knowledgeable, affable, and a great speaker. She led us through Doge's Palace, St Mark's Basilica, and the buildings around the square. After that she led us on a walking tour of both key areas of Venice but also some more interesting smaller areas and events such as the cultural pop-ups that were being showcased around the city. I would recommend spending the extra money to not only have a guide for the area to explain the whats and whys but doing so with only a group made of the three of us made for a tailored…”
Private Venice walk through Rialto Market and San Polo with wine and cicchetti, plus landmarks like Palazzo dei Camerlenghi.
“Excellent tour. Highly recommend this. Guide is from Venice and is extremely energetic and knowledgeable. We learned so much about Venice and its history!”
Skip lines at Doge’s Palace secret passages and Casanova cell, then guided St Mark’s Basilica in a small group.
“What an incredible tour. Our guide, Pamela was so knowledgeable and friendly. We highly recommend her, as her presentation was full of historical information about the Doge palace and explained the political significance of the doges, noblemen, and bourgeois. Casanova’s imprisonment and escape story was quite entertaining. We are so glad to have booked this tour.”
A 2-hour San Marco walking tour with a local guide, Bovolo staircase, Teatro La Fenice, and a self-guided app with 100+ stops.
“It was a great introduction to Venice which can be a difficult city to navigate. It went at a good pace but at times hard to follow. Our guide was informative but had a strong accent and we didn’t understand everything he said”
A 2-hour private Venice canal cruise with the Grand Canal, Arsenale shipyard entry, Jewish Ghetto walk, and Dorsoduro gondola craft stops.
“We loved this tour! Only 3 of us actually turned up, so it was more like a private tour experience, but the tour guide was lovely and provided lots of interesting information. I think if there were more people our experience may have been a little less comfortable on the boat, but as it stands we had a fantastic trip!”
3-hour private Venice walk with local stories, Doge’s Palace and Castello churches, plus a drink tasting, starting near Rialto.
“Genny was fantastic! She stepped in when the other tour guide got sick and couldn't go with us. She knew all the best places for shopping and eating local. She was able to give us directions to get to a restaurant we wanted to eat at and a glass place for me to get the special treasure I wanted. She was able to give us details and history that could only come from someone who lived there. If you want to have a deeper understanding of Venice and its people take this tour!”
Venice by Night walking tour with licensed guide Valerio, quieter canal stops for photos, and a calm nighttime finish at Piazza San Marco.
“Lovely night walk around the heart of Venice, in a small group, ending with an enchanted surprise in St Marks square.”
Private 2.5-hour Venice tour in Dorsoduro, with calmer streets and big views of St Mark’s basin at your pace.
“It was a lovely history tour. If you are looking to really hear about what happened to Venice especially during the time of the French occupation this is the tour for you! We thought we were going to get more information about current Venice, so it wasn't exactly what we were looking for, but Roberto took us everywhere and explained a ton!”
A private Venice photo walk with a photographer, 150+ cinematic edited images, iconic landmarks plus quieter corners, and delivery by email in days.
“Filippo is an absolute gem. He captured our honeymoon in Venice so beautifully — romantic, natural, and full of emotion. He made us feel completely at ease and the photos are beyond anything we could’ve imagined. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience we’ll cherish forever.”
Every kind of day on the lagoon, and the best of each.
