Hidden History — Private tours

Byzantine art on the walls in Venice

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:

  • Daghe adosso, Nino!

    Daghe adosso, Nino!

    An Austrian admiral giving orders in Venetian, in a naval battle against Italy, which eventually led to Venice becoming Italian

  • The Fall of Venice

    The Fall of Venice

    The fall of Venice on May 12th, 1797, was the result of a war that the Republic of Venice formally wasn’t even party to.

  • Long live the doge

    Long live the doge

    Viva il doge – Long live the doge – the writing on the wall celebrating the election of Andrea Gritto as doge in april 1523

What others said

Can highly recommend this tour

July 26, 2021

Can highly recommend this tour if you’re interested in history. René really knows his stuff and is very knowing about both the “big picture” of Venice in the history but also small interesting facts about the everyday life in the city.

Katja
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July 25, 2021

Really recommend this tour, it was very informative and interesting!

Larissa
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July 25, 2021

René is a very friendly guide who knows all the small details and stories about Venice. We had a really nice time with him and enjoyed our tour!

Vincent
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July 24, 2021

René knows an incredible about about Venice. It was a lovely tour, which lasted longer than we paid for.

Youp
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July 20, 2021

Gentilissimo e preparato. Sicuramente da fare se si vuole approfondire la storia della città e scoprirne i tanti particolari più nascosti.

Marco
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It was truly a pleasure to hear your story

July 20, 2021

If you are looking for a tour that will take you somewhere else the usual most visited spots in Venice, this is it! René managed to explain how the city was built and works by paying our attention to the little details we passed by in the streets. He is passionate about history, life in Venice and adventures! René was happy to share his personal experience of life in Venice and he was definitely the warmest welcome in the city we could have wished for!

Sabine
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you will learn something

July 18, 2021

It was a pleasure to discover some new spots with René. He has tons of knowledge about the city, so even if you know Venice, you will learn something new!

Philipp
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Very enjoyable

July 18, 2021

Rene was a wonderful Guide He was very informative with all the small details while maintaining a continuous narrative of the larger history of Venice. He has embraced the History and spirit of Venice and deserves the title of Citizen of Venice. His command of the English language reflects his educational background. All in All , the Tour was easy , entertaining and educational

Astrid
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