Venice is one of Italy’s most unusual cities, so it’s a good place to try a unique activity. Whether you want to take a cooking class, try your hand at rowing a gondola, or make your own carnival mask, Venice has something for you. Here are my suggestions for 3 unique things to do in Venice:
Cooking Class with Lunch in Costume
Have you ever wished you could travel to Venice’s glorious past and dine in fancy dress in a beautiful Venetian palace? You can do just that with this special themed cooking class offered by Cook in Venice. First you’ll visit the famous Rialto market to help choose fresh, seasonal ingredients for your cooking class. Then you’ll go to a 15th century palazzo for appetizers and local wine. Next is your 3-hour cooking class taught in English by 2 Venetian cooks, Arianna and Monica. You’ll prepare typical Venetian dishes and enjoy them for lunch following the class.
But before you dine, you’ll get to change into your 18th century Venetian carnival costume that has been prepared in advance just for you! You’ll dine in the palace’s grand hall in fancy dress just like you would have a couple centuries ago. If you’re not into dressing up though, you can just take a cooking class with lunch in the 15th century palace or choose from one of the other cooking programs offered by Cook in Venice including a 3-day Venice culinary tour.
Learn to Row a Traditional Venetian Boat
Boats are the major mode of transportation in Venice and taking a gondola ride is a favorite activity of tourists. If you’d like to learn the traditional Venetian rowing style of the gondolier for yourself and get a unique insight into Venetian culture, take a Venetian Rowing Class.
Your 2.5 hour class, taught in English, will take place in typical Venetian boats. Few tourists get the opportunity to glide through the canals of Venice while standing at the helm of a boat. You’ll learn about the historical boats of Venice and get to row one for yourself!
Explore the Art of the Venetian Mask
Venetian carnival masks are one of Venice’s most famous crafts. While there are many cheaply made replicas available in tourist shops, high-quality masks are still made by hand by artisans in small workshops in Venice. Learn more about the traditions of carnvale masks and costumes and decorate your own mask in Venice Carnival Mask-Making Class.
This 1 hour workshop takes place in the workshop of a traditional Venetian artisan and is a great activity for families. You can choose between a production class to make a mask from scratch or a decoration class to paint and use materials to decorate a mask. Rather than just bringing home a souvenir, you’ll take home a real memory of your time in Venice.
Venice Guided Tours
- For an unusual guided tour, take the Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries Tour. This small-group tour is a unique way to see the Doge’s Palace. You’ll visit exclusive places not normally open to the public in including the office of the Great Chancellor, prison cells and torture chambers, and a walk across the famous Bridge of Sighs. It also includes Saint Mark’s Basilica.
- Explore more Venice tours, tickets and activities on Viator
Plan Your Venice Visit
- Top hotels in Venice.
- See if one of these Museums Passes would be helpful to you.
- Plan your trip with this Venice Map and Travel Guide
Read about Venice
- Rick Steves Pocket Venice
- National Geographic Walking Venice
- Fodor’s Venice 25 Best
- 10 Novels Set in Venice
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