AFTER DARK · DARK HISTORY TOURS IN ITALY

Top 15 Dark History Tours in Italy

24 tours  ·  from $4 a head

The 15 best dark history tours in Italy you can book tonight, with what each costs, how long it runs and how much walking it involves. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

The Dark Side of Florence: Mysteries and Legends - Starting with Medici scandal at Santissima Annunziata
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The Dark Side of Florence: Mysteries and Legends

1.The Dark Side of Florence: Mysteries and Legends

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,785 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $3Our pick

Walk from Santissima Annunziata to Ponte Vecchio with an English-speaking guide such as Antonio, Glenda, or Angela. Expect Medici intrigue, ghost stories, assassinations, torture, hidden symbols, and the memory of Florence’s 1993 mafia bombing. Dress warmly and wear good shoes.

“This was a tour that you need to do to experience another side of Florence. Antonio, our guide, was really funny and engaging - he delivered content in a way that was mysterious yet deadpan, he could honestly do standup comedy! We learned more about the history of Florence and there were some amazing things he pointed out that you otherwise would not have noticed while walking around the city. We spent 4 days in Florence and walked past the same places at least 3 times and never saw what Antonio pointed out to us, and the meaning behind them. Dress warmly if you are doing this in the cold…”

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Rome: Guided Bar Crawl with Drinks & Dark History - What happens during the three-hour route
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Rome: Guided Bar Crawl with Drinks & Dark History

2.Guided Bar Crawl with Drinks & Dark History

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

Start in Piazza della Madonna dei Monti for a three-hour English tour through Monti, Rome’s former red-light district. Guides such as Autumn, Ana, Michelle, and Michal mix local drinks, dark history, icebreakers, and several bars. Alcohol-free drinks are available, and the walk ends near Piazza Venezia.

“Marley is a historian of the city. Made my night so memorable!”

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Rome: Small Group Rome's Dark Side - Ghosts & Legends Tour - Campo de’ Fiori and Farnese Palace: beautiful places, harsh stories
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Rome: Small Group Rome’s Dark Side – Ghosts & Legends Tour

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

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

Walk Rome’s darker streets with guides such as Ben, Arielle, Ivanna, and Ariel. In two hours, you’ll hear sharp stories about executions, poisoners, betrayals, and alleged ghosts while visiting Campo de’ Fiori, Ponte Sisto, Via Giulia, and Castel Sant’Angelo. Expect humor, cobblestones, and no theatrical jump scares.

“Best thing we’d done in Rome and wish we’d done it on the first night. We learnt so much. Excellent.”

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Tipsy Tour: Guided Bar Crawl In Florence with Dark History - Via de’ Neri and Florence’s saucy past
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Tipsy Tour: Guided Bar Crawl In Florence with Dark History

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

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

Join Carpe Diem Tours at 8 pm for a three-hour Florence night out with wine, two cocktails, a shot, and stories of Medici scandals, brothels, and wine windows. Guides such as Zofia, Juliette, Anna, Didar, and Tonia lead the walk in English. A private upgrade is available.

“It was an absolutely wonderful time. I was in a small tour group of about 6-7 people total so the experience was very personal. There was a lot of time at each location we visited which I found to be very important as it didn’t feel rushed whatsoever. I certainly learned a lot personally not only about some of the history and significance of each location that we had visited but also the drinks that we had at each location. I also am allergic to nuts and while normally for drinks this is not a concern (apart from Amaretto) I still was incredibly appreciative of the care that was taken…”

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Florence: Dark Secrets & Scandals Evening Walking Tour - Meeting near Palazzo Strozzi
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Florence: Dark Secrets & Scandals Evening Walking Tour

5.Dark Secrets & Scandals Evening Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 120 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $16

Walk Florence after sunset with an English-speaking guide such as Stefano, Marcello, or Angela. Hear stories of Medici scandals, family feuds, and tragic romances while passing Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, and Ponte Santa Trinita.

“The tour was wonderfully A good easy walk. And Stefano was very patient, kind, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend if youre interested in a quick peek into Florentine history”

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Rome's Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour - Piazza Farnese reveals the darker side of a grand palace
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Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour

6.Rome’s Dark Side Ghosts and Legends Tour

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

Meet your English-speaking guide at Campo de’ Fiori at 8 p.m. for a two-hour walk through Rome’s darker history. Hear stories of magicians, popes, poisoners, and executioners, with a cafe break and a final stop at Castel Sant’Angelo. Groups are limited to 15 people.

“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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Crypts and Legends: Exploring the Dark Side of Rome - Starting at Piazza Barberini at 5 pm
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Crypts and Legends: Exploring the Dark Side of Rome

7.Crypts and Legends: Exploring the Dark Side of Rome

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 69 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $72

Start at 5 pm near Piazza Barberini and enter Rome’s eerie Capuchin Crypt before walking to Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, and Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte. Expect a small group, plenty of questions, and a mix of history, art, legends, and ghost stories.

“Estephania, our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the stops on the tour. She was also full of local recommendations and insights to make our visit to Rome memorable. She did a great job interpreting the meaning of the Capuchin crypts.”

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Venice: Private After Dark Tour and Gondola Ride - Beginning at Campo San Giacometto
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Venice: Private After Dark Tour and Gondola Ride

8.Private After Dark Tour and Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $289

Walk Venice with a private guide such as Gina, Lorenzo, Sabrina, or Francesca, hearing tales of ghosts, murders, and famous Venetians. Visit Rialto, St. Mark’s Square, Marco Polo’s house, and quiet lanes before a 30-minute gondola ride through central canals.

