Secret Venice

Experience overview

Step into a Venetian palace, visit an unlikely yet breathtaking staircase, explore the most hidden corners of Venice, and experience the exciting atmospheres of "Acqua Alta" bookstore, probably the most singular bookstore you will ever see. Your local tour guide will take you through the most beautiful and least known areas of Venice. You will discover gems such as Marco Polo's house where you will learn about the famous Venetian traveler and his epic journey. You will walk by the Malibran Theater, inaugurated during Carnival in 1678 and quickly became one of the main and most extravagant Venetian stages. Then, continue to the Palazzo Grimani. This beautiful palace was the residence of the Doge Antonio Grimani, and was expanded in the mid-sixteenth century by the Patriarch of Aquileia, Giovanni Grimaldi. An educated man and an avid collector of classical art and archaeology, it is said that he designed the building's features. Not far from the Palazzo, you will walk through some of the best-preserved medieval lanes, across pointed arches and cobbled streets, the foundations of which were laid many centuries ago. While strolling around in a maze of narrow lanes, you will head to Campo Santa Maria Formosa, one of the largest and most lively squares in the city. The square is dominated by the splendid Santa Maria Formosa Church, the first church in Venice dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the 7th century A.D. Just around the corner from Santa Maria Formosa, your guide will take you along a tiny alley that will lead you to a particular bookshop, with piles of books arranged in very unusual shelves and versatile containers, in an attempt to withstand floods in times of high tide. It is a place where you are literally surrounded by heaps of books in an otherworldly atmosphere, which will remind you of fairy tales and ghost stories that took place once upon a time. This is a rare opportunity for book lovers to find old and new publications, as well as for visitors to enjoy a peaceful reading spot away from the suffocating crowds. Discover secret Venice on this walking tour through its lesser known yet spectacular hidden streets. Please Note: Depending on your ship's docking location, a vaporetto, water shuttle, or walk may be required. Transportation between your ship and Campo San Bartolomeo and entrance to sites are not included in the tour price.