About this tour
Venice: city of promiscuity. City of luxury, romantic intrigue and betrayal, and at the same time city of love. A milieu of majestic dwellings, set alongside casinos and brothels.
Still echoing among canals, alleyways and squares are the revelries and tales of lovers united and betrayed. Noblewomen escape the prying eyes of husbands and relatives, concealed behind the traditional “bauta” mask. Courtesans – beautiful, sophisticated, desired – guard the secrets to the art of Love. Combining erotic and amorous guile with intellectual artfulness, they considered the body an instrument of seduction, pleasure and power. Nuns – through the call of obligation rather than God – abandon themselves to a life of luxury in collusion with monks inside the convent walls. And then the prostitutes, now less desired and struggling in a city in which their profession was permitted by the State.
Even this was Venice.
There were numerous ‘places of pleasure’ scattered throughout the city. Discovering them can be a fun way to appreciate the infinite intricacies of Venetian life. The suggestive names in some spots provide us with hints: “ponte delle tette”, “traghetto del buso” and “carampane”. Erotic tales carved into the columns of buildings paint a more genuine picture of city life for us. Pubs, bars and “malvasie” were the meeting places for this diverse melting pot of humanity that could only be found in Venice.
You will encounter tales and anecdotes on this delightful tour that switches between the serious and the light-hearted.
Highlights
- 🎭 Secrets Behind the Masks
Uncover stories of noblewomen, courtesans and forbidden loves hidden behind the traditional Venetian “bauta” mask. - 🍷 Wine and Tales in Rialto’s Osterie
Enjoy a stop in a traditional osteria to taste cicchetti and Venetian wine while listening to tales of passion and intrigue. - 🤐 Discover Venice’s Hidden Pleasures
Walk through alleys and bridges once filled with secret rendezvous, brothels and love stories that shaped the city’s fascinating past.
Itinerary
San Polo and San Cassiano districts
Stroll through the lively heart of old Venice, once filled with taverns, gambling houses and whispered intrigues among nobles and commoners alike.
Ponte delle Tette
Visit the bridge where courtesans once displayed themselves to attract clients — one of the most curious and revealing symbols of Venice’s open-minded past.
Calle della Carità and the old Carampane area
Wander through the narrow alleys that once hosted the city’s red-light quarter, where desire, politics and religion often intertwined.
Osteria near Rialto
Conclude your walk with a stop in a traditional osteria, tasting cicchetti and local wine while hearing stories of passion, scandal and Venetian charm.
Included
- Pick up at your hotel if located in Venice
- Tasting "cicchetti" and red or white wine in a renowned "osteria" (wine bars) in the Rialto's area.
Not included
- All entrance tickets are not included
Practical information
Meeting point
Pick up at your hotel if located in Venice
Ending point
Rialto’s bridge
What to bring
Comfortable shoes
Cancellation
Cancellation 10 days before
🥾 Easy
Meeting point
Pick up at your hotel if located in Venice
Frequently asked questions
