• Private Experience
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

A slow, silent writing experience in remote areas overlooking the Lagoon. No guiding, no city/historical explanation — just observation, walking, and individual writing. Participants receive light prompts and are encouraged to write letters, fragments, or narratives inspired by the place.

Destination

Venice, Italy

Category

Workshops

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

Italiano, English

Included

• Handmade notebook

Excluded

• meals, snacks

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Marzia.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Venice - Venice to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meeting point

   We meet in Campo Santa Marina, a peaceful square away from tourist groups.

4. A slow, attentive walk

   We explore quieter corners of Venice—the footbridge of the Arsenale, Campo de la Celestia, Fondamenta del Cristo, and Campo Santa Ternita—spaces where you can reconnect with the city’s rhythm.

5. Writing prompts, and reflections

   Along the way, I’ll share inspiration points to help you write or reflect. You’re free to write, sketch, observe, or simply pause.

6. Final stop and closure

   We end in the public gardens of Viale Garibaldi, near the Serra dei Giardini. You’re welcome to share your writing over a quiet drink at the Serra glasshouse café.

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Jody🇺🇸 United States

5 July 2025

She was wonderful. She knew her facts , and was able to really get it across. She rocks!

Joyce🇨🇦 Canada

5 June 2025

Marzia showed us around the Castello district which was a quiet neighbourhood compared to the other more touisty areas. We wandered towards the Arsenale and learned a lot about the city's history and beautiful architecture. She also answered all of our random questions! She is a wonderful guide!Wonderful wander through Venice

Randy

1 June 2025

Marzia showed us charming and beautiful locations on the islands we visited. The information was interesting and the tour of the glass factory was amazing - we would highly recommend this tour while visiting Venice.Wonderful tour

Graham🇺🇸 United States

31 May 2025

as a true local marzia was engaging and informative she took us to a fantastic murano family gallery where we got to buy pieces directly from from the artist (an advantage marzia has of working in the trade) i suspect we could have done an amazing "other neigborhoods that tourists dont see" trip based on some of jer comments but we didnt have a extra day i would recommend everyone to spend time with marziaawesome (and made my wife happy)

Tom

1 May 2025

Marza gave us a great tour our the islands of Marano, Burano and Mazzorbo. Marza communicated very well before and during the tour. She knows the area very well and has much experience in the Marano glass industry. She surprised us with a water taxi ride back to Venice rather than fighting the crowds on the public boats. Highly recommend this tour, ask for Marza!!Great Tour

Svetlana

9 April 2025

Marzia made my birthday special! She gave us an insider’s view of Venice and shared her love, worries, and family memories. Everything was clear and engaging—even for my teenage children. So happy with the walk!Memorable walk

Edward🇺🇸 United States

14 February 2025

These are just a few of the words to describe our experience with Marzia. If you want to understand the world of the Venetians, the heritage, the culture, the art, Marzia is the perfect choice. Warm, Engrossing, Extremely knowledgeable

Luca

6 February 2025

Patrick

27 January 2025

We spent a wonderful Sunday morning strolling around Dorsoduro with Marzia. She met us off the boat, bought us coffee and then we walked around in the peace and quiet learning about the area and Venice itself. There were some history lessons, cautionary tales, insights about Venice today and lots of smiles. Marzia was charming and if I lived in Venice, we’d go for walks all the time - so you should definitely go for a walk with Marzia too if you have the opportunity!A lovely, charismatic Sunday stroll

Peter

30 December 2024

Dear Marzia Thank you very much for the wonderful morning walk through your venice. In addition to the places we would never have discovered without you, it was your stories and our stimulating conversations that inspired us. If you want to see Venice in a completely different way, we can only recommend the tour with you.Wonderful tour away from the crowds

Eloise

28 December 2024

We had a fantastic time with Marzia. Her insights on Venice, both from a personal and historical standpoints makes the city come to life. We love the peace and quiet of Castillo. I highly recommend spending some time with Marzia to get to know the city more in depth. Enlightning!

