Your tour, your interests
A private Hidden History tour can be anywhere in central Venice, at any time of day, and concentrate on the topics which interest you.
I can meet you at your hotel in the morning, or at the restaurant where you’ve had lunch, or wherever it suits you in Venice, and we’ll walk around the city together, searching for messages from the past.
If you have any particular interests, we can concentrate more on those subjects.
A two-hour private tour is minimum €200 for the group, or €40/person. Longer tours are charged at €75, or €15/person, for each additional hour.
Payment is normally at the end of the tour. I accept most credit cards (Visa, Master, AmEx, etc.) and, of course, cash. Payment in advance is also possible, but not a requirement.
You can book by email to info@historywalksvenice.com.
Alternatively, you can browse the available times, and book your private tour directly in my calendar. You’ll get a confirmation email, and I will be notified immediately when you click the link in that email.
These articles are examples of some the topics we can discuss on a private tour:
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Venice treacle
Venice treacle, or theriac, was an ancient wonder medicine, an antidote for most poisons and a cure for most ailments, including the plague.
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Early Venice
Venice wasn’t founded. Venice happened, and events and reasons behind it happening are rather complex. This series researches the origins of Venice.
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The Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice never had an actual formal constitution, much less a written constitution. Neither did it have any kind of foundational event.
What others said
Thank you René for this very interesting tour!
A truly interesting trip into the rich history of Venice! Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
My husband and I had a fantastic time with Rene. Learned so much about Venice and visited many secret gems spread throughout the city that really opened our eyes to the city it was and continues to be today. Highly recommended!
Very extensive and fascinating tour
We had a fascinating walk among less trodden paths in Venice. René enchanted us with his encyclopaedic knowledge of Venice’s history and the hidden marks people in the past have left throughout the city.
Book this experience, you’ll thank me later!
Book this experience, you’ll thank me later! Rene is a phenomenal story-teller and possesses such a wealth of knowledge on the history of Venice. If you want something more beyond the basic facts you learn on the mainstream history tours, this is the experience for you. He opened our eyes to a Venice we would have never seen otherwise and kept us engaged the entire time and even long after we finished the tour. From climate-change and political/socio-economic forces that shaped the city to ancient graffiti and chips on a blank stone that mean way more than you would think they do. This was, hands-down, one of the most valuable experiences we had as first-timers and lovers of history in Venice.
René is like a walking history book
René is like a walking history book. He is so knowledgeable about Venice and we learned so much about Venice that were otherwise not possible to know. It is more a history tour, not so much walking, thus may not be suitable for everyone. However, we really enjoyed it and wish it never ended.
Perfect tour for anyone wanting a crash course in Venitian history
Perfect tour for anyone wanting a crash course in Venitian history! I’m a history buff and Rene was exceptionally knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about Venice and its role in the world, past and present. Took us through the arc of the Venetian state from the Roman Empire to modern society, and then dove deeper into subjects like architecture, trade, war, politics, and everyday life in Venice. He had an answer to every question – and usually a funny anecdote to go along with it. Highly recommend!
Non guarderemo più Venezia con gli stessi occhi !
René è molto appassionato e ci ha lasciato arricchiti di nuove nozioni ed entusiasmo! Non guarderemo più Venezia con gli stessi occhi !
This tour will add depth to your delight of this magical city.
We did this tour on our first morning in Venice and I highly recommend that. You’ll be ready with so much more awareness of what there is to see here. René, an historian, explains about how to really see all that is there to see in Venice. “Hidden Venice”, but hidden in a way that is often surprising and fascinating. There were a number of times over our 5 days in Venice that we said “oh look, that’s what René told us about!” This tour will add depth to your delight of this magical city.