Explore Venice through a cicchetti and wine tour featuring 15 tastings, local wine pairings, and a traditional traghetto ride across the Grand Canal.

Venice offers a unique culinary landscape that is best explored through the local tradition of the cicchetti crawl. Engaging in a Venice cicchetti and wine tour allows you to step away from typical tourist paths and immerse yourself in the authentic social fabric of the city. This excursion focuses on the bàcari, which are traditional Venetian wine bars where residents gather to enjoy small plates and regional beverages. By joining this guided walk, you gain access to locally owned establishments that maintain the true flavors of the lagoon, providing a deeper understanding of the city’s gastronomic heritage.

The experience begins in the heart of the city, where you meet an expert guide who leads you through several distinct neighborhoods. Throughout the journey, you will visit between six and eight different bàcari and restaurants. At each stop, you are introduced to various cicchetti, which are small, flavorful snacks that define Venetian snacking culture. This tour includes approximately 15 different tastings, featuring local specialties such as creamed cod, spicy seafood, and meat appetizers. These dishes are prepared using fresh ingredients, often sourced from the historic local markets, ensuring that every bite reflects the current season and traditional recipes.

Wine is an essential component of this cultural ritual, and this Venice cicchetti and wine tour includes four glasses of regional wine. You will have the opportunity to sample a variety of styles, including local Prosecco, white wines such as Soave and Chardonnay, and regional reds. These selections are paired with the food to highlight the nuances of the Veneto region’s viticulture. Additionally, the tour includes a classic Venetian Spritz, offering a complete overview of the city’s famous aperitivo culture. This structured tasting allows you to appreciate the balance between simple, high-quality ingredients and expertly crafted wines.

One of the most distinctive aspects of this tour is the inclusion of a traghetto gondola crossing. This traditional wooden boat is used by locals to cross the Grand Canal, providing a unique vantage point of the city’s historic architecture from the water. As you move between locations, your guide shares stories and legends about the landmarks and hidden corners you encounter. The small group setting, limited to 10 participants, ensures that the experience remains intimate and allows for direct interaction with your guide. This personalized approach makes the navigation of Venice’s complex alleys both educational and seamless.

The tour concludes with a homemade dessert, such as tiramisu, accompanied by a sparkling dessert wine. This final touch provides a sweet end to a comprehensive exploration of Venetian flavors. By participating in this Venice cicchetti and wine tour, you develop the knowledge to identify authentic dining spots and the confidence to order like a local during the rest of your stay. From the savory seafood snacks to the final drop of dessert wine, every element of the tour is designed to celebrate the rich culinary identity of Venice in a relaxed and engaging atmosphere.

Highlights of Venice cicchetti and wine tour

Know before you go

• The route and places visited within the tour may vary.
• Food inclusions are subject to change, depending on availability on the day of the tour.
• The activity provider will do their best try to accommodate any dietary restrictions but need advanced notification at least 24 hours before the start of the tour
• The tour s size is 15 people per group, however, in case there is more people due to exceptional situation, more food and wine would be provided. If you prefer not to stay, you can move to another date / time or have the tour fully refunded if there ar more than 15 people.
• – If you choose a language other than English and your group is smaller than 5, you will be joined with an English-speaking group led by a multilingual guide. Please let us know in advance if you’d like to book a private tour.
• – tour start times may occasionally be adjusted by up to 15 minutes due to logistical reasons, especially during busy periods such as holidays. Please keep this in mind when booking the tour.