Matthew🇺🇸 United States

11 November 2024

Words cannot describe what an inspiring, amazing day our family had with Marzia visiting Mazzorbo, Burano and Murano. From the very beginning, Marzia was so engaging (perfect English) by sharing her experiences as a lifelong Venetian…with information about history, art, architecture, culture, key religious and political figures, and stories of these magical spots outside the main tourist areas of Venice. We stepped back in time to Venice’s earliest developments and made connections to current day. She was so gracious with wonderful humor as we explored these 3 islands with churches, homes, merchants (e.g., Burano lace and Murano glass) and food. Thank you Marzia….we cannot wait to return to Venice!Inspiring Burano, Murano & Mazzorbo Day

Tony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

2 November 2024

Marza was great. A rainy morning but she bought the whole area alive. Definitely recomend it! Highly informative and interesting. Marza is great fun.

Kevin🇺🇸 United States

2 November 2024

Marzia is a wonderful guide. She told us the history of Venice as well as the specifics of the Castello neighborhood. She is funny and charming and we really enjoyed ourselves.Tour of Castello

Janet🇺🇸 United States

16 September 2024

Touring with Marzia was like visiting with a friend! We were a group of four adults & we all enjoyed her historical tour of the Dosoduro neighborhood. Marzia's knowledge of Venice, her friendly delivery & humor provided a positive, fun morning of strolling & storytelling.

Julian

13 September 2024

Marzia is an excellent guide and travelling companion, full of passion for the history and the people of Venice. She is open to all your questions and gives you a personal and powerful portrait of her city and its culture. Highly recommended Intriguing, informative and fun

Amalita🇨🇦 Canada

9 September 2024

We booked a tour with Marzia ( WithLocals) when we arrived in Venice on the first leg of our Italian vacation . We had been travelling for 24 hrs and had not been able to sleep on the plane. I was really concerned that we would not have any energy for our tour but did not want to miss a moment of our short time in Venice. With Marzia we did not have to worry, her love of Venice coupled with her incredible knowledge was contagious and we were instantly revitalized! We wish we could have spent more time with her. It was raining at times heavily and we barely noticed. Thank you Marzia for kicking our trip off to a great start!Highly recommend

Chad🇺🇸 United States

8 September 2024

Marza, our new friend, was amazing. She was such a delight to spend the day with. Incredibly knowledgeable and always had wonderful stories to tell. Since she grew up in Venice, it felt like we truly got an insider’s perspective to see some really off the beaten path treasures of this amazing city. We honestly do not have enough nice things to say about our time with Marza. It was just absolutely perfect!!Wonderful day in Murano and Venice

Anthony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

3 September 2024

Marzia was unbelievably brilliant. Although we arrived in Venice during peak season, my wife and I decided we would like to have a tour of one of the quieter areas before we attacked the extremely busy main attractions. As our hotel was on her route to the meeting point, Marzia very kindly picked us up from our hotel, which was so amazing. Our first sojourn into Venice was with an experience Venetian. She shared with us both her knowledge and friendly personality, her guided tour through Dorsoduro District was leisurely, informative and thoroughly enjoyable. Marzia was our wonderful guide and made our first experience of Venice truly magical. Thank you, Marzia.Marzia - Our wonderful guide.

Khloe🇺🇸 United States

27 August 2024

Marzia’s depth of knowledge is impressive. She knows the story of Venice from multiple perspectives - going back to ancient times, recent history of Dorsoduro and its place in cultural events, the role of women in sculpting Venice’s progressive values, LGBTQ and Carnevale and more. Anyone who wants a more enlightened and elevated experience of Venice should book a tour with Marzia.Great storyteller and historian

Heike🇩🇰 Denmark

31 July 2024

Marzia was the best guide ever! Her knowledge about Venice and her charming personality was an absolute joy. Thank you so much for the restaurant recommandations 🤩 If you get to do a tour with Marzia, you are in for the best experience!Amazing!

jeremy

4 July 2024

Marzia is a delight. A wonderful storyteller and guide, possessed with an infectious passion for her home city and a zest for life. We learned more about Venice and Venetians from her than probably the rest of our journeys combined. A Venice highlight

