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ALTERNATIVE VENICE: Prostitutes, Merchants and Pirates. The City of Marco Polo and Carnival.

Duration: 2h
Languages: Spanish
Quality Verified Registered on September 04, 2020

We are a group of tourist guides, accredited in Venice and Madrid, with extensive experience in the city, both historically and culturally, as well as in leisure and gastronomy. We will be delighted if you visit Venice or Madrid with us.

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  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
  • Accepts electronic payment
    This tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card

Tour description

In this tour we visit an alternative area to the most touristy part of the city and that, however, preserves the charm and beauty that Venice has had since ancient times and, on the other hand, shows us the splendid past that the city experienced in the Middle Ages and its decline from the 16th century onwards.

On our tour we will deal with the most important part of Venetian history, and we will do so through two neighborhoods: the Carampane neighborhood, (Venice's red light district) , which is the place where prostitution was practiced in the city, and quite peculiar as we will see in the tour; and the Rialto Market neighborhood, the economic engine of Medieval Venice, since it is linked to the pillar that has supported Venice for almost the entire bulk of its history: commerce. The union between merchants and prostitutes gave rise to a festival that was born in Venice and is a hallmark of the city: Carnival, which we will talk about on the tour. Our tour ends at the house of a universally known Venetian: Marco Polo , whose story is fundamental to understanding Venetian history.

The tour begins in the Campo de San Polo, one of the most important and busiest squares in Venice, dedicated to the apostle Saint Paul (San Polo), from this square and crossing the Arco dei Cavalli, we will enter the red light district of the city, the Carampane neighborhood, to explore the hidden alleys and beautiful canals that abound in this neighborhood. Hidden in the neighborhood there are some places that remember the time when the neighborhood was used for prostitution, such as the Bridge of the Tits, the Ca'Rampanni Palace or some brothel that still stands. After touring this mysterious neighborhood, we will enter the Rialto Market area, where one of the most lively areas of the city is currently located. Here we will visit the Fish Market, we will approach the Grand Canal to observe some of the old warehouses of fabrics of Venice and we will arrive at the Plaza de San Giacomo, where the oldest Church in the city is located. From here we will cross the Grand Canal through the most important bridge in Venice, the Rialto Bridge, which will offer us one of the best Venetian views. We will end up on the other side of the Canal, specifically at the Marco Polo House and very close to the Plaza de Saint Mark.
The places we visit on the tour are the following:

  • San Polo Field
  • Boobs Bridge
  • Ca´Rampani Palace
  • Rialto Market
  • Great channel
  • San Giacomo Field
  • Rialto bridge
  • Marco Polo House


Throughout the tour, there will be no shortage of cultural and gastronomic recommendations, as well as any type of recommendation that the client needs.

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  • Meeting point:
    Campo San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
    Campo San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
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    The meeting point is the Campo de San Polo, you will find the guide near the Church of San Polo, you will be able to recognize him because he will be carrying a RED FLAG with the word ITAKA.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

693 ratings
4.8
By category
Professionalism
4.83
Fun
4.7
Expression
4.81
Quality
4.76
Route
4.58
Generic
5 stars
581
4 stars
76
3 stars
21
2 stars
2
1 star
13
Priscilla 25 Apr 2024
Mexicali

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Apr 2024
Jazmina ha sido la mejor guía y he tenido en todo el tiempo. Su chispa y carisma hace sin duda alguna mejor el recorrido
Yesica 25 Apr 2024
Chacarita

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Tour muy entretenido, realmente la otra cara de Venecia. Yasmina fue muy encantadora a la vez que nos dio información nueva sobre la historia de este magnífico lugar. Recomiendo 100%
Ana Belén 24 Apr 2024
Palencia

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Me ha encantado este tour, te acerca más a la realidad del pasado de Venecia. Era nuestro último día, y estábamos agotados de andar pero Jazmina hizo que se nos olvidase todo para solo imaginarnos en la vida de Venecia hace siglos.
Andrea 24 Apr 2024
Buenos Aires

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Excelente experiencia, muy entretenida y a la vez interesante. Super recomendable!!
Aida Star 23 Apr 2024
Mexico City

Verified booking
Travelled in family - Apr 2024
Fue un paseo muy interesante y entretenido. Lo recomdndamos mucho.
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Non suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 5 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Electronic or credit card payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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