A food tour in Venice promises a delightful culinary experience, as the city is renowned for its unique and delicious cuisine.
They are an excellent way to explore regional cuisine in restaurants, pubs, and streets and get to know the place and its people better.
Venice, also known as the “City of Canals, “The Floating City,” and “Serenissima,” is arguably one of Italy’s most picturesque cities.
Food tours in Venice are popular with both tourists and locals.
This article shares everything you must know before booking your food tour in Venice.
Table of contents
- What to expect on a Venice food tour
- Small-Group Food Tasting Walking Tour
- Rialto Market & Food and Wine Tour
- The 10 Tastings of Venice With Locals
- Jewish Ghetto Food Tour in Venice
- Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunch Tour
- Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide
- Drinks & Bites in Cannaregio Private Tour
- Four-course Food & Wine Pairing Elegant Dinner in Venice
- A seafood feast with a Venetian sailor
- Spritz & local bites like a Venetian
- Bike tour and honey tasting on Sant’Erasmo island
- Tips for making most of your food tour
- FAQs about food tours in Venice
What to expect on a Venice food tour
Venice is surrounded by water, so seafood plays a significant role in the local diet. On your food tour, you can try fresh fish, squid, cuttlefish, and other delights sourced directly from the Adriatic Sea.
Bacari are traditional Venetian wine bars that offer a unique atmosphere. Your food tour might include stops at several bacari, where you can pair local wines with Cicchetti.
Food tours in Venice include a visit to the market, providing an opportunity to see the ingredients used in Venetian dishes and even sample some fresh fruits or snacks.
You can expect to try some of Venice’s signature dishes, such as Sarde in Saor (sweet and sour sardines), Risotto al Nero di Seppia (risotto with cuttlefish ink), and Bigoli in Salsa (thick pasta with anchovy sauce).
Your tour guide will share stories about the origin of certain dishes, the influence of Venetian history on the cuisine, and interesting facts about local ingredients.
Food tours in Venice take you to lesser-known, authentic eateries you might not discover alone. This allows you to explore the city’s culinary scene beyond the tourist-heavy areas.
Small-Group Food Tasting Walking Tour
Explore the hidden gems of Venetian cuisine with this Venice tasting tour.
Join a knowledgeable local guide and gain an insider’s perspective on where to drink and dine in the city.
Enjoy the opportunity to sample local specialties, including fresh seafood, homemade gelato, traditional Venetian cookies, and regional wines.
You’ll visit several bars, restaurants, and foodie hotspots around Venice, sampling different regional foods, like fresh seafood, Venetian wines, and homemade gelato.
Along the way, admire Venice’s beautiful canals and historic landmarks on a guided walking tour.
This small-group tour ensures a personalized experience, allowing you to ask questions and learn more about the local cuisine.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 10.45 am and last around 4 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (12+ years): €89
Child Ticket (2 to 12 years): €80
Rialto Market & Food and Wine Tour
Join this walking tour to discover hidden Venice with an experienced guide.
The tour includes visiting the Rialto Market, where you can stroll through the fresh produce stalls and stop at a local osteria for a glass of wine and traditional Venetian snacks called Cicchetti.
You will also explore the historic San Polo and Cannareggio districts and cross the Grand Canal on a gondola ride.
The tour takes you to the old artisan quarters of the Rialto area and the historical red-light district in Carampane.
You will also see Palazzo dei Camerlenghi, a former prison for tax evaders in the San Polo neighborhood.
This tour is a great opportunity to discover the history-rich parts of Venice that many visitors don’t get to see.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 10 am and last around 2 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (13+ years): €470
Child Ticket (7 to 12 years): €35
The 10 Tastings of Venice With Locals
Explore Venice’s food scene by booking this private tour with multiple food and alcoholic beverage tastings, covering everything from Italian gelato to Spritz.
With this private tour, you’ll have the full attention of your guide, who will share little-known facts about Venice’s history and food scene and provide recommendations for the rest of your visit.
