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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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
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Daghe adosso, Nino!
An Austrian admiral giving orders in Venetian, in a naval battle against Italy, which eventually led to Venice becoming Italian
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Prostitution in Venice
In ancient Venice prostitution was considered a necessary evil, where more harm would come from a ban than from a de facto acceptance
What others said
Perfect if you are really into history
Perfect if you are really into history and want to know every bit of Venice’s history. However I would say this tour isn’t for casual tourists who just want to hear some interesting information about places in Venice, as René often goes into really a lot of detail. He’s definitely an expert on the history of Venice, though, and is super passionate about it. I just expected the tour to be a bit more engaging, and that I would mostly hear more about the places or sights we see. Instead we often stopped for half an hour at a time and the storytelling wasn’t with much interaction or visual aspects.
Highly recommend this experience!
René far exceeded my expectations for this walking tour! He is incredibly knowledgeable about the city, history and architecture and has a great sense of humor. Highly recommend this experience!
Above and beyond expectation
Above and beyond expectation! We’ve done many historical tours, but René’s was truly exceptional! He has a true passion for his métier and goes way beyond the standard Venice history trip. A true historian that can link ancient to contemporary sociology-economic and political history to every inch of the city. And anything else that may interest you 🙂 He is humble, professional, fun and flexible to accommodate any special requests. A truly perfect way to kick-off a Venice adventure! With his insights you will spot endless details that otherwise you would walk past. Anything from ancient graffiti, security markers, revolutionary building structures, geological and climate effects, political organizers,… fascinating! No matter if you are an absolute history beginner of well versed in the literature, you will certainly be mind blown! Don’t hesitate for a second to book René’s tour!
Rene is very knowledgeable
Rene is very knowledgeable. He introduced the history of Venice to me through many details which you may never find it by yourself. I learned how to look at Venice in a more specific way.
This was a unique tour
This was a unique tour that showed me some history of Venice away from the normal tourist spots. Fun activity, got to see more local Venice and explore areas I would not normally have visited. Rene is passionate about the history and a good storyteller.
A wonderful look at the history of Venice
A wonderful look at the history of Venice, René is a splendid storyteller that takes you on a romp through the early centuries of Venice. The smallest of details that hiding huge stories can be found on this tour. Strongly recommend for history or art buffs.
We loved the tour – was my favourite part of our trip so thank you!
We loved this tour – René had amazing knowledge of Venetian history and was able to answer all our questions. We learnt so much and found it really fascinating. A highlight of our trip!
If you want to learn about the history of Venice and it’s architecture, Rene is your man
If you want to learn about the history of Venice and it’s architecture, Rene is your man! He’s incredibly knowledgeable, and I really got to know how Ventians lived over the centuries, and how to distinguish various architecture types and eras. I wouldn’t recommend this for kids- it was a great value and I learned a lot, but also a little dry.