podtour
St Mark's Square: Basilica, Campanile and Bridge of Sighs
You start in front of a theatre named after the phoenix that burned down twice, then head on towards a church paid for to show off a family name, and a neighbour who wrote "God knows all".
From the Frari to San Barnaba: Painters, Punches and Players: audio walk in Venice
Named neighbours of San Polo and Dorsoduro: young Goldoni and his puppets, the shoemakers who signed their building, Tintoretto skipping a competition, the heiress of Dante's usurer, a war of fists on a bridge, and an 84-year-old doge who insisted on the grand staircase.
What this walk is about
A neighbourhood walk with a big cast. You start beside the house where Goldoni was born and in the campo where the shoemakers carved their guild's story in stone; then you cross a bridge named after an honest woman that nobody can explain. At the Frari, a Florentine lily on the façade and a sculptor's heart; at San Rocco, how Tintoretto won a commission without handing in a drawing. Then a stone brought back from Acre that nobody can find any more, the descendant of a usurer from Dante's Inferno who founded an almshouse, the bridge where the Castellani and the Nicolotti fought with their fists until the day the knives came out, and a murder uncovered not by a spy but by a gazette. You finish in front of the palace of a family that bought its noble name, and that of a doge whose ring they broke.
- Start
- The boy with the puppets
- Finish
- The doge who came down the grand staircase
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for art and theatre lovers. For anyone who enjoys neighbourhood life.
- 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 boy with the puppets
- 2
The shoemakers of San Tomà
- 3
The woman called honest
- 4
A Florentine lily and a heart of stone
- 5
Tintoretto skips the competition
- 6
The stone from Acre and Fumiani's ceiling
- 7
The great-granddaughter of Dante's moneylender
- 8
The war of fists
- 9
The knife fight that ended the bridge battles
- 10
The letter that exposed the murderers
- 11
The family who bought their surname
- 12
The doge who came down the grand staircase
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
From the Accademia to the Salute along the Zattere
You start by the Accademia Bridge, which the city council laughed at in 1488, which was built as a "temporary" bridge in 1933 and, rebuilt in the same shape, is still there; and in front of the galleries where the painting hangs that got Veronese questioned by the Inquisition.
San Polo and Santa Croce: Courtesans, Turks and Runaway Lovers
Away from the queues, between Santa Croce and San Polo, Venice shows you how it kept control of anyone who didn't fit in.
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.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.