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:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

No Title

January 13, 2024

Velmi profesionální a učený výklad historie Benátek. Tím myslím tu velkou historii osobností a bitev, ale hlavně i tu každodenní, která je složitější na studium.

Ondřej
Verified

If you want to dive in deep into the history of Venice do not look further

January 6, 2024

If you want to dive in deep into the history of Venice do not look further. Rene happens to be the most knowledgeable person ever about Venice (and world history in general). We actually didn’t really walked around but spend almost 2 hours just at one place. He pointed out all the details and told stories about them. We left smarter, inspired and full of curiosity about the city. Thank you Rene, it’s been a pleasure spending those 2 hours with you!

Julia
Verified

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
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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