A Sweet Stroll Through Venice: Pastries, Chocolate, and Gelato
Description
Embark on a sweet two-hour journey through Venice, perfect for families and those with a sweet tooth. Start at a historic pastry shop, where you’ll taste traditional Venetian pastries, including the iconic zabaione-filled treats, a signature of the city's past. Next, visit a women-owned chocolate workshop, where you can indulge in hand-crafted chocolates made with care. Afterward, take a scenic gondola traghetto ride across the Grand Canal, offering a unique view of Venice from the water. The journey ends at a family-run gelateria, where you’ll savor some of the best gelato in Venice, including pistachio made from Bronte pistachios. Along the way, you’ll also discover hidden corners of Venice, learning about its history and culinary traditions. Perfect for anyone looking to experience Venice through its flavors and family-run businesses.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This serene square is home to the Church of San Pantalon, which conceals a spectacular Baroque masterpiece behind its unassuming facade.
A Taste of History: Pastry Shop Since 1742. Indulge in the flavors of Venetian tradition at a pastry shop that has delighted locals since 1742. Here, you’ll savor treats like the iconic “zabaione”-filled pastries, a creamy delight lightly infused with Marsala liqueur. Famous for its cream puffs, strudels, and Venetian donuts, this bakery has withstood the test of time—and even the challenges of Venice’s “acqua alta” (high tides). In the rare case this pastry shop is closed, we’ll visit another historic gem, active since 1886, where generations of Venetians have stopped for a sweet treat.
Through the Heart of Venice: Campo San Polo to Rialto Market. Strolling through the lively sestiere of San Polo, we’ll immerse ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere of this historic neighborhood. Passing by Campo San Polo, one of Venice's largest squares, you’ll catch glimpses of local life and centuries-old architecture. Our path leads us toward the iconic Rialto Market, a bustling hub of Venetian culture where fresh produce, aromatic spices, and the daily rhythm of local merchants bring the city to life. This is the perfect moment to soak in the charm of Venice’s everyday traditions, set against the backdrop of its timeless beauty.
A Gondola Ride to Cannaregio: Discover Venice’s Hidden Charm. We’ll experience a quintessential Venetian moment as we cross the majestic Grand Canal aboard a gondola traghetto, a traditional ferry used by locals for centuries. This brief but unforgettable ride offers a unique perspective of Venice's bustling waterways and iconic architecture. Arriving in Cannaregio, one of the city’s most authentic and charming districts, we’ll step into a quieter side of Venice. Known for its rich history and local character, Cannaregio invites you to wander its picturesque streets and hidden canals, uncovering the soul of this historic neighborhood.
Sweet Creations: Chocolate Tasting at a Women-Owned Workshop. Our journey continues to a charming chocolate workshop run by talented women who combine tradition and innovation to create their artisanal delights. Here, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of their craft and indulge in a tasting of rich, hand-made chocolates. From velvety ganache to bold cacao flavors, this stop promises to delight every chocolate lover’s palate.
A Family Tradition: The Best Gelato in Venice. We’ll conclude our sweet journey at a family-run gelateria, where the third generation of a brother and sister duo continue a long-standing tradition of crafting what is arguably the best artisanal gelato in Venice. Renowned for its rich flavors and creamy textures, their pistachio gelato, made with premium pistachios from Bronte, is a must-try delicacy. It’s the perfect ending to an unforgettable Venetian experience, where every bite is a taste of local tradition and craftsmanship.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Personalized pick-up is possible only if you book a private group. In case you did not book a shared tour in a small group but a private tour, please let me know if you wish to get picked up at any location in the historical center of Venice. Otherwise, meet your guide at the general meeting point in Campo San Pantalon, in front of the church
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
Reviews(22)
Awesome tour! Our guide Valerio was very personable, friendly and informative. He made sure to include our 10 year-old granddaughter when sharing information and asking questions. We went to one of the oldest bakeries in Venice, a chocolate shop with all the chocolates hand-made and a gelato shop frequented by locals! Very informative and tasty tour. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was a real pleasure to have you all on the tour – and I especially enjoyed interacting with your curious and smart granddaughter! I'm happy you appreciated the local spots we visited and the flavors we shared along the way. Wishing you all the best and hope to see you again in Venice! Valerio deTourist
I was sent an email the day before the tour that it had been canceled. No explanation, no request for confirmation, no follow-up text. Who checks their email while on vacation? This is amateurish at best, but for a company that is presumably trying to make a profit it’s abysmally unprofessional. I would encourage anyone to forego this booking and spend their precious travel time on a better bet. For example, I would highly recommend the Eat Like a Local tour instead.
