Venice – Bacari Taverns & the Ghosts of the Lagoon
Follow canals and candlelit taverns on a self-guided walk through Rialto and Cannaregio, where laughter and legends drift with the tide. A self-guided GPS walking tour with live map and local tips.
Admissions not included.
Your purchase is for 30-day access to our self-guided cell-phone tour. Tickets or entry fees
for museums, historic sites, and other attractions are sold separately.
Start near Rialto’s arches and wander toward Cannaregio’s lantern-lit quays, where the scent of wine, salt, and candle wax hangs in the air. This walk drifts through bacari taverns, quiet campos, and lagoon-front promenades, mixing Rialto market life with ghost tales, legends, and local rituals. It is a self-guided walking tour in Venice that turns one of the city’s most atmospheric districts into an easy, story-filled night walk and one of the most memorable things to do in Venice after dark.
Highlights
Mercato di Rialto — Venice’s historic food market by the Grand Canal; wander pre-dawn stalls and hear how sailors, traders, and ghost stories still haunt the arcades.
Cantina Do Mori — the city’s oldest bacaro tucked in a brick alley; raise a glass where gondoliers once drank and listen for the legends told after closing time.
Calle Varisco — one of Venice’s narrowest lanes squeezed between salt-streaked walls; discover why a tale of betrayal turned this shortcut into a haunted passage.
Campo dei Mori — a quiet square watched by stone ‘Moor’ figures; learn how real merchants and a later curse story turned these sculptures into neighborhood guardians.
Ca’ d’Oro — the ‘Golden House’ facing the Grand Canal; uncover how gilded splendor, family drama, and later restoration gave this palace its lingering aura.
Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo — vast brick church where many doges are buried; hear how funerals, plagues, and great painters shaped its solemn reputation.
Fondamenta Nuove — lagoon-front promenade facing the cemetery island of San Michele; stand where boats once carried plague victims and listen to tales of drifting barges.
Chiesa di San Cassiano — small parish church near the markets; find Tintoretto’s canvases and stories of fires, sailors’ prayers, and nights when lights refuse to stay dim.
Fondamenta della Misericordia — long canal walk lined with bars and houses; follow evening tavern life while hearing about confraternities, charity, and a rowing sailor’s ghost.
Ca’ da Mosto — one of the oldest palaces on the Grand Canal; see where merchant explorers once lived and why locals speak of mysterious lights behind its windows.
Campo San Polo — Venice’s second-largest square and festival ground; discover how bullfights, masked balls, and midnight duels left today’s calm paving stones full of stories.
Libreria Acqua Alta — flood-prone bookshop stacked in boats and bathtubs; climb its book steps and learn how rising tides, cats, and stubborn readers turned it into a cult legend.
All this, plus additional "hidden gems," expertly brought to life through our virtual guides....with rich, vivid history, local stories, and unmatched knowledge you will not find elsewhere. Even better, no tipping required!
Tour area: Venice – Bacari Taverns & the Ghosts of the Lagoon
Distance: ~2.2 miles (3.5 km) • Time: 2.5 hours • Stops: 12+ • Terrain: Flat lanes, narrow alleys, canal bridges
Shaded area = approximate tour area
What you’ll experience
GPS location tracking — see your current location on the map.
Virtual Tour Guides — Detailed narration at each stop & answers to common questions.
Vast local knowledge — history, legends, and insider spots.
Local weather updates — stay prepared as you explore outdoors.
A “Free Roaming” adventure — start anywhere, wander at your pace.
What exactly unlocks when I buy?
You’ll get the full tour map with hot-air balloon markers (our map pins), our suggested walking path for orientation, detailed stories and site info, narration, and tons of local tips. Your purchase gives you unlimited access for 30 days via a private link. It runs right in your mobile browser — no installs, no storage — just open and go.
How do I start the tour?
Open your private tour link on your phone and tap the compass icon on the map to show where you are. Simply walk to the nearest stop and tap its marker to start the story. Then just visit any other stops you like, in any order, at your own pace.
How does a SmartWalkTour differ from a traditional tour?
It’s your pace, your path. No buses or group schedules. No tour guide tipping. Explore freely with on-map markers, narration, and an optional suggested path for big-picture orientation. Pause for a café, browse a shop, and pick up where you left off anytime — your guide is always in your pocket.
Screenshots from an actual tour. (Key West example)
Swipe or scroll to see more →
Multiple tour stopping points. Start at any one, then tap the hot air balloon for detailed tour guide information.Virtual tour guides share rich stories at every stop, with Q&A and helpful links.Always know the local weather and plan your walk comfortably.Discover more tours nearby—walkable options to keep exploring.Four map styles, live GPS, and a suggested path you can toggle on/off.Helpful information is built in, plus links for even more detail.In app tips, FAQs, Local festivals and events. Maps show a wealth of detail, with public restroom locations.Direct links to attractions for hours, tickets, and more.
