Like a Virgin: gay life in Venice from the Middle Ages to present days | La Vacanza Travel

Like a Virgin: gay life in Venice from the Middle Ages to present days

Duration: 2 hours
Destination: Italy, Veneto, Venice
from
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  • 2 hours
  • Venice
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

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.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Campo San Giacomo da l'Orio, Campo S. Giacomo da l'Orio, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Fondamenta del Megio, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Chiesa Santa Maria Mater Domini, Campo Santa Maria Mater Domini Santa Croce 2123, 30135 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Ponte delle Tette, San Polo, 30125 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Chiesa di San Cassiano, Campo San Cassiano, 30125 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Campo San Cassiano, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Calle dell Ogio, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, Campo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Ruga dei Oresi, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

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

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Palazzo Ca' Zenobio, Sestiere Dorsoduro, 2596, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Chiesa di San Sebastiano, Campo San Sebastiano, 30123 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Campanile di San Marco, Sestiere San Marco 328, 30124 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Piazzetta San Marco, Piazzetta S. Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

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

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Harry's Bar, Sestiere San Marco 1323, 30124 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Riva degli Schiavoni, Between Doge's Palace and the Arsenale, Venice Italy

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

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Calle del Dose da Ponte, C. del Dose da Ponte, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

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

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Palazzo Dario, Campiello Barbaro, 352, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy

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

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Palazzo Mocenigo, Santa Croce 1992, 30125 Venice Italy

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 minutes

Stop At: Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Martino di Castello, Fondamenta del Piovan o Erizzo, 2294, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy

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 minutes

Inclusions
  • Tour Leader & Nature and Interpretive Guide

Exclusions
  • Gratuities
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Stroller accessible
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • 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
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

Campo San Giacomo da l'Orio, Campo S. Giacomo da l'Orio, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy


Departure Time

05:00 PM


Return Details

Rialto Bridge, Sestiere San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

2 hours


User's Reviews

marcgH20OY

10 Apr, 2024

Valerio guided us through Venice in the evening and its unusual links to LGBT history. He is a knowledgeable and professional guide who takes pride in his city of Venice. Separately, we went on his glass tour of Murano also. If you are a traveler who wants more from your visit than walking in the group behind the flag, then Valerio is for you!

V4171CVbeas

06 Apr, 2024

We received interesting details about gay (LGBT) life in Venice, although there could have been a bit more of those ‘kinky’ stories. Valerio was extremly flexible when we organized the tour, and also with the meeting point. He speaks very good English! We highly recommend him and his tours!

John G

15 Oct, 2022

This tour was a great introduction to the beauty of Venice, off the beaten path, and amazing information about gay life in Venice. Valerio’s knowledge is encyclopedic and his warmth and kindness are greatly appreciated. I only wish the tour lasted longer; the time flew and left us wanting more.

Edoardo C

12 Jul, 2021

The best to visit a city, to enter in its DNA is to see it from different perspectives, fishing in to a melting pot of real facts, myths and sayings. Valerio is able to make you living Venice though its history. With a pink flavour, good punch of empathy and a good historical knowledge of Venice growth from its Repubblica Marinara soul to the Austrian Hungarian time up to nowadays. Un tour piacevole dove Valerio lancia degli spunti e noi visitatori siamo invitati a rispondere, con la nostra sensibilita' e la nostra curiosita'. Un tour che merita di essere scelto.

E1517UFfeliciac

11 Apr, 2023

Molto interessante, la guida competente, simpatica, disponibile. Ci ha fatto scoprire curiosità e posti di Venezia che non conoscevamo.

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