Cicchetti & Wine Tour of Venice

Experience Venice the way Venetians live it — in the lively neighbourhoods where they meet friends, enjoy cicchetti, and take a break over good food and drinks. Discover where locals go for a quick bite or an early evening aperitivo, taste traditional lagoon dishes and creative cicchetti, and sip regional wines and Spritz as your guide shares the food and bar traditions that shape everyday life in the city. Along the way, explore the bacari culture near Rialto and enjoy a traditional traghetto gondola crossing of the Grand Canal — the quick, no frills way Venetians move through their city.

Highlights

• Discover where Venetians truly gather, eat, and unwind for lunch or after work
• Cross the Grand Canal on a traditional traghetto gondola — the way everyday Venetians travel
• Taste the flavours of the lagoon with cicchetti, fresh seafood, and regional wine & Aperol Spritz
• Dive into Venice’s aperitivo culture as your guide reveals the secrets of local food and bar traditions
• Enjoy creative dishes crafted by young Venetian chefs using fresh catch from the historic Rialto Market

• All the stores and foodie spots we visit are 100% owned and run by locals, ensuring that the local population benefit from tourism to their city. So any inclusions on the tour and additional purchases you make will directly benefit the local community.
• We will take you off the main tourist trail to some of the many hidden gem neighbourhoods beyond St Mark's Square, helping to ease tourist congestion,
• You will pick up some responsible travel tips that will help you to be a greener traveller while you’re in the city

This tour is the perfect introduction to Venice, giving you an overview of the city’s unrivaled history and a taster of its world-famous cuisine. But it’s far more than just a food tour — we take you to the places where real Venetians go for lunch, for a quick bite, or to meet friends after work. Along the way, we’ll teach you how locals eat, drink, and enjoy their city, so you can experience Venice the way Venetians truly live it.

Your adventure begins in the Cannaregio neighbourhood, one of the few remaining residential areas of Venice, known for being a popular after-work meeting spot for thirsty locals. We will take a gentle stroll around and chat about its 1,000-year history and your local guide will offer suggestions on other things to see and do during your stay. After all, what better way to get to know the locals than through their food?

Our food tasting usually begins in Cannaregio, where we’ll sample some truly local specialties such as baccalà mantecato, gamberi in saor, and a classic meat polpetta, all paired with a glass of local Chardonnay. A ride in a traditional, stand-up traghetto gondola comes next as we cross the Grand Canal the way the locals do. Once we reach the Rialto area, the food tasting adventure continues.

We will try some fresh fish at a small eatery, owned by a group of young locals with a passion for experimenting with traditional recipes, giving them a modern twist. We’ll dive into the flavours of the lagoon with a stop at a tiny, truly local eatery run by a group of young Venetians. Here, just steps from the water, we’ll taste freshly caught fish prepared the Venetian way—simple, seasonal, and full of character—while they give traditional recipes a modern, creative twist. All the fresh fish they serve is sourced directly from the historic Rialto Market — the beating heart of Venice’s seafood traditions and the place where locals have been choosing their catch of the day for centuries. Expect dishes such as risotto of the day, freshly fried seafood, polenta with seafood, or seasonal vegetables all served with a glass of very local sparkling Prosecco.

After mouth-watering tastings, we will head to the few local spots that will help you better understand the culture of Cicchetti bars in Venice and how to enjoy food and wine experience. We will introduce you to a new bar, owned by two Venetian brothers with passion for locally sourced food and wine, and at this stop you will taste a local sandwich called `tramezzino` and very local `Venetian Spritz`.

A few secrets and hidden spots near the Rialto are up next, which will demonstrate the importance of moving just one street away from the tourist hordes, to get a little slice of Venice to yourself. Let’s go into the heart and soul of Venetian snacking and taste some classic meat and cheese cicchetti — rich in flavour, crafted with simple local ingredients, and best enjoyed with a glass of Bardolino.

Finish with well-deserved dessert — a rich, creamy Tiramisu, originally created in the nearby town of Treviso — perfectly paired with a glass of sweet Marzemino wine to bring your Venetian food experience to a memorable close.

The tour will end at Campo San Bortolomio, which is surrounded by great restaurants and shops. Your guide will be happy to help you with recommendations for continuing the fun or with directions to help you back to your accommodation.

Additional Information

• Walking Distance: This tour includes an easy walk of approximately 1.5 km through Venice’s charming calli, campi, and small bridges. The pace is relaxed, with plenty of stops for tastings and stories.
• Terrain & Accessibility: Venice features bridges and steps , so despite the short distance, the route may not be suitable for guests with limited mobility.
• What to Wear: Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, along with weather‑appropriate clothing.
• Age Requirements: The minimum age for alcohol consumption is 18 years, in accordance with Italian law.
• There may be a change of itinerary according to opening times of bars and restaurants along the way depending on how crowded they are. However, all the bars you are taken to are of the same standard, so you will not be missing out if the itinerary does change. Food inclusions are subject to change, dependent on availability on the day.
• In case of bad weather, we will not be able to cross the canal in the traghetto gondola due to safety reasons. However, we provide an additional tasting.
• Dietary Notes:

  We can accommodate most dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, lactose‑free, and a range of common food allergies. Our guides and partner bars do their best to provide suitable alternatives based on what is available each day.

  Please note that we cannot accommodate celiac guests, as the bars cannot guarantee the absence of cross‑contamination.

  For guests with allergies such as nuts, dairy, or others, our team will check with each bar on the day to ensure safe options are offered whenever possible.