THIS is Venice as you’ve most likely never seen it before – completely deserted long after the last day-trippers have left, the cafés and bars have closed and La Serenissima finally slumbers. It is the moment the canal city finally belongs to itself.

Leading Venetian tour guide Igor Scomparin, who shot to worldwide fame leading virtual tours of his beloved city on the Heygo platform in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been out and about with his camera … at 3.30am.

And the results are breathtakingly beautiful.

“There is a moment in Venice that most travellers never see,” he says. “It doesn’t happen in front of St. Mark’s Square at midday, surrounded by thousands of cameras. It doesn’t happen on the crowded span of the Rialto Bridge, where movement feels more like a current than a walk.

“It happens later. Much later. When the last day-trippers leave, when the voices fade, and when Venice finally exhales. I wanted to photograph Venice at night because that’s when the city becomes real again. 

“During the day, Venice is beautiful – but it’s also overwhelmed. Crowds, noise, movement, distractions. You don’t hear the water. You don’t notice the details. You don’t feel the city.

“At night, everything changes.

“The canals turn into mirrors; the lights soften the façades; footsteps echo instead of disappearing into noise. And suddenly, Venice is no longer a destination. It’s a place. No people. No chaos. Just the essence of a city that has been standing for more than 1,500 years.”

Asked to sum up the feel of the city at night, Igor, who leads face-to-face guided tours of Venice, as well as occasional virtual tours, chooses three words: “Silent. Intimate. Timeless.

“There is a calm that feels almost unreal,” he explains. “A kind of suspended time, where you’re not sure if you’re in the present or somewhere centuries ago. You walk through narrow calli with no one around; you hear the water gently touching the stone.

“A single light reflects across the canal and, for a moment, you understand something most visitors never do: Venice is not meant to be rushed. It’s meant to be felt.”

The introduction of a tourist tax, requiring day-trippers to fork out between five and ten euros at peak periods to avoid overcrowding has not, says Igor, dented the tourist trade.

“Despite all the headlines around the introduction of the tourist access fee, Venice continues to welcome millions of visitors every year,” he says. “The idea behind the tax was to regulate day-trip tourism and reduce overcrowding but, in reality, the impact has been limited.

“Why? Because Venice is not a place people skip over a small fee. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many travellers—especially Americans, who plan their trips months, or years, in advance. A small additional cost doesn’t change that decision.

“What we are seeing instead is slightly more awareness about peak days, and some behavioural adjustments, but no real decrease in overall demand. Venice remains one of the most desired destinations in the world, and it will likely stay that way.”

He recommends that visitors explore the city outside peak hours.

“The real Venice exists between the moments,” he explains. “There’s a paradox: the more people try to see it, the harder it becomes to truly experience it. That’s why the best moments are always outside the obvious hours.

“Early morning, late evening. Even better, at night.

“Because that’s when Venice gives something back. Not a show; not a postcard, but something real. It’s a different way to experience the city. If you really want to understand Venice, you don’t need more time – you need the right time. And sometimes, that means walking through the city when everyone else is gone.

“That’s when stories emerge. That’s when details matter. That’s when Venice stops performing, and starts existing.”

Igor’s company Tour Leader Venice provides private tours and experiences, walking with a local, avoiding the crowds and discovering the authentic side of the city. For more information head over to his website www.tourleadervenice.com. You can also follow Igor’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

Images in this post courtesy of Igor Scomparin.

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