Top Veneto Unique Experiences

Meet your host, Massimo, for a fun and informative private cooking class. Shop for ingredients at the Mercato di Rialto (if option selected), then head back to Massimo’s for a lesson in Italian cuisine. Learn to prepare dishes from the Veneto region and make homemade pasta and focaccia bread from scratch. After the lesson, enjoy the meal you’ve prepared together.

Venetian masks have a long and storied history: during the republic’s heyday, they were used to conceal the identities of residents who engaged in decadent activities. In their masks, peasants and noblemen were equal. Make your own Venetian mask (yours to keep), adorned with sequins, ribbons, and other fineries, under the tutelage of a local artist. All materials are provided.

Get an inside peek into the world-famous glassblowing factories of Murano with this small-group tour. From central Venice, ride a water taxi across the Venetian Lagoon to the colorful island of Murano. Watch a glassmaking demonstration by a master craftsman, and enjoy time to browse the factory showroom featuring finished works of art. Finally, attend your choice of hands-on workshop to create a take-home piece of jewelry or mosaic using authentic Murano glass.

Access tiny canals that most boats can't enter on this unique kayaking tour. Follow your kayaking guide to paddle through quiet canals far from the crowds and learn about the history and culture of the Floating City. Savor views from the water and see the city from an exclusive perspective. Participants of all levels are welcome, and no kayaking experience is necessary.

Swap the schedules and historical focus of conventional tours for a private walking tour of Venice with a local who’ll show you the city like a friend. Tell them what you fancy doing, and enjoy a personalized tour enriched by their grassroots knowledge. Explore often-overlooked neighborhoods; discover sights and eateries favored by locals; and get transport and cultural pointers to help ensure you get the most from your visit.

Take a course on mask-making from a master artisan in Venice, and learn about the history of this ancient tradition. See the traditional art of decorating a mask and see what goes into the preparation for the Venetian Carnival. Then create your own masterpiece to create a special memory from your time in Venice.

Italy is known for its wine, and with this small-group tour, you get an insider's look at wine production from grape to bottle—with a focus on Amarone wines. Travel through the Valpolicella region, stopping at two wineries for tastings. At your second winery, sit down for a lunch of local cuisine paired with more wine, followed by another guided tasting to learn more about viticulture.

Avoid long lines with skip-the-line entrance tickets to Venice’s most famous icon, St. Mark’s Basilica. Follow your guide through the basilica’s Byzantine mosaics, listening to informative commentary about the history of this Italian city and the vibrant culture that has emerged from it. Your tour also includes a visit to a glass factory to watch a glass-blowing demo by a Venetian master.

Discover the authentic flavors of Venice with a cooking lesson and dinner in a local's home. In a small group of no more than 12 guests, get a taste of true Italian hospitality and help to prepare a 3-course menu of Venetian specialties using time-honored recipes. Sit down together to enjoy the meal, along with wine, for an experience you won't get in any restaurant.

Venice is one of Italy’s most beautiful cities, and if you want stunning photos to remember your vacation, then don’t rely on selfies. Instead, let a professional photographer capture shots of you against beautiful backdrops. The shoot can be for individuals, couples, or groups—and the photographer can give you advice on routes, or accommodate special requests for a custom route.

Explore three of Venice's top islands in one day on board a traditional "bragozzo" boat. Leave the crowds in central Venice behind and cruise across the lagoon with your local skipper and small group, taking in views of the Floating City along the way. Enjoy free time to explore the glass workshops on Murano, snap photos of the colorful houses on Burano, and delve into Venetian history on Torcello.

Arianna is one of the few remaining Venetian artisans who still prints like in the 15th century. If you plan to visit Venice you cannot miss the opportunity to travel through time and return to the age of the "Serenissima". You can meet Arianna at her art studio, an antique-style printing house in Fondamenta dei Ormesini in the Cannaregio district and attend an entire press session with her: you will be surprised by the atmosphere, the colors, the scents, the gestures , from the work behind a single print. The entire work behind an art print will be shown: starting from the initial drawing, the various processing steps will be explained to obtain a chalcographic engraving, until the actual print is under your eyes.

Explore the Valpolicella region with a guide who shares the secrets of the area’s traditional wines. Visit two wineries where you sample varieties such as Valpolicella, Ripasso, Amarone, and Recioto, and gain insight into the winemaking process. Your tour includes tastings of at least four wines accompanied by bread, cheese, or salami at each winery.

Treat yourself to an alternative meal out in Vincenza, and enjoy a private dining experience at a local’s home instead of the city restaurants. With your personal group of family and friends, you’ll savor a 4-course meal of regional dishes, made from the recipes of your host—a Vicenza local who’s part of Italy’s Cesarine home cook community.

Pass on a cliché restaurant meal in Treviso, and enjoy a meal in a local’s home instead. You’ll savor a 4-course menu of regional dishes that have been passed down through the generations of your host—a Treviso local who’s part of the Italian Cesarine network of home cooks. It’s a fun experience for a group of family, friends, or co-workers who want to live a little local culture while in town.

Don't just savor traditional dishes during your Venice trip—immerse yourself in the city's cuisine, and walk away with new culinary skills, on this small-group market tour and cooking class. Led by a local chef, explore the vibrant Rialto Market, and discover the freshest local produce. Then, return to their home to prepare a 3-course meal, featuring handmade pasta, tiramisu, and more. Savor your dishes with local wine, and receive take-home recipes.

Learn how to make homemade pasta the traditional way — using generations-old recipes passed down from your host's 'nonna.' Offering more than just a taste of Veronese cuisine, this private cooking class lets you live the local culture for a few hours, by cooking, chatting, and eating with a host in their own home.

Learn the secret to making great pasta during a private cooking class in Verona, taught by a “cesarina,” or home cook. Follow three regional recipes and discover tricks of the trade. Each participant is equipped with utensils and ingredients at a personal workstation during the 4-hour lesson. You’ll prepare authentic Italian pastas, then taste each delicious dish, accompanied by a selection of local wine—a unique cultural immersion.

Learn the secrets of glassblowing during this activity in Venice. Visit the Glass Factory Showroom near St Mark's Square to see examples of this highly specialized glass art, beloved by collectors the world over. Learn about this technique's origins in the Roman Empire from you guide, then watch a glassblowing demonstration by a Master Artisan.

Benefit from personal guidance and instruction from your instruction without the distraction of other participants with this private cooking class in Vicenza. Learn how to make several pasta dishes authentic to the region from a home cook in a fully-equipped kitchen and end the class by tasting your hard work. This private class has a limit of eight participants.

Skip the lines and immerse yourself in Venice’s rich history with the San Marco Priority Pass. Enjoy fast-track access to St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, the Bell Tower, and more. Visit the Correr Museum, Marciana Library, and Archaeological Museum, plus enjoy a VR gondola ride through 8 centuries of Venice's past. Enhance your tour with included audioguides.

For this private mask-decorating workshop in Venice, arrive at a traditional atelier, and get a blank sand-colored mask that’s ready for your artist eye. Use feathers, sequins, and other materials to make a masterpiece. Your guide will share facts about the history of mask making and can also show you some great techniques to use. Afterward, you’ll get to bring home your decorated mask.

Sip and learn about the most well-known wines of Verona on this half-day Soave and Amarone tour. Visit two wineries: one in Valpolicella for powerful reds and one in the Soave region for beautiful whites. Take in vineyard scenery, learn from sommeliers, and taste DOC and DOCG wines including Soave Superiore, Amarone, and Recioto. The tour starts at Pagus Wine Tours, Via della Valverde, 75, Verona.