Duration: 2.5 hours
Type of Service: Hidden Venice Food Tour with Rialto Market, Cicchetti and Gondola Ride - small group tour
Are you looking for the best food tour in Venice? Embark on a foodie-led exploration of Venetian culture that takes you off the beaten path. With a friendly, English-speaking guide by your side, visit some of our favorite bacari wine bars to sample assorted cicchetti dishes. Get a taste of local Venice food culture and learn about the city as you fill your belly with the best regional wine and food. This 2.5-hour tour includes:
- English-speaking, local foodie guide
- Maximum of 10 people per group
- Gondola ride
- Prosecco, wine and cocktails
- Sit down pasta lunch
- Cicchetti and Bacari
There are two words that are very important to learn when visiting Venice: cicchetti and bacari. The word cicchetti comes from Venetian dialect, meaning "a small savory snack". They are served at various little ‘bacari’ (local wine bars) and come in many delicious varieties. The tradition of going to bacari goes back to at least the 1300's. As time went on and the city got bigger, the number of bacari multiplied as more and more people desired wine.
Your local Venetian guide will explain many of the traditions involving why people visited bacari during the day (even in the morning!). When Italians drink wine, they always have something to eat with it, to make sure that they don't get too tipsy. So over time, the bacari started offering cicchetti (small savory snacks). And a new tradition was born, drinking wine with cicchetti.
Prosecco for Breakfast - In a city known throughout the world for its many islands and canals, most people think that they have Venice figured out. What they don't know is that there is so much more to discover, especially gastronomically. The first stop on this Venice food tour introduces you to a tasty side of Venice that not many experiences, starting with some bubbly wine for breakfast. Don’t worry, you’ll have a bite to eat as well.
A Refreshing Gondola Ride - A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without a ride on a gondola. Instead of taking the regular route and crossing Venice's Grand Canal by bridge, your local guide will take you across the water on a short, 2-minute gondola taxi ride! Get your cameras ready.
Mercato Rialto - The Rialto Market has been around for centuries. Early Venetian settlers used to come to this area to trade goods, and to this day, not much has changed. Today, Venetian vendors continue to gather here and offer locally-grown produce and fish.
The Spritz - After sampling some cicchetti and prosecco at your first stop, taste another popular drink in Venice at our second bacari stop. Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer bitter drinks, there is a Spritz for everyone. The Campari Spritz has a higher alcohol content than an Aperol Spritz; it also tastes more bitter than sweet. If you’ve ever seen pictures of people drinking a bright orange cocktail from a stemmed glass in Italy, that’s an Aperol Spritz. Both drinks are made with prosecco.
Ombra and Lunch - An ombra in Venice is a small glass of wine; ombra means “shade” in Italian. Legend has it that in the old days, wine was sold near the bell tower of San Marco's square in the shade. So, the people would say "let's go drink in the shade by the bell tower”. Today it has been shortened to just one word - ombra. At the third stop, taste some of the local favorite ombra, as you sit down for a delicious lunch that includes some of the best pasta in Venice.
Gelato in Venice - No Italian foodie experience is complete without some gelato. On this guided tour of Venice, learn how to spot authentic gelato from the kind with additives in one of Venice's best "gelateria" (gelato shops).
You may feel like staying out in Venice exploring after the tour ends or you might need to take a rest after all the eating and drinking. If you're ready to head home, your guide will happily show you where to catch the nearest "vaporetto" (water taxi) so you can cruise back to your accommodations for an afternoon nap.
Things to Know:
- Small group tour - maximum of 10 people per group
- Gondola ride
- Prosecco, wine and cocktails
- Sit down pasta lunch
- Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
- Tour is offered April - October
- Tour is offered at 11:00am on Tuesday - Saturday (no tours on Sundays and Mondays)
- Meeting Point Location: In Campo San Bortolomio, in front of the statue – more details provided upon booking