Have you ever heard about the first gay community in Europe? Well, it was in Venice!

This unique city in the world, has always welcomed the “others”. It was founded by refugees in the fifth century A.C., and, after then, Jews, heretics, exiled people found their new homes there. Until the nineteenth century, when a real gay community set in.

Lord Byron was one of the mentors of the European high society arriving in Venice in 1816. Palazzo Mocenigo, where Lord Byron lived, wrote and loved is a sixteenth century building. It has been converted into a Seventeenth and Eighteenth Fashion Museum, which is the place where our city tour starts.

By visiting the Rialto Bridge, a must in Venice, our trail unveils both historic places of gay meetings and courtyards (‘Campi’, ‘Campielli’) where prostitution was fostered and well-accepted, in order to prevent homosexuality. The double urban soul was an undeniable aspect of the Venetian courtesan life

The Gay Tour of Venice ends with a story you can’t miss: the Adventures of Casanova. We move to St. Marco Square to visit his places: the Palazzo Ducale, where he was kept in prison, and the Tavern, where he used to flirt with his uncountable lovers.

Nothing better than a view of the city from a boat to understand what Venice means!

In order to discover the Venetian genius, we take you to the Murano Island: this is the place where the glass industry originated. Here, artisans work the glass as their ancestors, with their mouth.
Glass-blowing is an ancient art, that was handed down from generation to generation. It is still possible to see the craftsmanship in Murano factories. Later, a half day tour to see another side of the romantic Venice: the suburbs of the working people, who lived and worked hard mainly for the nobles’ feasts and parties.