Food & Wine Tour
Venice

Ready to be a traveller rather than a tourist on my Venice and wine food tour? 
Venice is a beautiful old girl, but in her senior years she can be a touch contrary. In winter, when she’s relatively free of tourists, she’s also often grey, windy and flooded. In summer, when the sunshine sparkles off the Istrian marble of her churches and palaces, she’s often packed to the gills with camera-toting day trippers. But once you learn a few of her secrets – such as which tiny calli to wander down to find the best bacari – and settle in for some cicchetti and un’ombra, then you’re living like a Venetian and truly fall under her spell.
Andiamo, I’ll show you the real Venice.

The Basics

Immerse yourself in the food culture of Venice. Stay in a hotel overlooking the Grand Canal, eat regional specialties in osterie frequented by locals and enjoy cicchetti and local wine in out-of-the-way baccari on this food & wine tour of Venice.

The below itinerary covers the tour highlights, the order of activities and locations may vary.

Details
  • April 2026 (5 days/4 nights) – Dates TBC
  • This tour can also be scheduled as an add-on to my Northern Italian or Southern Italian food & wine tours
  • AUD$6,780/person twin-share, all-inclusive land content only, including entry fees where appropriate
  • $1,150 single supplement
  • $1,800 deposit to confirm place
  • Tours scheduled for minimum 4 people (maximum 10)
View from Pensione Wildner at sunrise - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Grand Canal

Our hotel sits at the very end of the Grand Canal, with views across to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the majestic dome of Santa Maria della Salute. Sunrise and sunset over the bustling mouth of the canal look like a water colour painting.

View of domes and red-tiled rooftops from Campanile - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Piazza San Marco

Napoleon called St Mark’s Square ‘the drawing room of Europe’. We'll ride to the top of the bell tower there, where Galileo demonstrated his telescope in 1609, for breathtakingly memorable views over the lagoon and red tiled roofs of La Serenissima.

Harry's Bar - barman pouring bellinis - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Harry’s Bar

No trip to Venice is complete without a visit to the definitive Venetian bar opened in 1931 by the Cipriani family. A bellini, the famous cocktail of Prosecco and white peach nectar, developed by Harry’s Bar founder Giuseppe Cipriani, is a must.

Trattoria al Gatto Nero da Ruggeri sign on Burano - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Burano

About half an hour across the lagoon, is the colourful island of Burano and lunch at Trattoria al Gatto Nero. Seafood antipasti of razor clams, tiny scallops and mantis prawns is fresh out of the lagoon, and the tiramisu to finish may be Venice’s best.

Rialto Market, local woman pointing at seafood - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Rialto Market

At the thousand-year-old Mercato Rialto we’ll mingle with locals shopping for fresh seafood and an amazing array of fruit & vegetables grown on the lagoon's outer islands. Breakfast of mini panini and local red wine on crates outside Bar al Merca is a Venetian right of passage.

Trattoria da'a Marisa sign - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Trattoria da’a Marisa

The very casual, no-menu Trattoria da’a Marisa in Cannaregio is named for a famous prostitute (and some of her promotional signage still decorates the walls). It serves the best baccala mantecato I’ve ever tasted along with other delicious daily specials.

Glass of white wine - Cicchetti - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Cicchetti & Ombra

An aperitvo before dinner is essential throughout Italy. In Venice it’s taken at bacari serving a delicious array of cicchetti (bar snacks). The accompanying small glass of white wine is un’ombra. We’ll visit some of Venice’s most out-of-the-way bacari for our cicchetti & ombre.

Gondola going under a bridge - Venice Food & Wine Tour

Boats

Whether it’s a tour of the canals in a private gondola, the thrill of joining the locals in a stand-up traghetto, a wooden speedboat trip across the lagoon, or a ride on the convenient vaporetti (ferries), you’ll find yourself hopping on and off boats throughout your stay in Venice.

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What Other Travellers Say

Janet (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)
Janet (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)
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Just back from the most amazing trip to Emilia-Romagna with Roberta. Not only the home of Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar, but scenery to die for and more quaint and exciting restaurants and cafés than you ever imagined. And Roberta is just the person to help you discover and enjoy them! Her knowledge of the history of the region and its wonderful cuisine know no bounds and all added to the excitement of the trip. It was faultless - well organized and lots of fun!
Deb (Belconnen, ACT, Australia)
Deb (Belconnen, ACT, Australia)
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Wow, what a tour – I learned so much! Awesome fun traveling through Emilia-Romagna experiencing first hand some of the produce I've worked with over the last couple of years cooking with Roberta's recipe kits – the family are reaping the benefits now. If you're thinking of joining Roberta in future years get ready for an amazing experience.
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Australia)
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Australia)
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My wife and I recently joined Roberta's Emilia-Romagna tour. We enjoyed all the temptations offered and learned a lot about that part of Italy, especially its food and wine culture. What was most impressive was Roberta's local knowledge of people and places. The planning and effort she put into making the whole experience seem effortless was remarkable.
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