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Follow the footsteps of Hugo Pratt and his sea-roving hero Corto Maltese through Venice’s quieter calli and secret courtyards. This two-hour walking tour pairs comic lore with tight-city navigation and local history.
Follow the footsteps of Hugo Pratt and his sea-roving hero Corto Maltese through Venice’s quieter calli and secret courtyards. This two-hour walking tour pairs comic lore with tight-city navigation and local history.
You step off a busy campo and the city narrows — alleys fold like pages and a damp breath of canal air follows. The guide points up: a faded mural here, a courtyard door there, and suddenly the map of Venice reads like a comic strip. For two hours you move through pockets of silence where Corto Maltese might have slipped between shadows and tide.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by deTourist Venice Valerio Coppo · Venice, Veneto
You step off a busy campo and the city narrows — alleys fold like pages and a damp breath of canal air follows. The guide points up: a faded mural here, a courtyard door there, and suddenly the map of Venice reads like a comic strip. For two hours you move through pockets of silence where Corto Maltese might have slipped between shadows and tide.
Venice is both built and borrowed from the lagoon: silty foundations, wooden piles, and Byzantine and Gothic façades that lean toward the water. Hugo Pratt made the city a character in his work, using real calli and campielli as settings for his seafaring antihero. The tour threads Pratt’s places — hidden courtyards, an unusual sottoportico and a bridge called de la Nostalgia — and layers them with local lore: merchant histories, the old Jewish Ghetto nearby, and the practicalities of life where high tide still matters.
Expect cobbled routes, narrow bridges and low-arched doorways; the walk is leisurely but requires steady footing. The guide reads panels from Pratt and points out architectural details, making literary references tangible. Photographic stops are frequent and intentionally small-group to preserve the mood.
Practical notes: the tour runs about 2 hours, is stroller-accessible in parts but includes steps, and public transport links are a short walk away. Bring a compact rain layer, comfortable shoes, and coins or a contactless card for a vaporetto if you extend your wander. Morning or late afternoon timing reduces crowds and lets light pool in the courtyards — ideal for both reading and looking.
easy.
2 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels; you should be able to walk on uneven, flat terrain for two hours and manage short flights of steps.
Yes — the tour is family-friendly and partly stroller-accessible, though some sections include steps and narrow bridges where you may need to carry a stroller.
No — this is a walking tour of public and semi-private spaces focused on sites tied to Hugo Pratt and the Corto Maltese stories; interiors requiring tickets are not part of the standard route.
The tour price does not include the municipal access fee that may apply to day visitors from outside Venice; check current rules and exemptions before travel.
Yes — photography is permitted in public spaces; bringing a comic strip enhances the experience and the guide often references Pratt’s panels during stops.
Hugo Pratt (20th century) set many Corto Maltese adventures in Venice, using actual calli and bridges as backdrops; this tour traces those literary waypoints alongside local merchant and lagoon histories.
Venice’s fragile foundations and overtourism require care: stick to marked paths, avoid entering private courtyards without permission, and respect the municipal access rules designed to protect the city.
deTourist Venice Valerio Coppo operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step off a busy campo and the city narrows — alleys fold like pages and a damp breath of canal air follows. The guide points up: a faded mural here, a courtyard door there, and suddenly the map of Venice reads like a comic strip. For two hours you move through pockets of silence where Corto Maltese might have slipped between shadows and tide.
You step off a busy campo and the city narrows — alleys fold like pages and a damp breath of canal air follows. The guide points up: a faded mural here, a courtyard door there, and suddenly the map of Venice reads like a comic strip. For two hours you move through pockets of silence where Corto Maltese might have slipped between shadows and tide.
Venice is both built and borrowed from the lagoon: silty foundations, wooden piles, and Byzantine and Gothic façades that lean toward the water. Hugo Pratt made the city a character in his work, using real calli and campielli as settings for his seafaring antihero. The tour threads Pratt’s places — hidden courtyards, an unusual sottoportico and a bridge called de la Nostalgia — and layers them with local lore: merchant histories, the old Jewish Ghetto nearby, and the practicalities of life where high tide still matters.
Expect cobbled routes, narrow bridges and low-arched doorways; the walk is leisurely but requires steady footing. The guide reads panels from Pratt and points out architectural details, making literary references tangible. Photographic stops are frequent and intentionally small-group to preserve the mood.
Practical notes: the tour runs about 2 hours, is stroller-accessible in parts but includes steps, and public transport links are a short walk away. Bring a compact rain layer, comfortable shoes, and coins or a contactless card for a vaporetto if you extend your wander. Morning or late afternoon timing reduces crowds and lets light pool in the courtyards — ideal for both reading and looking.