Catherine

4 June 2024

We were lucky enough to have Marzia for our off the beaten track walk of the Durosduro area of Venice. We started off as strangers but very quickly became friends due to Marzia’s warm and engaging personality. It was raining when we met and she offered to take us for a coffee (which we declined but it was a lovely thing to suggest) and got underway. The tour took us to places we would not have found or seen on our own. Marzia has a palpable passion for her city, and its history and culture, and we felt very fortunate to hear stories personal and historical as we walked. The pace was perfect, the information interesting and the whole experience a delight! We left with a wealth of information and a list of restaurants and cafes too. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Marzia for any tour, thank you so much for showing us your city. Marzia, experience like no other

Diane🇺🇸 United States

20 May 2024

My daughter and I had a great tour with Marzia. She took us to areas of Venice where there were few other tourists, which we appreciated. She had great stories and a great store of knowledge about Venice. I would highly recommend her!An excellent tour with Marzia

Helen🇺🇸 United States

10 May 2024

Marzia is the perfect guide for a trip to Murano and Burano. She is knowledgeable, personable, and well connected to all the locals. She went out of her way to customize our day and it was the best experience of our 2 week vacation. Definitely 10 out of 10!Best guide ever!

Jeff🇺🇸 United States

6 May 2024

We corresponded with Marzia prior to our visit to Murano and Burano, so she could customize our trip to our interests. She did so wonderfully. She obviously was a ”local” because random people kept coming up to say “hi” to her. She took us to a lace making store in Burano and an off the beaten track glass factory in Murano and we were given the royal treatment in each; so much so that we felt somewhat obligated to spend more than we would have otherwise. To be fare, both places made it clear, up front, that there was no requirement to buy anything. But after being treated so well, it’s hard to say “no”. Our bad.Marzia was GREAT,

David🇺🇸 United States

1 May 2024

If Mariza is available book her! She is one of the kindest and warmest guides I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. From the moment you meet she is engaging, passionate, and supportive of making your experience personal. We had a great time with her and her dinner recommendation was lovely end to our day. Wonderful experience

Sandy🇺🇸 United States

28 April 2024

Marzia feels like a friend as you meander the back streets of Venice and hear facts and stories that only a real local could tell. She is professional, kind, and very knowledgeable. Thanks for an exceptional outing! Marzia-native Venetian-excellent guide

Ajit🇶🇦 Qatar

19 April 2024

Communicating with Marzia was super efficient starting with giving us clear instructions of how to identify here at the busy Venice train station which were promptly able to do. From there on we were regaled with the history of glass making at Venice (Murrano). We visited the BF SIgnoretti glass factory and it was an amazing experience to see the glass masters at work. We were a bit behind schedule to catch our train and Marzia was able to get us a ride back into the city and even accompanied us up to the platform to ensure we did not miss our train. I would highly recommend Marzia

tim🇮🇪 Ireland

3 February 2024

The tour started with a hug and then a present for my wife (it was her birthday after all) - the next few hours were filled with stories of old and new, family history and anecdotes and hidden gems on the day to day activities, buildings and environs of the Venetians. Simply engaging, friendly and informative - what more could you want - so thank you Marzia from both me and my wife.Venice with the brilliant Marzia

Pam🇺🇸 United States

13 January 2024

At the end of October 2023 we took this tour with Marzia on a rainy day in Venice. This is a fantastic walk through a part of Venice I believe few travelers to Venice have the opportunity to explore. This is Venice beyond the traditional highlights of the oft-overcrowded St. Mark’s Square. The architecture and history of Castello is fascinating and Marzia is an engaging and knowledgeable guide. With Locals allows for small, private group tours and Marzia was open to how we needed to pace ourselves or what we wanted to stop and see. She has a great tour planned and along the way we saw some things that piqued our interest - just a door or a building here or there - we’d stop and Marzia would share her insights with us. She was also very open to sharing her experience with us of being a native Venetian and growing up in an area so many people want to visit. I absolutely recommend this tour with Marzia. We all loved it, and loved the restaurant she recommended as we ended our tour. I feel like I’ve finally really been to Venice now! Many thanks to Marzia for a great afternoon. This is Venice!

