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:

  • 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

  • Palazzo Morosini

    Palazzo Morosini

    Palazzo Morosini is a mixed Venetian Gothic and Renaissance palace in the Castello Sestiere which is unfortunately inaccessible to the public.

  • Prostitution in Venice

    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

René e simpatico

January 4, 2024

René e simpatico ed ha una grande conoscenza storica di Venezia che ci ha trasmesso in un bellissimo giro concluso in un bacaro con ottimi cicchetti!

Andrea
Verified

The tour with René was great.

January 1, 2024

The tour with René was great. He knew so much about the city and history, and what was really fun was when we walked around and he pointed at random things we would never had noticed, and explained the rich history behind each item. Since we asked so many questions, he even extended our tour until he really had to leave, which was very nice of him. It was a really great experience and I would book it again the next time I’m in the city!

Mint
Verified

Such an informative tour!

December 27, 2023

A fantastic tour. Every stone has a story. There is so much history in every alleyway for those willing to look. René will be your personal history professor and give you an in depth look at the political, historical and socioeconomic context of Venice. If you are looking for a general overview of the city’s greatest hits, this tour is not for you. But if you want to tread through secluded alleyways and listen to the secret history etched into the walls around you, René is your guide!

Renna
Verified

Definitely recommend!

December 26, 2023

Rene is super knowledgeable and we learned so much about Venice history and modern days – definitely recommend!

Xiaochen
Verified

E’ stata una bella esperienza, grazie Renè!

December 26, 2023

Renè si è dimostrato da subito molto disponibile e cordiale. Ci ha raccontato una Venezia che ci sarebbe sfuggita con una visita da semplici turisti. E’ stata una bella esperienza, grazie Renè!

Marta
Verified

No Title

December 10, 2023

Rene is a true historian and a fountain of information. An interesting perspective of the city of Venice.

Nehiel
Verified

I highly recommend tour with Rene

December 4, 2023

I took 4 hours tour with Rene in Venice. He was really knowledgeable about the history and gave me great overview of the city. Myself I am interested in history and I want to understand it, so time with Rene was very helpful because I got clear picture of what was going on. I highly recommend tour with Rene for people, who like logical view of history and who want to understand, not only hear random facts.

Anna
Verified

Rene was an amazing storyteller

December 4, 2023

Rene was an amazing storyteller! I was the only one so it was like a private tour. His tales and great details kept me going in this cold weather. He even extended the time and recommended places to have lunch. One of the highlights was his dog Giubba listening to him and of course, he was an excellent tour partner!

Andrea
Verified