In our time, the name “Casanova” has become a household name. Perhaps this tour will allow you to understand the secret of the success of this tireless seducer of women’s hearts. You will see the places of Casanova’s youth: the house where he was born, the San Samuele church, where he tried his hand as a preacher. The route follows in the footsteps of Giacomo Casanova – the great seducer, about whom the most books have been written and a huge number of films have been made.
You will visit the places described in his memoirs, where the atmosphere of gallant adventures of the great libertine has been preserved, and you will be transported to the 18th century, the age of music, endless carnival, and chichisbeos. In this portrait of Casanova – a visitor to fashionable salons, an adventurer, and a conqueror of women’s hearts, you will discover the way of life of an era that ended with the adventures of another Venetian “Casanova” Lord Byron.
Venice, free from religious fanaticism, geopolitical ambitions, and bourgeois hypocrisy, attracted like a magnet adventurers, idlers, blatant scoundrels, and, why not, aesthetes, poets, composers – creative people of Europe – in search of inspiration and adventure.
The journey begins at Palazzo Merati on Fondamenta Nuova, which now belongs to Count d’Odiффre de Greu, where Casanova’s mother and sister lived. In these rich apartments, there is still a alcove with a bed and canopy, where the great seducer indulged in amorous pleasures with Venetian ladies. Next, you will head to Campo San Maurizio, where the scandalous erotic poet Giorgio Baffo lived, who undoubtedly had a great influence on the young Casanova. Returning to St. Mark’s Square, which with its cozy cafes and hidden corners became the arena for many secret meetings of the great Casanova, you will see the famous gaming house Ridotto, where young seducers squandered whole fortunes and indulged in debauchery. You will also be able to visit the Doge’s Palace and see the cell where Casanova was imprisoned, convicted of heresy and a free lifestyle, and from where he successfully escaped in the company of a monk who acknowledged too many illegitimate children. You will hear many legends and tall tales, and of course, you will be able to let your imagination run wild.
Advance booking of tickets for the secret routes of the palace is required.
