podtour
The Doge's Palace from Outside: Conspiracies, Prisons and Casanova
The Republic defended itself with stone, silence and erased memory.
Castello and the Arsenal: Vivaldi, an Elephant and Lepanto: audio walk in Venice
The Venice of the sea: Greeks and Dalmatians with a church of their own, a runaway elephant that ended up in a church, Vivaldi's orphan musicians, the baby who wasn't expected to survive, the shipyard that amazed Dante, the Lepanto gate and a Greek lion with Viking runes.
What this walk is about
Castello lived off the sea, and off the people who arrived by it. You start with the Greeks who built their own church and the Dalmatians who gave the Riva its name, then follow the trail of an elephant that escaped in 1819 to the church where it was killed. At the Pietà, a stone plaque that curses anyone who abandons children they could afford to raise, and the choir girls who played Vivaldi's music; at the Bragora, the baby baptised in a hurry and the earthquake that never happened. You finish in front of the Arsenal: the shipyard Dante used to describe hell, the gate that remembers Lepanto and Don John of Austria, a lion from Piraeus carved with runes by Scandinavian soldiers, and a king's visit, with the galley said to have been built for him during a meal.
- Start
- The Greeks and their bell tower
- Finish
- A galley built while the king ate
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about music and the sea and naval history. You can also enjoy it as a family.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The Greeks and their bell tower
- 2
The Dalmatian brotherhood on the waterfront
- 3
The elephant of Sant'Antonin
- 4
The foundlings and the warning on the wall
- 5
The girls who played Vivaldi's music
- 6
The boy who wasn't expected to survive
- 7
The Bandiera brothers
- 8
The shipyard in Dante's Hell
- 9
The gateway of Lepanto
- 10
A Greek lion with Viking runes
- 11
A galley built while the king ate
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Venice, before you go
In Venice, the shortest way depends on finding a bridge. Set off lightly loaded, in good shoes, with patience for the detours the water imposes.
More walks nearby
Zanipolo and Santa Maria Formosa: Heroes, Doges and Brides
You start in front of a marble church paid for with offerings to a street-corner image, and cross a bridge from which a bronze horse suddenly appears: Bartolomeo Colleoni left his money to Venice on one condition, which the Republic met in its own way.
Rialto: The Bridge, the Market and the Money
The Rialto was the financial centre of half of Europe, and its market.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.