“This was more than we expected! Francesca was great and very knowledgeable! We learned so much about Venice and its history and the gondola ride was so peaceful and beautiful! We had a great time! Worth every penny!”

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Rome Secrets: Dark History & Tasty Bites Tour - Starting at Portico d’Ottavia in the Jewish Ghetto
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Rome Secrets: Dark History & Tasty Bites Tour

9.Rome Secrets: Dark History & Tasty Bites Tour

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

Follow an English-speaking guide such as Simona or Daniele from the Jewish Ghetto to Ponte Sant’Angelo, with tales of the Golem, Giordano Bruno, poisoners, and Rome’s executioner. Along the way, enjoy Roman pizza, a drink, and local sweets in a small-group or private setting.

“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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Bologna: Sipping Through the City After Dark Tour - Piazza Santo Stefano after sunset
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Bologna: Sipping Through the City After Dark Tour

10.Bologna: Sipping Through the City After Dark Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 29 reviews · 1h 30m · from $57

Start beneath Bologna’s Two Towers and walk through Via Zamboni, Piazza Verdi, Piazza Aldrovandi, and Piazza Santo Stefano. With guides such as Lorenzo, Luciano, and Illaria, you’ll hear local stories, taste amaro and wines, and get advice on where to eat and go next.

“Luciano did a great job guiding us around the city and sharing knowledge and history.”

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Rome's Dark Side: Ghosts, Scandals and Crypts - Small Group Tour - Starting at Piazza Trilussa and crossing Ponte Sisto
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Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Scandals and Crypts – Small Group Tour

11.Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Scandals and Crypts – Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $71

Walk from Piazza Trilussa to Piazza Navona with a small group of no more than 12. Hear ghost stories at Ponte Sisto, visit the long-closed crypt of the Confraternity of Death, and follow Rome’s darker past with guides such as Federica.

“My tour on the 7th was amazing! It was a lovely small group and the guide (and my other tour members!) were perfect - we had a great walk round listening to stories and seeing places we wouldn't ordinarily notice! Some places you have probably walked past but never realised the stories and bits of history linked to them. The Crypt was so interesting and it's church was just beautiful. Thank you to Sister Molly for being so kind as to let us visit - she's doing an amazing job looking after the church. If you are looking for something a little different this is definitely for you - I…”

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Haunted Rome & True Crime: The Cenci Curse Game - From famous squares to less expected corners
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Haunted Rome & True Crime: The Cenci Curse Game

12.Haunted Rome & True Crime: The Cenci Curse Game

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 27 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.) · from $7

Use the Questo app to follow clues through 10 eerie Rome landmarks, solve puzzles, and hear stories of ghosts, curses, and terrible crimes. This private, English-language game takes about 90 minutes to two hours, with no guide and no fixed group schedule.

“Lots of interesting and scary stories- saw different parts of Rome that are not on the usual tourist trail.”

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COMBO: Rome's Capuchin Crypts Tour & Rome's Dark Side Ghost Tour - Via Rasella brings the past into the modern era
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COMBO: Rome’s Capuchin Crypts Tour & Rome’s Dark Side Ghost Tour

13.COMBO: Rome’s Capuchin Crypts Tour & Rome’s Dark Side Ghost Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $66

Start at the Capuchin Crypts with a guide such as Ben, Ivana, or Alethea, then walk Rome’s center from Via Rasella to Castel Sant’Angelo. Expect skeletons, wartime tragedy, haunted fountains, poisoners, executions, and stories told with humor. The English tour lasts about four hours.

“This tour was fantastic. The guide was funny and entertaining. He told us history from a completely different perspective. We did this tour toward the end of our trip, so we had already seen some of the sights on different tours. I’m so glad that we went again. We saw the sights through totally new eyes. It was so much cooler to learn the personal history and lesser known facts. The tour was really well organized and researched. We also saw a lot of completely new sights. I feel like this tour helped us get to know the historical people of Rome better than any others. If you only do…”

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Secrets of Rome - The dark side Small Group Walking Tour - An executioner on Via del Banco di Santo Spirito
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Secrets of Rome – The dark side Small Group Walking Tour

14.Secrets of Rome – The dark side Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $31

Walk from Castel Sant’Angelo to Campo de’ Fiori with a guide such as Bryan, Arianna, Sarah, or Sonia Perrera, hearing ghost stories, execution tales, and crime stories along Rome’s old streets. The English tour costs $31.19, lasts about two hours, and has a maximum of 15 people.

“We loved our guide. He had a great grasp of Roman history and told interesting stories. Would do again.”

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Palermo's Dark Shades: Ghost, Crime and Tasting Walking Tour - Quattro Canti and Palermo’s public face
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Palermo’s Dark Shades: Ghost, Crime and Tasting Walking Tour

15.Palermo’s Dark Shades: Ghost, Crime and Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 1h 30m · from $45

Walk Palermo’s historic center with an English-speaking guide, hearing tales of ghosts, crime, poison, and the Mafia’s origins. Visit Quattro Canti, the Fountain of Shame, Vucciria, and the former Inquisition palace, with an arancina, wine, and Sicilian sweet along the way.

“sve od reda, zanimljivo i poucno i vodic prezakon :)”

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New in Dark History Tours in Italy

★ 5.0Torino Noir: walking tour in the dark side of the Roman QuadrilateralFrom $372 reviews
★ 4.5Rome Secrets with Dark History and Tasty Bites Tour ExperienceFrom $353 reviews
★ 5.0Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Scandals and Crypts – small groupFrom $702 reviews

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