Pam

22 November 2023

Bill🇺🇸 United States

20 November 2023

I will come back on my computer and write more but as a born Venician and a person who has worked in a glassmakers factory for a number of years Marzia is perfect for a guide to Murano glass making and I’m sure any tour of Venice. Choosing her as a guide was a great choice. Perfect guide for Murano and more

Richard🇬🇧 United Kingdom

14 November 2023

We met marzia at the agreed meeting point after a pleasant stroll to find it, and after introductions and explaining my limitations in the walking field we set off. Marzia was a fount of information and at the same time she was a lovely affable person. When i needed to have a rest she bought us coffee despite our insistance that we should buy her a drink. By the end of our walk we even had a better understanding of venitians and the city's history and at the end she even gave us tickets to the ferry to st marks square. All in all you can't ask for more a pleasant stroll with a lovely and knowledgeable guide and personDos with marzia

Kenneth 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

29 October 2023

On behalf of my three daughters thank you Marzia for an informative and entertaining tour, the girls came back bubbling with stories and facts.Undiscovered Venice

Cordula🇩🇪 Germany

27 October 2023

Auf unserer Venedig Reise wollten wir eine Erfahrung jenseits der Touristenströme machen. Das Castello in dem wir auch während unseres Aufenthaltes wohnten hat Marzia für uns zum Leben erweckt. Spannende Geschichten durch viele Epochen die so in keinem Reiseführer zu finden sind. Zu Leben erweckt durch Marzia‘s kurzweilige und amüsante Art. Vielen Dank dafür! Und beim nächsten Venedig Besuch auf jeden Fall wieder!Spannende Reise durch das Castello

Jamie🇺🇸 United States

23 October 2023

Marzia was amazing! Being a native to Venice and her personal experience with the glass industry made such a huge impact on our trip! Super knowledgeable and personable! Absolutely a highlight of our trip!A highlight of the trip

kvernem🇺🇸 United States

15 October 2023

Our tour of Dorsoduro with Marzia was excellent. We walked at a lovely conversational pace rather than rushing to get things done. This allowed us to fully appreciate the buildings that she was showing and understand information she shared about the neighborhood. Marzia has a wonderful personality and you truly felt like you were taking a stroll with a friend. If you want to see something outside of the hustle of St Marks Square and want to have an additional perspective of Venice I highly recommend this tour. If you are lucky enough to have Marzia that is a bonus!Like walking with a friend

Shane🇮🇪 Ireland

9 October 2023

i had an off the beaten track tour of Dorsoduro with Marzia who basically allowed me to speak my poor Italian and kindly talked to me in Italian - going only into English when I couldn t understand and afterwards when I tired. Dorduro was fascinating and had a definite vibe to it. The visit to San Nicolo dei Mendicoli was vastly enhanced by Marzia’s knowledgable and informed commentary - pointing out aspects and works of art that I would never have looked for myself. A hugely enjoyable tour.Tour of Dorsoduro

Andrea🇺🇸 United States

12 September 2023

Our trip to Venice would not have been as wonderful if it wasn’t for Marzia. She is a warm, caring person with extensive knowledge of Venice history. We saw places we never would have seen on our own and learned such interesting history. If you want to get to know Venice, take this tour. If you want it to be the highlight of your trip, choose Marzia. The Best!

