podtour
The Venice Ghetto
In 1516 a councillor proposed shutting the Jews of Venice into a place "like a castle".
San Polo and Santa Croce: Courtesans, Turks and Runaway Lovers: audio walk in Venice
The Venice that locked people away and kept watch – Turkish merchants behind a wall, prostitutes in a single street, daughters in their palaces – and the people who slipped through its fingers: a fifteen-year-old girl who ran off with a bank clerk, a murderer hiding under a false name, and the diarist who wrote it all down.
What this walk is about
Away from the queues, between Santa Croce and San Polo, Venice shows you how it kept control of anyone who didn't fit in. You start at the fondaco where the Ottoman merchants lived behind a wall, and discover that its towers are nineteenth-century. You carry on past the millet granaries that gave a doge his nickname, and the house of Marin Sanudo, the man who wrote everything down. You pass the printing works of Aldus Manutius, next to the demolished house of a traitor, and reach Campo San Polo: a duke-killer lived here under a false name until they found him, and the same square held festivals with bulls. Then comes Bianca Cappello, who ran away for love and ended up a grand duchess, and the Carampane, the district where the Republic tried to gather the city's prostitution, with the most brazen bridge name in town. You finish in Campo San Cassiano, where even the priests ended up in an inspector's report.
- Start
- Four days locked inside
- Finish
- Who kept an eye on the priests?
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about everyday life and stories of love and scandal.
- 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
Four days locked inside
- 2
The towers that watched
- 3
The doge of the millet
- 4
The man who wrote everything down
- 5
Wolves, a family or a canal?
- 6
Two stones with something to say
- 7
The story of Messer Dario
- 8
Bonfires, bulls and masks
- 9
The escape at the Ponte Storto
- 10
Gathered in one place
- 11
The name that stayed
- 12
Who kept an eye on the priests?
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
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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A little welcome gift
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.