One evening in Venice feels like home. This wine tasting with Liuba and Hugo takes place in their own place, where cichetti (Venetian tapas) meet a carefully paced flight of wines.

I love the structured tasting flow: you start with a bubbly Prosecco-style sip, then shift to Lugana (white), Valpolicella (red), and end with a sweet wine.

The only real drawback is practical: the house is on the third floor with no lift, so it is not a good pick if stairs are a deal-breaker.

Key things that make this evening special

• Four wines, one clear arc: bubble → white → red → sweet, with food matched each step
• Small group size (max 6) keeps it personal and easy to ask questions
• All-home-made food, even the bread, with classic Venetian flavors like sardines in saor
• Cichetti that lean local, not tourist-plate style, paired by a working sommelier
• Real host energy from Liuba and Hugo, with lots of conversation at a true home table

Why this Venetian home tasting beats another bar crawl

Venice is full of wine bars, but most end up feeling like stop-and-go eating. This experience is different because you sit down in a home setting and treat the evening like a mini course meal with wine in the right moments.

What you get is not just food and drink. You get context: Liuba, a wine enthusiast and sommelier, leads the tasting and frames the wines in plain language. Hugo, an experienced chef, drives the food side, so the plates don’t feel random. The result is the kind of evening that helps you connect the dots between what you’re tasting and why Venetians eat the way they do.

Also, the pacing matters. Over about 2 hours 30 minutes, you’ll move through a complete tasting arc without rushing. You’re not waiting in line for the next table, and you’re not juggling a crowded room while trying to understand wine.

Meeting Liuba and Hugo: small-group, sommelier-led wine talk

You’ll start the night at Calle Foscari, 3246 at 6:00 pm, and from there you’re guided to their home for the evening. The group stays small—up to 6 travelers—so you’re not just another pair of hands being poured wine. This matters in Venice, where loud rooms can drown out the fun.

Liuba’s role is the wine engine. She’s the one building the tasting sequence: how each wine shows up, what to notice, and how it plays with what’s on your plate. Hugo’s role is the food anchor. He prepares the cichetti and typical products at home, including bread, which is a small detail that actually signals how seriously they treat this night.

One bonus from the way the hosts run the table: the menu can be adjusted for dietary restrictions when needed. That’s not a guarantee written into the basics, but it is something they can do in practice, so it’s worth asking when you book.

The 4-wine flight: bubble, Lugana white, Valpolicella red, sweet finish

You’ll taste four wines in a set sequence, and the order is part of the point. Starting with a bubbly wine keeps things light and makes your palate ready for savory bites. Then the tasting shifts to whites and reds, and finally a sweet wine brings the evening home.

Here’s what that looks like in the sample flow:

• Start: Prosecco + mixed fish cichetti

You begin with a bubble while fish-focused bites arrive, like sardines in saor and creamed cod. This pairing is a smart match: acidity and bubbles help cut through richness and keep the food tasting fresh rather than heavy.

• White tasting: Lugana

For the white wine segment, you get plates like a savory croissant filled with mortadella and stracchino, with pistachio grains, plus a pumpkin meatball. Lugana’s style is meant to play well with these salty, creamy flavors without flattening them.

• Red tasting: Valpolicella

Next comes the red phase with meat cichetti, including a burger patty and a selection of cheeses. Valpolicella is a solid choice when you want red wine to feel friendly with everyday food rather than overly serious or tannic.

• Dessert: sweet wine + dessert tasting

You finish with a sweet wine and dessert options such as tiramisu or typical Venetian biscuits. Ending here isn’t just for dessert lovers. It’s also a palate reset after savory and wine. Sweet wine can make the last bites feel like a finish line instead of an afterthought.

If you like wine but don’t want a school lecture, this format is a good fit. You’ll get explanation and tasting cues, but you’ll also be busy eating and chatting—exactly how a good night should work.

Hugo’s cichetti spread: fish, savory bites, cheese, and dessert

Cichetti are where Venice gets interesting. They’re small plates that reflect local habits: quick bites, shared tables, and flavors that mix sea and land. In this evening, Hugo’s cooking brings those traditions to your table in a way that feels structured but still relaxed.

The menu is built around a few clear themes:

Seafood starters

You’ll see fish-forward plates early, with mixed fish cichetti paired with Prosecco. The standout items in the sample include sardines in saor (that sweet-sour Venetian profile) and creamed cod. If you’ve only had Venetian food as an afterthought from a menu at lunch, this is a better introduction.

Savory handheld-style bites

During the white wine portion, the food leans savory and shareable: a croissant with mortadella, stracchino, and pistachio grains, plus a pumpkin meatball. This part is a nice reminder that Venetian eating isn’t only seafood-heavy. It’s also about comfort flavors and small, satisfying portions.

Meat cichetti and a cheese moment

For the red wine phase, you’ll get meat cichetti such as a burger patty, then a selection of cheeses. This is one of the most useful pairings of the night if you’re trying to understand how wine matches fat, salt, and texture.