Verena🇩🇪 Germany

4 September 2023

Unser herzlicher Dank an Marzia für den wunderbaren Vormittag, den wir mit ihr erleben durften! Obwohl englisch weder ihre noch unsere Muttersprache ist, hat sie es ganz leicht geschafft, mit ihren Geschichten die historischen Hintergründe und Personen lebendig werden zu lassen. Wir sind eingetaucht in das ursprüngliche Venedig, hatten Bilder im Kopf zur Entstehung der Regatta, spürten die Stimmung des Volkes unter der Führung des Dogen, erahnten die Armut des Fischerviertels, bewunderten den Mut eines Pfarrers zum Wohle seiner Gemeinde und lernten mehr darüber, was Gondeln und Goethe verbindet und die - vielleicht - wahren Inhalte von Legenden und Hollywood Interpretationen. Die Zeit verging doch viel zu schnell, wir hätten gerne noch länger ihren Worten gelauscht. Man sieht sich doch immer zweimal im Leben? Ich freu mich auf das nächste Mal! DANKE!! Bilder im Kopf

Matthew🇺🇸 United States

21 August 2023

We had two tours with Marzia. She is a true professional but much more than that she is a very warm, kind and compassionate person who senses and takes into account your every want and need. We would not hesitate to use Marzia again and can recommend her without hesitation. Fabulous Guide

q9zdgcpcd5

16 August 2023

From the very moment we met Marzia. She was so warm and welcoming we were a little late as we got lost 😮 She said it was not a problem to relax, it would be an easy paced walk. She took us to places that most would not see or visit, which was exactly what we wanted and we loved the tour. Marzia is a very proud Venetian which is what made the experience so wonderful when we compared our cultures we had a lot in common. Ireland and Venice has a lot of history with the Catholic Church. We got totally lost in conversations. Went over time a little because of her knowledge and patience by letting us stop for photographs. (We were delighted) We wanted to have a Venetian meal and Marzia went out of her way by taking us to a local restaurant and made a booking for us for that night ensuring we knew how to get there before she left.Amazing lady

Mike🇺🇸 United States

12 August 2023

Marzia was amazing. We booked our Murano and Burano day tour weeks before arriving in Venice. The day before we decided to move from ware bud to water taxi. Through the whole booking process Marziaaas quick and helpful. Our day was nearly perfect! Seeing glass artisans at work and getting a full sense of the range of techniques and styles of glass making. After some strolling and shopping- she brought us to a small islan connected to Burano and through a gorgeous resort and censuses where we sampled some golden wine made in small production. Then off to Burano for exploring the island and all its beauty- ending with a stunning lunch. Marzia was knowledgeable, cool, accommodating and fun. Book her tour in a heartbeat! Murano, Burano and a Surpise

Esther🇩🇪 Germany

10 August 2023

Die Tour war ein perfekter Start in unsere Zeit in Venedig! Marzia hat uns das eigentliche Venedig gezeigt und „nebenher“ Geschichte sowie wunderbare Geschichten einfließen lassen. So eine Tour mit einer echten Venezianerin ist etwas ganz Besonderes!Tolle erwte Schritte in Venedig!

John

9 August 2023

We were so lucky to have Marzia as a tour guide for our family of four. Wonderful stories, insights and knowledge. Charming and informed, Marzia is a great local guide - and kept us all (including both teenagers!) engaged as we walked around the Castello neighbourhood. Best walking tour in Venice

Amy

9 August 2023

Marzia was OUTSTANDING! Her knowledge was second to none. She is clearly passionate about the landmarks she showed us. In all of our travels, I truly rank Marzia as one of our top tour guides. Thank you Marzia for everything! Outgoing and Kind

Pearl🇦🇺 Australia

30 July 2023

We spent a wonderful 3 hours with Marzia learning so much about life in Venice from a real Venetian. We started out as strangers and ended up as friends. She was friendly, knowledgeable and a great communicator.Marzia is Marvellous

Daniel🇩🇪 Germany

24 July 2023

Wow! We had an amazing time with Marzia, vistiting the quieter parts of Vencie. She was very kind, knowledgeable and serviceoriented. She even paid for our drinks as we took a short brake, gave us free tickts for the public transportation (ACTV), extened the tour by one hour and gave us great tips for the rest of our time in Venice. I have been on many private tours and Marzia was absolutely one of the best. Marzia was amazing

Ashley🇺🇸 United States

23 July 2023

Marzia was an amazing host. This was a wonderful tour with an extraordinary woman that grew up in Venice. We loved getting her perspective on the city and learned so much. It was absolutely incredible.Excellent Tour