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:

  • Early Venice

    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.

  • The Venetian Lazzaretti

    The Venetian Lazzaretti

    The lazzaretti in Venice were the Venetian republic’s response to the emergency of the plague, and an efficient response too.

  • The Republic of Venice

    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

Rene is very knowledgeable

July 6, 2021

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.

Yinyuan
Verified

This was a unique tour

July 6, 2021

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.

Stephanie
Verified

A wonderful look at the history of Venice

July 5, 2021

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.

Mathew
Verified

We loved the tour – was my favourite part of our trip so thank you!

July 5, 2021

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!

Greta
Verified

If you want to learn about the history of Venice and it’s architecture, Rene is your man

July 2, 2021

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.

Nancy
Verified

We very much enjoyed the tour

June 27, 2021

Rene was very informative and clearly has a great love for Venice. We learnt many very interesting facts and mysteries and he was in no rush. We ended up spending 3.5hrs with him. Really well worth it!!

Anna
Verified

A gem of a tour

June 23, 2021

A gem of a tour, especially for people who love to understand how cities function. René even made a discussion of some crumbling bricks interesting. Seriously. René helped us gain a deeper appreciation for Venice. Highly recommend this tour.

Kerry
Verified

War sehr lehrreich, wir haben viel über Venedig erfahren

June 21, 2021

War sehr lehrreich, wir haben viel über Venedig erfahren

Tobias
Verified