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October 17th, 2012

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I have heard (but not believ’d) the spirits of the dead May walk again - William Shakespeare (The Winter’s Tale, 3.3) tours-italy, Italian vacations, Italian walking tours, ghosts in Venice

Not everyone believes in ghosts, but ghost stories have been popular around the globe and across cultural boundaries for all time. Human mortality, weakness, and tales of love lost and wrongs never put right make for wonderfully compelling stories.

Walking ghost tours have attracted tourists across North America and Europe in particular, typically at historic sites or places that were once inhabited by famous (or infamous!) people.

Venice is renowned for its beauty and fascinating history. The entire city is actually a World Heritage Site and has been inhabited since as early as 10 BC. Any city with the kind of past that Venice boasts is ripe with colourful characters and interesting events.

Tour a City of Ghosts

The secrets of the ghosts of Venice lie in the hands of expert storytellers schooled in the art of entertaining storytelling and equally well versed in the Venice hidden from most modern visitors.

Walking through the ancient streets, navigating narrow passageways and exploring age-old piazzas travellers learn of mysteries and unexplained paranormal encounters from gifted tour guides. The timing of such walking tours is typically after dark for as we know the shadows of night lend a certain ambiance to stories of the spirit kind.

The lawn
Is pressed by unseen feet, and ghosts return
Gently at twilight, gently go at dawn,
The sad intangible who grieve and yearn….
- T.S. Eliot

 

Tour a City of Legends

Venice is a city of legends, with the older parts of the city built over by each new generation. Every single day people tread – most unknowingly – over the ancient burial places of Venetian nobles and commoners alike, long forgotten and covered by modern roads and buildings. Secret passageways guard memories of olden times, closely tied to stories of intrigue and daring as you may expect. Amazing architecture lies hidden, just waiting for expert guides to speak to what once was and how it came to be forgotten.

Naturally ghost stories are made all the more poignant by stories of romance or the horrors of bygone days in prisons.

The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth.
- Emily Brontë (Wuthering Heights)

It is not hard to see how a country known for its passionate people and centuries of political intrigue would give spirits plenty of reasons to linger. And Venice itself has been home to its share of scandal, high society, and corruption. It was a maritime power from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance and a centre for commerce (and consequently wealthy) for centuries. Today it is considered one of the most romantic cities in the world.

There is more to discover in Venice, with its famous canals – much more than what merely meets the eye.

Do you think you’re up to encountering the ghosts of Venice?