Dessert that doesn’t skip the local vibe

The sweet wine portion ends with tiramisu or typical Venetian biscuits. Either way, it keeps the evening in the Venetian lane rather than turning it into a generic Italian restaurant finish.

One thing I really like about the way the food is described: it’s not just a list of items. It’s a sequence where each step sets you up for the next one, so you don’t end up with too many strong flavors at once.

Logistics you’ll want to plan for (stairs, timing, and the day-trip fee)

This is the part you should check early so you’re not stuck deciding at the last minute.

Stairs and no lift

The house is on the third floor, and there is no lift. The experience is also explicitly not recommended for people who cannot climb stairs. Venice is full of hidden verticality, but this one is extra important because you’re coming for a two-and-a-half-hour evening at the top.

Start time and length

The start time is 6:00 pm, and the experience runs about 2 hours 30 minutes. That’s a good dinner-alternative slot. It can also help you avoid late-night crowds if you prefer an earlier evening.

Near public transportation

The meeting point is described as near public transportation, which matters because getting across Venice can take longer than you expect.

Day-trip access fee on certain dates

If you’re staying outside Venice and visiting for the day, you might need to pay a €5 access fee on some dates. The rules and exemptions are handled through the city at https://cda.ve.it, so it’s worth checking before you lock in your plan.

Mobile ticket and group limit

You’ll use a mobile ticket, and the cap is 6 travelers. That small size is part of the value—more conversation, less waiting, and an easier time for the hosts to manage the tasting flow.

If you’re okay with stairs and you want a real evening, the logistics are manageable. If not, it can become the whole story, and this is not the kind of evening you want to muscle through.

Price and value: what $102.41 covers (and what it doesn’t)

At $102.41 per person for about 2.5 hours, you’re paying for a full tasting night, not just a couple of sips and small snacks.

Here’s what’s included:

• Personal sommelier tasting guidance
• Tasting of 4 wines
• Venetian cichetti with a full table spread
• Glasses and place setting

What’s not included:

• Tips
• Anything not listed as included
• No hotel pickup/drop-off
• Not a private experience

So the value isn’t only the wine. It’s the pairing plus the chef-driven cichetti, at a home setting with a small group. In Venice, that combination usually costs more when you move from home tables to restaurants with less personalization.

Also, this is the kind of activity that often sells out because there are only 6 spots. If you see availability, booking ahead is wise. Planning early helps you avoid the classic Venice problem: your schedule looks flexible until it suddenly isn’t.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the experience starts, so you still have some breathing room if your trip shifts slightly.

Who should book this evening (and who should skip it)

This is a strong choice if you want:

• Wine tasting that actually teaches, without turning into a lecture
• Venetian cichetti prepared at a high standard in a home setting
• An evening that feels more social and conversational than transactional

It’s especially good for couples, friend groups (within the small limit), and solo travelers who like talking with hosts rather than just ordering and leaving.

Consider skipping if:

• Stairs are tough for you. This is third-floor, no lift.
• You’re traveling with minors, since the experience is not available for minors.
• You want a super casual walk-by experience. This is a sit-down evening with a set tasting flow.

If you’re the type who loves learning through food—sea flavors first, then meat and cheese, then dessert—this format will click.

Should you book Venice like a local at Liuba and Hugo’s?

I’d book it if you want an authentic Venetian night that mixes wine guidance, home-made cichetti, and real hospitality, all in a tight small group. The four-wine arc is well matched to the food sequence, and the hosts’ roles (Liuba for wine, Hugo for cooking) keep the experience focused.

I’d skip it if you can’t handle stairs or if you’re looking for something hands-off and purely sightseeing-focused. This is a commitment to the evening, and the third-floor climb is part of the deal.

If your comfort level matches the basics, this is the kind of experience that makes Venice feel less like a checklist and more like a place where people actually eat and drink.

FAQ

How many wines will I taste?

You’ll taste 4 wines during the evening, moving from bubbly to white, then red, and ending with a sweet wine.

What food is included with the wine tastings?

The experience includes Venetian cichetti (venetian tapas) and typical products prepared by the host chef. The sample menu includes items like sardines in saor, creamed cod, mortadella and stracchino, cheeses, and dessert such as tiramisu or Venetian biscuits.

How long is the experience?

It lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Where do I meet, and when does it start?

You meet at Calle Foscari, 3246, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy. The start time is 6:00 pm.

Is the venue wheelchair accessible or does it have a lift?

No lift is available, and the house is on the third floor. It is not recommended for those who cannot climb stairs.

Is it suitable for minors?

No. The experience is not available for minors.

Are there any extra fees I should know about?

If you are staying outside Venice and visiting for the day, you may be required to pay a €5 access fee on certain dates. Check details and exemptions at https://cda.ve.it.

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