The tour is available at various departure times for your convenience.
Don’t miss out on trying the delicious food of Venice with a personalized tasting tour that includes visits to local eateries you may not have discovered on your own.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 11 am and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price: €212
Jewish Ghetto Food Tour in Venice
Join a 4-hour walking food tour through the historic Cannaregio district of Venice, which was once the Jewish ghetto.
Learn about the area’s rich cultural and historical heritage from a local guide strolling through its narrow, winding streets.
The tour will take you to six different restaurants, delis, and bakeries where you can indulge in the most authentic and mouth-watering delicacies.
Sample traditional kosher dishes, wine, creamy risotto, and fresh-baked goods, and discover the culinary traditions passed down through generations.
This tour is an excellent opportunity to explore one of Venice’s most unique neighborhoods and to enjoy a diverse and satisfying meal. Buon appetito!
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 4 pm and last around 4 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (13+ years): €109
Child Ticket (6 to 12 years): €89
Rialto Market Food and Wine Lunch Tour
Indulge in a lunchtime food tour of Venice’s Rialto Market and discover the city’s impressive gastronomic offerings.
Accompanied by your knowledgeable guide, explore the city’s famous markets, sample delicious Venetian tapas known as “Cicchetti” at a local inn, and taste fine regional wines and Prosecco at the city’s legendary Bacari bars.
You will also get to soak up the atmospheric views of the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge, and Marco Polo’s house.
This half-day food and wine tour is perfect for anyone who loves great food and wants to get the inside scoop from a local foodie expert.
At the end of the tour, you will be equipped with plenty of recommendations for where to shop and dine in Venice.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 10.45 am and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (13+ years): €89
Child Ticket (6 to 12 years): €79
Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide
Explore the culinary delights of Venice on a street food tour.
You’ll stroll through beautiful squares, visit stunning churches, and browse the bustling Rialto Market.
Discover Campo Santa Margherita, the Grand Canal, Basilica dei Frari, San Polo, and more.
Indulge in Venetian specialties such as cicchetti, buranelli, tramezzini, and tiramisu.
This tour will take you around the historic city center to sample its traditional foods and visit the colorful Rialto Market, where you can try delicious local cheeses, biscuits, and more.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 10 am and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (8+ years): €44
Child Ticket (5 to 7 years): €25
Drinks & Bites in Cannaregio Private Tour
Indulge in a personalized and flexible tour showcasing Italian traditions of aperitivo and Cicchetti.
With a private guide, you will have a culinary history of Italy while savoring some wine and prosecco, accompanied by light snacks.
The guide will tailor their bar selections and commentary to your tastes, and you have ample time to ask questions.
Enjoy the appetizers in the Italian style and sample some prosecco and other wines.
This tour is exclusively for you and your party, with commentary focused on the rich culinary history of Italy.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 5 pm and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price: €139
Four-course Food & Wine Pairing Elegant Dinner in Venice
Indulge in the flavors of Venice with this gourmet four-course dinner, accompanied by wine pairings.
Relax in a romantic atmosphere at a top-rated restaurant in the heart of Venice.
Start your meal with a local aperitif, and then enjoy four expertly prepared courses highlighting Venetian cuisine.
A professional sommelier will be available to assist you with the wine list, which features Veneto varietals, and help you choose pairings that complement each course.
Spend an evening enjoying classic dishes from Italy’s Veneto region, paired with local wines, while conversing with a knowledgeable sommelier about Veneto wine and popular varieties.
Sip on an aperitif while selecting four different glasses of wine to accompany each dish.
Four meals of Veneto delicacies, including bigoli with delicious duck, are served.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 7 pm and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price: €199
A seafood feast with a Venetian sailor
Indulge in a food-lovers dining experience that offers an opportunity to explore the culture and cuisine of Venice, a UNESCO-listed city.
Enjoy a delicious 5-course Italian seafood feast in the comfort of a welcoming Venetian home.
Your local sailor chef will cook up a storm in the kitchen while you relax at your table.
