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Venice: Rialto Market Food Tour & Cicchetti Lunch with Wine

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/12

Duration4h

GroupUp to 14

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Venice lunchtime food tour through rialto market cicchetti bars and canal walks

You’ll taste your way through Venice’s Rialto Market alongside a local guide, sample cicchetti in bustling bacari bars, sip regional wines over lunch, and wander hidden lanes past Marco Polo’s home and lively campos. Expect laughter, new flavors, and glimpses of daily life you won’t find in any guidebook.

Step-by-step itinerary

Venice market and sightseeing tour

Explore Rialto Market stalls
Visit Rialto Bridge
Walk through Campo San Bartolomeo
See Marco Polo's Home
Stroll along Grand Canal
Visit Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo

The Experience

Ever wondered what Venice actually smells like at noon, right by the Rialto Market? It’s not just fish (though there’s plenty of that)—it’s this mix of briny sea air, cut lemons, and something fried drifting out from a bacaro. We met our guide, Giulia, under the shadow of the Rialto Bridge where she waved us over with a grin and a “Pronti?” I was already hungry, honestly. She led us into the market where vendors were calling out prices for soft-shell crabs and tiny artichokes. I tried to say ‘canocchie’ (mantis shrimp) but probably mangled it—Giulia laughed and gave me a proper lesson. The whole place felt alive, even though some stands were closed since it was Monday.

After that we slipped into one of those narrow side streets—calle?—where you can barely fit two people across. Our group ducked into a tiny bar packed with locals on their lunch break. The counter was lined with trays of cicchetti: little toasts piled high with baccalà mantecato or anchovies and pickled onions. I grabbed one topped with creamy cod and took a bite—the texture was so different from anything back home, soft but not mushy. We clinked glasses of cold white wine (Giulia said it was from the Veneto hills nearby), and for a second everything outside felt quiet except for the clatter of plates and someone humming behind the bar.

We wandered past Marco Polo’s old house—I didn’t expect it to be so tucked away—and then out onto Campo San Bartolomeo where kids were kicking around a ball near the statue. Giulia pointed out how Venetian windows have these strange stone faces carved above them; I’d never noticed before. Our last stop was right by the Grand Canal, sunlight bouncing off green water while we finished dessert (something nutty—I forgot the name but still remember that sweet crunch). Four hours went fast, but now when I think about Venice, I remember those small moments more than any postcard view.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Venice’s markets and neighborhoods, all tastings of cicchetti dishes paired with regional wines for lunch, plus stories from your local guide as you explore iconic sites like Rialto Bridge and Marco Polo’s home before finishing by the Grand Canal.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by Raphael Tours & Events