If you came to Venice with visions in mind of winding streets and tumbling houses where laundry swings out over canals, then Secret Venice is the tour for you. Step away from the crowds and get off the beaten track with this original tour that explores Venice's less seen, more romantic side on the other side of the Grand Canal.

Our Secret Venice tour starts at spectacular Rialto Bridge whose marble reflects in the canal below. On our walk through hidden Venice, we'll see lovers strolling and kids playing in many of the beautiful squares in the area - the Campo San Polo, the Campo San Margherita and the Campo San Barnaba. We'll pass the Basilica dei Frari (outside visit) and stop in front of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. As you stroll your guide will fill you in on the stories, myths and legends that make Venice so endlessly fascinating, showing you a local's perspective of this often "touristy" city. At the Medieval Casino for example, there was once a wooden slot in the floor of the first storey which patrons could peer through to see who was at the door giving them enough time to look decent or escape before their better halves located them.

The city is beautiful in the evening light and full of life. We'll pass Peggy Guggenheim's museum and you'll hear about the famous patron who lost her father to the Titanic but gained the means to build one of the world's most notable art collections.

Our tour ends on the sweetest note with a gondola ride as the sun is setting. Relax as a gondolier, in his ubiquitous striped shirt, punts along the canal. Keep your eyes peeled for the many palaces that line the waterways of Venice or just for women reeling in their washing lines. With only six people per gondola your ride will be peaceful and intimate or for an additional fee opt instead for the private gondola ride, a romantic and unforgettable experience for you and your loved one.

As the sun dips below the horizon our boats dock and the group disperses with heads full of narrow canals and masterpieces hidden in neighborhood churches. That's one more ticked off the bucket list.

Sites Visited

Rialto bridge, Fish Market (after hours), Ponte delle Tette, Campo San Polo, Basilica dei Frari (outside visit), Scuola di San Rocco (outside visit), Campo San Margherita, Campo San Barnabo, Casino dei Nobili - Medieval Casino (outside visit), Bridge of Fists, Peggy Guggenheim Museum (outside visit), Gondola ride.