Venice: Walking Tour with Wine & Cicchetti at Local Bacari

What Cicchetti Actually Tastes Like in a Venetian Bacaro

You walk through Venice's residential neighborhoods with a local guide, stopping at three bacari to taste wine and cicchetti, then finishing with homemade gelato or a traditional dessert. Along the way you see Ponte Chiodo, hidden courtyards, and buildings that survived centuries. The tour includes all tastings and runs roughly two hours at a steady pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Venice and taste local food

• See intimate, less touristy Venice
• Pass through unique bridges
• View buildings from past to future
• Walk a street with ancient history
• Visit unique Ponte Chiodo bridge
• Stroll typical Venetian calle
• Taste wine and cicchetto at bacari
• Enjoy homemade ice cream or dessert

The experience

The first surprise is how small the bacari are: barely wider than a hallway, packed with locals standing shoulder to shoulder, glasses in hand. You're not in a restaurant. You're in someone's living room that happens to serve wine. Your guide meets you and starts walking through Venice's quieter neighborhoods, away from the crowds around San Marco, pointing out Ponte Chiodo: the only bridge in the city without railings, built in the 1300s and still standing exactly as it was. The streets narrow in ways that don't make sense on a map, and then suddenly you're in a courtyard you didn't know existed, surrounded by buildings that look like they're leaning into each other.

At the first bacaro, you get a glass of wine (or a soft drink if that's what you want) and a cicchetto: a small bite, maybe anchovy on polenta, maybe a croquette, whatever they've made that day. It's not a tasting menu. It's what people in Venice actually eat standing up between work and home. The second bacaro is the same rhythm: another wine, another cicchetto, and by now your guide is telling you stories about the buildings you've walked past, the families who've lived in these calle for centuries, the way Venice works when you're not looking at postcards. The third stop is gelato: homemade, the kind that tastes nothing like what tourists get near the Rialto Bridge. In winter it's a typical Venetian dessert instead, something warm and dense.

The whole thing takes a couple of hours, and you're moving the whole time, not rushed, but not lingering either. You'll walk maybe two kilometers total, crossing bridges that have names only locals use, seeing courtyards and building details that make you understand why people say Venice is different. The guide speaks English and knows which bacari are actually good, which matters more than you'd think in a city where most places are built for tourists spending thirty euros on a spritz.

What’s included

Your tour includes the walking route through Venice's quieter neighborhoods, entry to three bacari with a glass of wine (or soft drink) and a cicchetto at each stop, and homemade gelato (or a traditional dessert in winter). Your guide provides commentary on the buildings, bridges, and history along the way.

Information

Lasts 2h, runs Monday to Friday at 14:00, from € 111.30 per person, with a live guide in English and Italian, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 14:00Last departure this season: 31 DecAnother time? ›

GroupUp to 81 private ›

Live guideEnglish and ItalianOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Senior (76 and older) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (under 5): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Bacaro Tour

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to eat and drink like locals without spending hours in a restaurant, and who'd rather see Venice's actual neighborhoods than the postcard version. Expect to be on your feet for two hours with narrow streets and uneven pavement. That's what keeps the crowds away.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is a cicchetto?

A small Venetian snack, usually one or two bites, like anchovy on polenta, a croquette, or cheese on bread. It's what locals eat with wine in bacari, not a full appetizer.

Is the wine included, or do I pay extra?

Wine and cicchetti are included at all three bacari. If you prefer a soft drink, that's included too.

How long does the tour take?

Roughly two hours, including walking and time in the bacari.

Is there a €5 access fee to enter Venice?

On certain dates, day visitors from outside Venice may be required to pay a €5 access fee. Check the official Venice tourism site to see if the date you're visiting is affected and whether you're exempt.

Can I do this tour if I don't drink alcohol?

Yes. At each bacaro you can order a soft drink instead of wine, and the cicchetti and gelato are included either way.