Cicchetti are the small plates of Venice: slices of bread with salt cod, meatballs, fried olives, sardines in sweet and sour onions, and all manner of small bites eaten standing at the bar with a glass of wine, an ombra. The best way to learn the habit is to follow someone who knows the bars, and this tour does exactly that. The booking page describes a street food tour and tastings with a local guide, running about three and a half hours, with small bars in the Cannaregio canal area and one drink, a cocktail or wine, at each stop. It highlights meatballs, fish, vegetables, toasted bread with toppings, deep-fried items and skewers, and the spritz. The group is capped at twelve, which keeps the bars manageable, and the guide speaks English and Italian. The meeting point is near the front door of the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, in Castello, at the edge of Cannaregio. Cannaregio is a good area for this kind of walk, because it is residential, with fewer tourist menus and more local bars than the streets around St Mark's. You see canals, small bridges and ordinary life along the way, and learn how to order: a few things at a time, with a drink, and move on rather than sitting down. It is a sociable, relaxed tour that doubles as dinner for many people.
What the booking page shows
A live guide in English and Italian, a maximum of twelve people, tastings and one drink at each stop, with tips and hotel pickup not included. The booking page indicates free cancellation or rescheduling until twenty-four hours before the visit. Dietary notes are not listed, so tell the operator in advance about allergies, vegetarian needs or alcohol preferences; cicchetti often include fish and meat, but many bars offer vegetable options.
The page shows limited review information, so treat this as a good-value choice among several food tours rather than a proven favourite, and read recent comments before booking.
How to enjoy it
Arrive hungry and do not plan a large dinner afterwards. Wear comfortable shoes, since the tour is on foot over bridges. Ask the guide where they eat on their days off, and take notes of the bars you liked so you can return. Most bars have a small standing counter, a glass cabinet of cicchetti and a blackboard of wines; point at what looks good, and pay at the end. It is also an easy way to meet other travellers.
Fit it into your stay
You can see the Ghetto and the Madonna dell'Orto church in the daylight before the tour, and the finish leaves you in a quiet part of town. Combine with a Rialto morning for the market and the fish stalls. Remember that Venice has had a day-visitor access fee on selected dates; rules and dates change, so check before you travel. If you prefer a cooking class or a market tour with a meal, see the cooking class in this guide.
A good bar crawl teaches vocabulary as well as flavours: an ombra is a small glass of wine, a spritz is the local aperitivo, and cicchetti are sometimes called by regional names such as polpette for meatballs and baccala for salt cod. Learn a few words, and ordering on your own afterwards becomes much easier. The tour is also a fine way to get your bearings in a quarter that many visitors rush through on the way to the station. Take a photo of the bar names so you can return.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walking food tour of small bars in the Cannaregio canal area, with several tastings of Venetian street food and one drink at each stop.
Best time
Early evening, when the bars are lively and cicchetti are fresh.
How long
About three and a half hours.
Tips
Meet near the front door of the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Tell the operator about dietary needs in advance, wear comfortable shoes, and do not plan a big dinner afterwards.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Food lovers who want to learn how Venetians eat and drink at the bar.
- Families
- Better for teenagers than small children, because of the length and the drinks.
- Couples
- A relaxed, social evening that doubles as dinner.
- Pair with
- The Jewish Ghetto, the Rialto Market and Madonna dell'Orto.
- Time needed
- A long evening or afternoon.
Good questions
What are cicchetti?+
Small Venetian bar snacks, often served on bread or fried, and eaten with a glass of wine or a spritz.
How long is the tour?+
About three and a half hours, according to the booking page.
What is included?+
The booking page shows tastings of Venetian street food and one drink at each stop. Tips and hotel pickup are not included.
Where do we meet?+
Near the front door of the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, in Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
What languages are offered?+
The booking page shows a live guide in English and Italian.
