Buy Gay Life in Venice from the Middle Ages to Present Days Tickets on FunEx

View all Gay Life in Venice from the Middle Ages to Present Days photos

Get your discount tickets for the Gay Life in Venice from the Middle Ages to Present Days, save up to 18% !

Select your ticket

18% OFF Refundable

Shared tour in a small group

$14.52

$30.01

Overview

Hear about the stories about the cross-dressing in cat masks, exploring the places of cruising from middle ages through the later centuries up to the tolerant attitude of nowadays Venice. Take a trip over the centuries through the gay history of Venice, which is as labyrinthine as the city’s convoluted system of canals. Travel back to Middle Ages, when the practice of sodomy was deemed a sin. Learn about the history of Rolandina, a transgender who was burned at stake, as several other men of all social statuses have being condemned for their same-sex relations in the following centuries. Visit the city as a European tourists did during their discovery trip "Grand Tour" in the 17th century and how Thomas Mann and Frederick Rolfe made Venice a place of homosexual imagery during Belle Epoque. Learn about the fascist attempt to “clean up” the city, while following the location of a music video by a gay-icon as Madonna and checking out how is gay life nowadays in the floating city.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

At the well

Language Offered

German-GUIDE

English-GUIDE

Italian-GUIDE

Itinerary

1. Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio

We will pass by where used to live an italian poet, who came out in the early 70s and committed suicide some years ago. His works were some of the first Italian poetry to explore homosexuality

Duration: 10 mins

2. Fondamenta del Megio

We will pay respect to was a Venetian historian living between 15th and 16th century. His most significant work is his "Diarii" (chronicles), intended to be an comprehensive a history of Venice, before another literate was officially appointed to do so. He was said he was kind, extremely kind but we will learn why it was not really a compliment.

Duration: 15 mins

3. Chiesa Santa Maria Mater Domini

We will visit a church whose arcades were placed under surveillance by public authorities to prevent sodomites from using it to cruise and meet in 1488.

Duration: 15 mins

4. Ponte delle Tette

We will walk in what was the red light district par excellence of Venice in 15th century. Back in those days under these shadowy porticos around this bridge neighbourhood prostitutes were encouraged by authorities to display their wares in order to prevent sodomy in town. In the same streets walked the "gnaghe", queers or men dressed as women covering their faces with cat masks and emitting the plaintive calls of cats in heat, making explicit proposals to passers-by.

Duration: 15 mins

5. Chiesa di San Cassiano

We will hear the story of Rolandina Roncaglia, the first trans person we know of in Italy. She was born as Rolandino, for seven years she lived as a woman in a house nearby. Beside selling eggs and the local market, she became a prostitute. Once discovered in 1355, she had a terrible death.

Duration: 15 mins

6. Campo San Cassiano

In this area there used to be a theatre that boasted the title of the first public opera house in the world. It was also in place of homosexual encounters as Giacomo Casanova even points out when he worked as a spy for the state inquisitors in the 18th century

Duration: 15 mins

7. Calle dell Ogio

On this short bank along Canal Grande a famous writer and pioneer of the British gay movement met, and not by chance, a beautiful 19 year old porter.

Duration: 15 mins

8. Campo San Giacomo

In this campo a famous statue was used as a podium for proclamations and announcements, including bans relating to sodomy: an officer read the names of thoese sentenced to death standing on the block at the end of its staircase. The location in the immediate vicinity of the Rialto market, one of the most frequented by the population at the time, made it ideal for this kind of communication.

Duration: 15 mins

9. Ruga dei Oresi

Here a "suspicious" pharmacy was located, used by sodomites for their meetings. Just getting close could be grounds for condemnation to death!

Duration: 15 mins

10. Palazzo Ca' Zenobio

Palazzo Zenobio is considered to be one of the most significant examples of Venetian late Baroque design, both architecturally and in interior decor. Throughout the XVIII century the Palace became a venue for intense intellectual life. Since 1993, after a complete restoration, it now serves as a research centre for Armenian studies. Most importantly, it was the main indoor location of Madonna's "like a virgin" video hot in the 80's.

Duration: 15 mins

11. Chiesa di San Sebastiano

One of Venice’s leading art venues thanks to its magnificent cycle of paintings by Paolo Veronese, who is buried here. We will understand why San Sebastiano is considered the patron saint of the LGBT community worldwide.

Duration: 15 mins

12. Campanile di San Marco

Outside the tallest bell tower in Venice, an iron cage called "cheba" dates back to the 15th century and in the 16th century. It was also used as to expose somodimite priests to them to the bad weather and taunts of the crowd below.

Duration: 15 mins

13. Piazzetta San Marco

Between these two columns the executions took place up to the middle of the 17th century, as Casanova also confirmed

Duration: 15 mins

14. Harry's Bar

Despite the founder said it was just a rumours, we will check out a famous bar where gay travellers gathered up to the 70's

Duration: 15 mins

15. Riva degli Schiavoni

we will visit a palace where a love story was staged between a venetian rower and a famous german writer.

Duration: 15 mins

16. Calle del Dose da Ponte

In this hotel a famous lesbian US painter used to live, collecting love affairs with men and women.

Duration: 15 mins

17. Palazzo Ca' Dario

This palace is famous for an unrelated series of unfortunate events that happened to some of its owners, many of them gay.

Duration: 15 mins

18. Palazzo Mocenigo

In this palace used to live a famous british poet, aknoledged not only for his poetry but also for a more or less important bisexual component in his very complex sentimental and sexual life.

Duration: 15 mins

19. Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Martino di Castello

In ancient times the church had a no longer exisiting porch that a law of 1450 listed among the places of the night sodomites crusing.

Duration: 15 mins

Inclusion

Tour Leader & Nature and Interpretive Guide

Exclusion

Gratuities

Cancellation Policy

Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it

Supplied by deTourist Venice Valerio Coppo

Reviews

4.9

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Based on 13 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Gay Life in Venice from the Middle Ages to Present Days Discount Tickets

Select your ticket

Offer details

Offer details

Overview

Meeting and Pickup

Language Offered

Itinerary

1. Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio

2. Fondamenta del Megio

3. Chiesa Santa Maria Mater Domini

4. Ponte delle Tette

5. Chiesa di San Cassiano

6. Campo San Cassiano

7. Calle dell Ogio

8. Campo San Giacomo

9. Ruga dei Oresi

10. Palazzo Ca' Zenobio

11. Chiesa di San Sebastiano

12. Campanile di San Marco

13. Piazzetta San Marco

14. Harry's Bar

15. Riva degli Schiavoni

16. Calle del Dose da Ponte

17. Palazzo Ca' Dario

18. Palazzo Mocenigo

19. Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Martino di Castello

Inclusion

Exclusion

Cancellation Policy

Additional Info

Reviews

4.9

Explore other options

Rome Hop-on Hop-off Tour with Vatican Ticket

3-Hours Artisanal Shopping Tour in Rome

Borghese Gallery Hosted Entry Ticket with Audio Guide

Private Half-Day Rome Food Tour from Fiumicino Airport

Unlock Vatican: Private Guided Tour of Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome Street GastronomicTour

4 Days Tour to Discover the Molise Region

Transfer from Rome to Valmontone Outlet

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum with Guided Tour

Colosseum Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Access in Rome

Follow Us on