Top Veneto Unique Experiences

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.

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 local instructor 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.

Valpolicella is among the most prestigious wine countries in Italy, but many wineries are tucked deep in the rolling vineyards. This tour takes the stress out of exploring the winding country roads with transportation as well as a sommelier to accompany you to two cellars for a guided tasting of the area’s DOC and DOCG Valpolicella, Amarone, Ripasso, and Recioto. You can also sample Valpolicella’s traditional cuisine during an authentic osteria lunch.

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.

Get an inside look into the centuries-old art of glassblowing with a factory tour on Murano Island, home to the world’s finest artisan glass. Tour the facilities at Colleoni Glass Factory and watch a master craftsman shape molten glass through a combination of heat, blowing and sculptural techniques. Visit the factory showroom to see beautiful finished works of art, and receive a special Murano glass souvenir to take home.

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.

If you've already indulged into plenty of Italian wine and pasta, get to know local chocolate with this tasting. A master chocolatier guides you through some of the best products in the shop, telling you everything about the ingredients and production. Your experience includes around 10 tastings in total.

A full-day tour is the perfect way to make the most of your time in the picturesque countryside that surrounds Verona. Head to Lake Garda to enjoy a relaxing boat ride along the water, and snap photos of of elegant lakeside villas, plus, the Grotte di Catullo—a fascinating ancient Roman ruin. Enjoy free time to explore in the historic center of Sirmione, then, visit a Valpolicella winery to taste Amarone, Ripasso, and other local wines. Dine on a delicious light lunch in the vineyard and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

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.

Learn the techniques for making the perfect Italian pizza during this 3-hour hands-on pizza making class in Verona. Head to a local Veronese home to meet your Italian chef and learn the art of making Italy’s most famous dish. You'll also learn how to create Tiramisu before you sit down to enjoy your meal with a glass of wine or beer.

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.

Learn the tips and tricks of authentic Venetian cooking with this culinary experience led by a chef instructor. Head to a kitchen in a historic ‘palazzo’ for a private lesson in regional cooking techniques. Help prepare a gourmet, multicourse menu, creating various pasta shapes and seasonal sauces, then sit down to enjoy the homemade feast with wine.

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.

If you’ve already hit the main sights and are thirsting to uncover another side to the history-packed city, then this private Venice walking tour has got you covered. Escape the tourist trail and immerse yourself in local culture in the sestiere, or district, of Cannaregio, an off-the-beaten-track neighborhood filled with artisans. Then, visit the former Jewish Ghetto as you learn about the city’s often overlooked dark chapters.

Save time researching which of Venice’s landmarks are wheelchair-accessible and let someone else do the planning with this private tour. The itinerary showcases accessible routes through the historic center and can be personalized based on your needs. Potential routes include the Rialto market area, St Mark’s Square, Murano, Burano, and the Castello and Cannaregio districts.

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.

Live some local Venetian culture on your trip to the city, with a tour that focuses on the city’s markets, artisan shops, and traditional cuisine. In a small group, you’ll walk with a guide around the canals, learning about the city’s history, and stopping at carefully selected markets and shops. The walk then finishes in the home of a local host for a cooking class. The best part? Eating your creations at the end with a glass of Venetian wine.

Get hands-on during this private cooking class in Vicenza with a chef guide to teach you the basics of Italian cooking. Each participant in your small group will have their own utensils and workstation, so you can truly learn how to prepare a meal instead of just watching an instructor. Then, sit down to enjoy your meal together and talk to your host about Italian culinary history.

See a different side of Venice when you join a local for a private traditional 4-course lunch featuring Varese specialties. Join your host at her home in Mirano, on the outskirts of mainland Venice, watch her cook, then savor recipes from her family cookbook. Enjoy four delicious courses—starter, pasta, entrée with side dish, and dessert—and wash it all down with local red and white wines plus water and coffee.

Experience a piece of Italian culture during a private cooking class in Verona. You'll visit food shops and market stalls full of fresh produce before heading to the home of a cesarina (cook) to learn how to make three regional dishes. Then enjoy the meal you helped to create, served with a glass of local wine.

Dive headfirst into authentic Italian cuisine with this exclusive hands-on cooking experience in Verona. You’ll accompany your private cesarina (chef) to the market, selecting a handful of fresh local ingredients as you go. The expert chef will then transform these—with your help—into a four-course meal which you’ll enjoy at their home. Accompany with regional red or white Italian wines and a robust Espresso to round out the experience.