Savor the delightful flavors of Venice as you sample fresh homemade pasta, locally grown vegetables, and fresh fish, all prepared with authentic flair.
This experience offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a truly authentic dining experience in Venice.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 8 pm and last around 3 hours.
Ticket Price: €123
Spritz & local bites like a Venetian
Join this food and wine tour in Venice to experience the city’s beloved cocktail hour.
You will be taken away from the crowds and tourist traps to wine bars where the locals go.
Savor a classic Aperol spritz and other “aperitivos” paired with Venetian small plates called “Cicchetti.”
While you chat with a foodie guide, stroll through the medieval streets of the Cannaregio district to see a different side of Venice.
As you walk, you’ll pass by the historic synagogues of the Cannaregio neighborhood.
Additionally, you’ll get tips on where to drink and dine during the rest of your Venice trip.
The tour includes all food and wine tastings that add to a satisfying meal.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 5 pm and last around 2 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (13+ years): €305
Child Ticket (6 to 12 years): €28
Bike tour and honey tasting on Sant’Erasmo island
Let’s ride through the “Orto di Venezia” (Venice’s “vegetable garden”), past artichoke fields and farms, viewing the Venice cityscape from a unique vantage point and sampling the island’s fantastic honey.
Bike along the island’s banks and meadows to get a unique perspective of Venice.
Appreciate the relaxed and traditional lifestyle of the island’s few residents while taking in the island’s distinctive natural beauty.
Sant’Erasmo, lagoon’s largest island, has only 700 people, the bulk of whom farm their grounds, producing unique fruits and vegetables.
The purple-hued artichokes, a slow food Type presidium “Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo,” are one of the most intriguing crops.
Beekeeping is another popular hobby on the island: bees love the incredible variety of flowers that grow on the saline soil. They make a particular type of honey that you may sample.
While biking, you’ll see the range of crops farmed by local farmers, as well as gorgeous, untamed landscapes and distant views of Venice’s belfries.
During this four-hour tour, you will be able to experience gorgeous landscapes while riding.
Timings and duration: The tour will commence at 8.30 am and last around 4 hours.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (13+ years): €296
Child Ticket (6 to 12 years): €19
Tips for making most of your food tour
To make the most of your food tour in Venice, consider the following tips:
Food tours in Venice can be popular, especially during peak tourist seasons. To secure your spot and avoid disappointment, booking your tour in advance is advisable.
Arriving with an appetite will enhance your experience. Be prepared to try various dishes, and pace yourself to enjoy each tasting fully.
Feel free to ask your guide questions about the food, the history behind certain dishes, and the local culture.
Embrace the opportunity to try dishes you might not have considered before. Be open-minded, and you might discover new favorites.
Wear comfortable shoes, as you might be walking and standing for an extended period. Dress appropriately for the weather, especially if the tour includes outdoor activities.
Remember to drink water to stay hydrated between wine and food tastings. This will help you appreciate the flavors better and energize you throughout the tour.
FAQs about food tours in Venice
Here are some general frequently asked questions about food tours in Venice:
You can expect to sample a diverse range of Venetian dishes, including cicchetti (small tapas-like bites), fresh seafood, traditional pasta, local wines, and desserts such as tiramisu and Venetian pastries.
The duration of food tours in Venice can vary, but they usually last 2 to 4 hours. Some tours may be shorter or longer, depending on the itinerary and the number of tastings included.
Many food tour companies in Venice strive to accommodate dietary restrictions. It’s essential to inform the tour operator about any specific dietary requirements or allergies so they can make necessary arrangements.
The amount of walking can vary depending on the specific tour. Venice is a walkable city, and food tours include strolls through neighborhoods, markets, and historic areas. Wear comfortable shoes, as some tours may involve standing for short periods.
Some food tours are family-friendly, while others may be designed for adults. Check with the tour company to see if they have age restrictions or if they can accommodate children. Keep in mind that the tour may include alcoholic beverages.
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