Highlights
- Try a variety of food and drink (enough for a full dinner!) across 5 locally owned spots in Venice’s lively San Polo and Dorsoduro neighborhoods.
- Escape the crowded streets and step into the bacari only locals know to seek out as your guide shares how to tell tourist traps from the real deal.
- Get a lesson in enjoying cicchetti like a Venetian as you try two different types—both equally delicious!
- Enjoy a variety of local drinks, from the well-loved spritz to classic prosecco and plenty of Italian wine.
- Taste a gelato-based dessert that’s been a local favorite for over 80 years!
Tour description
Get a crash course in dining out in Venice on a local-led cicchetti tour.
Among Venice's stunning architecture and canals is some of the best food in Italy—if you know where to go and what to order! This Venice cicchetti tour will introduce you to the local tradition of small bites (cicchetti) and the popular bacari (Venetian wine bars), equipping you with the knowledge you need to eat well during the rest of your stay.
Learn why cicchetti are so much more than "Venetian tapas" as you try different kinds.
A local bacaro with a modern vibe is the first stop of your Venice cicchetti tour. Locals love this spot for its high-quality bread-based cicchetti and flavorsome spritzes, and that’s why you’ll be trying both!
From there, we'll enjoy a stroll through the lively San Polo neighborhood and make our way into artsy Dorsoduro as the evening comes alive. We'll head next to a quintessentially Venetian venue located in a historic building that's been beautifully renovated to preserve its wooden beams and stone arches. On the menu: a board of cold cuts and cheese paired with prosecco.
Afterwards, it’s time to drop by a Venetian wine bar that fuses contemporary and traditional. Situated right on the canal, it’s the perfect spot to sip some wine while choosing from their mouthwatering selection of fried cicchetti!
Cap off your evening with pasta, gelato, and more wine.
Now that you've gotten a taste of cicchetti culture in Venice, it's time for the main course: pasta! Wind your way through the backroads to a cozy place tucked away from the busy main streets. Here, you’ll sit down for a plate of traditional pasta and a glass of wine.
Finally, it wouldn’t be right to pass through Venice without seeking out some traditional Italian gelato. That’s exactly what you’ll find here at one of the last places still serving authentic, homemade gelato artigianale. Step onto the deck with your treat and take in the breathtaking view of the Giudecca Canal just in time for sunset!
By the time we part ways, you'll have gained a deeper understanding of Venice's lively food scene. Your guide will have equipped you with the local know-how and confidence to tackle any bacaro like a pro—no matter how crowded.
Please note that this description is an example and stops or tastes may vary depending on the season, day of the week, and group size. Regardless of where your tour goes, you always have a delicious experience.
Sites visited
- Local wine bars (bacari)
- San Polo neighborhood
- Dorsoduro neighborhood
- Scuola Grande di San Rocco (exterior)
- Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (exterior)
Included
Know before you book
Make it a perfect day
This itinerary includes everything you need for an unforgettable day in Venice, from a VIP tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace to the best cicchetti in town on your evening food tour.