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Venice Off The Beaten Track

Highlights

  • Discover the hidden areas of Venice
  • Fulfil your dream of riding in a Gondola through the Venetian canals
  • Interact with the locals and taste the best of the local cuisine
From £1065 pp
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What you'll do

Overview

This short city break will take you off the beaten track to some of the less tourist-heavy destinations in Venice. Travel the city like a local and experience the true Venetian culture.

Get away from the river of tourists on your short break in Venice. On your relaxed stroll with a local guide you will be able to really explore Venice and visit some of the landmarks and learn about the history of the city. You will be taken to the less touristy parts of the city so that you can experience the real Venetian culture.

You will learn how to row and navigate around the Cannaregio district in your own gondola,  learn about the delicious local cuisine and have the chance to taste authentic Venetian dishes and try regional wines with the locals.

Your final day in Venice will be a free day for you to decide how you want to discover more in this beautiful city, but of course we have some recommendations!

For example, you could explore the Grand Canal by vaporetto, allowing you to mingle with the locals and see the true Venice. Alternatively, you could join a boat to some of the surrounding islands, Burano or Murano and learn about some of the industries in Venice, like fishing and glass making, or just relax in a street side cafe, sipping an espresso and immersing yourself in the Venetian atmosphere.

Note: The Italian tourist tax is not included in the prices as it must be paid to the accommodation on the spot; this is €6.00 per person per day for 2022 (subject to change)

Arrival and Guided Tour

Arrival in Italy at Venice Marco Polo airport and meet your driver who will take you to the boat pier for a private boat transfer to your hotel

Start exploring this beautiful city with a unique guided tour off the beaten tracks! We will lead you to discover streets and squares off the standard tourist trail. We will offer you a glimpse of an alternative Venice and show you its history, landmarks and roots and will lead you to discover our Venice.

The least touristy part of the city is where the real Venetians leave, and you can see the most picturesque buildings, cool little shops, and the best, least expensive places to eat. The ones with all the washing hanging out to dry on the line, the ones with the children playing hide and seek, the ones with the old ladies having a chat from the windows of opposite buildings! That’s the real Venice. Away from the river of tourists, you can discover the hidden soul of this amazing city, the anecdotes of its daily life, both past and present, the secrets and the magic of this ancient city of water.

For your first dinner we will be happy to book for you a table in one of our favourite restaurants!

Accommodation throughout: 

Hotel Bonecchiati – Refined elegance, comfort and exclusive services, a water landing for gondolas and motor boats and a romantic restaurant on the terrace. The hotel has been welcoming guests to the heart of Venice since 1790, is just 3 minutes from Saint Mark’s Square and 5 from the Rialto Bridge, for the most exclusive and unforgettable of visits.

Rowing and Tasting

Today your experience is dedicated to the preservation of the traditional Venetian ”cultura acquea”  or water culture and at its centre, the art of the Venetian style of rowing: standing up, facing forward, native to Venice and made iconic by the gondoliers.

Row like a Venetian! Get off the beaten path and onto the Venetian waterways in our beautiful ‘bateline’ or  traditional rowing boat and try it yourself! Once you’ve become comfortable behind a Venetian oar, why not use it to go somewhere? And what better destination than a local bàcaro…or two. If there’s anything more enjoyable the learning to row Venetian style, it’s combine it with a “cicchetti” tasting  and a Spritz… An assortment of typical cicchetti and accompanying wines at Venice’s traditional bàcari is the perfect introduction to the tastes of Venice without committing to a whole meal. Being accompanied by a bàcaro devotèe means you might try Venetian classics like piovra (octopus), fluffy white bàcala mantecato ( codfish mousse) on polenta, hot polpetta (meatballs) meat or tuna croquet,  delicious italian cheese with truffle…when you otherwise might pass them by.

The itinerary includes learning the basic strokes in the Cannaregio canals, then heading out into expansive lagoon as the sun begins to set. Afterward we’ll return to two of the many bàcari along the lively Misericordia canal, where your reward will be to sample a variety of cichetti and regional wines or other drinks as you prefer.

Rest of the day at your leisure.

Accommodation

Hotel Bonvecchiati

Free day

Today is a day at your leisure to explore Venice; we suggest you discover the real Venice on your own with its streets, hidden places and squares, stories and original tales about the city. We can of course provide you with suggestions of places to visit (for example a nice Venetian Carnival Mask maker).

We recommend you explore the Grand Canal by vaporetto the local public transport boats   which regularly go up and down the Grand Canal connecting several stops along the route. It is a unique experience which allows you to see the Grand Canal at a slow pace and mingle with the locals. It also gives the opportunity to hop on and off for visiting different areas of the Grand Canal. We will  be happy to provide you with  more information before your departure.

Alternatively you could visit the Islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, the 3 main islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Sail past the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the S. Elena gardens and the Lido, famous for its beaches. Murano, with its world renowned glassware workshops, and Burano, famous not only for its hand lace-making, but also for its brightly-coloured fishermen’s houses. 

Accommodation

Hotel Bonvecchiati

Departure

Check-out from your hotel after a final breakfast in Venice

Transfer from your hotel to the airport by boat and car and wave goodbye to Venice as you fly home with lasting memories of the real Venice.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation
  • Breakfasts
  • Transfers
  • English speaking local guides
  • One of a kind itinerary designed for you
Your local host

Matteo and Team

As Italians born, raised and based in Italy, we show you what we love about our own country and culture. With us, you get beneath the surface, skip the lines, travel off the beaten trail, meet fascinating people and discover a different Italy, as known to and loved by locals.

As Italians born, raised and based in Italy, we show you what we love about our own country and culture. With us, you get beneath the surface, skip the lines, travel off the beaten trail, meet fascinating people and discover a different Italy, as known to and loved by locals.

Matteo and Team image

Location

This city break is located in Venice, known as the floating city. Venice is one of Italy’s most picturesque cities, with its winding canals, striking architecture and beautiful bridges. The many stunning sights to see along your trip in Venice mean you will never get bored of this enchanting city.

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