The 6 Best Dark History Tours in Italy

1.Mysterious Tales of Ghosts and Murders

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 636 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $57Our pick

Walk from Campo San Bartolomio to St. Mark’s Square with an English-speaking Venetian guide such as Annalisa, Claudia, or Anna. Expect ghost legends, true crimes, local history, quiet lanes, and unusual details such as Marco Polo’s actual house. The tour is family-friendly, but includes walking on uneven streets.

“Claudia was our guide, she was very knowledgeable and interesting and my 3 daughters and I really enjoyed it. We learnt some of the history of Venice alongside some of the haunted tales. Your very lucky if you have Claudia as your guide she is such a lovely person we are so glad we booked this tour x”

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2.Guided Bar Crawl with Drinks & Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

Join an English-speaking guide in Piazza della Madonna dei Monti for three hours of Roman history, local drinks, and social fun. Walk through Monti, once Rome’s red-light district, then visit atmospheric bars for spritz, wine, Carpano Classico, sambuca, and limoncello. Alcohol-free drinks are available, and guides may include Autumn, Ana, Michelle, Michal, Marley, or Irene.

“Michal and Ana were wonderful guides! The tour starts out and as one can guess, a large group of adults is pretty hesitant to come out of their shells, but through some very confident engagement and funny jokes these two guides get everyone interacting and having a wonderful time. This is not a tour for the timid, come ready to have fun and meet people! I'll never forget my catwalk moment pretending to be a Roman prostitute, not changing as we drank lemoncello from the bottle. tonnes of fun:)”

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3.Small Group Rome’s Dark Side – Ghosts & Legends Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 343 reviews · 2 hours · from $23Best value

Walk Rome’s darker streets with guides such as Ben, Arielle, Ivanna, and Ariel, hearing stories of murder, betrayal, poison, executions, and restless spirits. This two-hour, small-group tour visits Campo de’ Fiori, Ponte Sisto, Via Giulia, and Castel Sant’Angelo. Expect history and humor rather than costumes, jump scares, or ghost-hunting gadgets.

“Fun tour, interesting facts that I would have never known. Guide was energetic and kept it talkative amount the group.”

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4.Tipsy Tour: Guided Bar Crawl In Florence with Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 271 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $78Top rated

This three-hour Florence bar crawl begins by the Arno at 8 pm and mixes wine, two cocktails, and a shot with Medici scandals, brothel history, and wine-window lore. Guides such as Juliette, Didar, Anna, and Zofia lead the walk, which ends near Santa Croce. Expect games, conversation, and a group of up to 25.

“My brother and I had a blast making new friends, learning some of the scandalous history of Florence, playing drinking games, and sightseeing! Zofia was an excellent guide - she is very knowledgeable, kind, and fun! You will not regret booking this tour. :)”

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5.Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $24

Meet your English-speaking guide at 8 pm in Campo de’ Fiori for a two-hour walk through Rome’s darker stories. Hear about magicians, poisoners, executioners, a notorious pope, and a woman who ruled Rome. Guides such as Ben, Ivana, Ariel, and Alethea bring these tales to life for groups of up to 15, ending near Castel Sant’Angelo.

“Our guide, Ben, was very knowledgeable, informative, entertaining, and made us feel safe walking around the city at night. The stories he told were fascinating and he held our attention the entire time. We learned a lot about the city's history as well as the creepy stories that go along with it! Would definitely recommend this tour!”

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6.Rome Secrets: Dark History & Tasty Bites Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 2 hours · from $40

Follow an English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide through Rome’s Jewish Ghetto and Campo de’ Fiori. Hear stories of the Golem, Giordano Bruno, Giulia Tofana, and Mastro Titta while tasting Roman pizza, local sweets, beer, and wine. Guides such as Simona and Daniele bring unusual corners and darker tales to life.

“Great walking tour if you want to hear about some of the lesser known historical events and people of Rome and even if you don't it's worth going on just to meet Daniele (with one 'L') as he is brilliant!”

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