Dear Wander17661696027, I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation of your tour. Unfortunately, the reason for the cancellation was a sudden family bereavement, and under such circumstances, it was simply not possible to carry out the experience. You were informed via the messaging system linked to your booking—I'm sorry if the message went unseen. In the future, I’ll certainly do my best to ensure that all guests are contacted through multiple channels. Again, I regret the situation and your disappointment. I appreciate your feedback and hope your time in Venice was still memorable. Anyway your 1 star review about an experience you did not experience will only highlight the other 5 stars reviews related to people who took the tour. Kind regards, Valerio
Claudio was a fantastic tour guide. He was extremely personable and engaging with everyone, including my kids. He sprinkled just enough history in between sweet treats. I highly recommend anyone who wants a tour that is a little bit off the beaten path!
Thank you so much for the lovely review! We're thrilled to hear I made your tour extra special and that everyone, including your kids, enjoyed the experience. Your recommendation means a lot to us. 😊 Valerio (not Claudio 😉)
It was once again a wonderful experience to have Valerio as a guide (for the second time)! The tour with all his background knowledge as a native Venetian and history student on a second educational path is excellent! The whole thing is supported by his good German from his time in Germany! The sweet Venice tour brought us closer to Venice once again! The particularly well-chosen cafés where we drank typical local desserts and a matching coffee to go with them and the delicious ice cream afterwards were simply "awesome". We look forward to seeing Valerio again!
Lieber Erkan, herzlichen Dank für deine wunderbare Rückmeldung! Es freut mich sehr, dass du erneut eine tolle Zeit in Venedig hattest. Auf ein baldiges Wiedersehen! 😊 Herzliche Grüße, Valerio
This is a fantastic tour with an informative, fun and interesting guide. The food was good and we got to experience all things like the Venetians. We got lots of additional hints and tips to make our time in Venice even more enriching.
Valerio was amazing!! Showed us a side of Venice we wouldn’t have seen otherwise and it was amazing to try some hidden gem sweets only the Venetians know about! Off the beaten path was just what we needed to see in Venice!
Thank you, Sara, for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that Valerio provided you with a unique and delightful experience in Venice, showcasing the city's hidden gem sweets. It's always our goal to go off the beaten path and show our guests the authentic side of Venice. We hope to welcome you back soon!
This was a fun tour because we learned about historical shops and got to try local pastries which were delicious! Valerio is an amazing guide and he will treat you like a friend and help you with any questions you have about Venice. He even texted me what stop to get off on the water taxi after I got lost! I’ve never encountered a guide as nice as Valerio. The gondola ride across the canal was an incredible experience!!! I highly recommend this tour!
Dear Christina, thank you for your sweet review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a fun tour and enjoyed the local pastries. Valerio is an amazing guide and we're glad that he provided excellent service, even going the extra mile to help you find your way back. The gondola ride across the canal is truly an incredible experience. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon!
My family had a great time joining this tour. Our guide was funny and personable. We got to taste various pastries and beverages/ coffee/ ice cream. I like that it’s a small group allowing more interactions with the local guide. Keep in mind that these pastry shops are small, so no place to sit. The tour was a bit overpriced. Nevertheless, we had fun!
Hi Cin, thank you so much for joining our tour and for leaving such a positive review! We're glad to hear that you and your family had a great time, and enjoyed the delicious pastries and beverages. We appreciate your feedback regarding the price, and we'll take it into consideration for future tours. We hope you'll join us again in the future for more fun and delicious experiences!
The Sweet Venice tour with Valerio was WONDERFUL. A real “must do” in Venice, especially if you’re traveling with older kids/teens (ours were 10 and 13). It’s a 2 hour walking tour and Valerio will zip you through beautiful, lesser-travelled (read: less crowded!) areas of Venice, stopping along the way so you can sample pastries, chocolate, and gelato. Valerio was engaging, knowledgeable, and our 10yo called him “our best tour guide ever.” My family truly can not recommend this tour enough!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Cory! We are thrilled to hear that you and your family enjoyed the Sweet Venice tour with Valerio. It's great to know that you found the tour engaging, knowledgeable, and perfect for older kids/teens. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again in Venice!
This was such a fun tour with the whole family. Valario is super knowledgeable and helpful. It was just the 3 of us in the tour and Valario customized the tour based on us. Not only did we go to sweet shops, he took us all over and explained the history of so much of Venice.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review of your experience on our Sweet Venice: traditional cafes and pastry shops walk tour. We're thrilled to hear that Valario provided an enjoyable and informative tour, tailored to your family's interests!
