Strangers in Venice
A long candlelit table in a private Venetian home, guests seated, one chair still empty

Venice · by invitation

Strangers
in Venice

Private dinners. Unexpected connections.

11 guests1 hostSecret locations

English & Spanish dinners

Join the invitation list

The idea

Come as a stranger. Leave with a story.

One table, eleven people you have never met, and an evening that does not look like any other night in Venice.

No tourist menu, no small talk about work, no group of friends at the next table. A private home, a real kitchen, a host who knows how to start a conversation and when to step back.

You do not choose who sits next to you. That is the point.

Twelve chairs. One is the host's. Eleven are waiting.

How it works

The evening starts long before dinner.

Every step arrives on your phone, on a personal page that changes as the date gets closer.

  1. Today

    You join the list

    Leave your name and the languages you speak. You get your number and your place in line.

  2. When a table opens

    The invitation reaches you first

    Date, language, price, menu outline and conditions, before you pay anything. You ask for a seat, alone or with one friend.

  3. 7 days before

    The menu is revealed

    You tell the kitchen what you cannot eat. There is still time to adapt.

  4. 3 days before

    Your table takes shape

    No names. Only where your fellow strangers come from and one thing each chose to share.

  5. 24 hours before

    The door

    The address and how to get in. Then you ring a bell you have never rung before.

A wooden door left ajar on a narrow Venetian street at night, warm light on the wet stone

Secret locations

Different places, same spirit.

A piano nobile on a quiet canal. A wooden terrace above the roofs. A workshop that becomes a dining room for one night.

Every dinner is held in a private home or space in Venice. Only confirmed guests receive the exact address, the day before.

A dining table set for twelve in a Venetian piano nobile
The piano nobile
A long table on an altana, the wooden roof terrace of Venice, at dusk
The altana
A candlelit table set inside a Venetian craftsman's workshop
The workshop

The 8 rules

The rules of the dinner club.

Short, on purpose. They are what makes the table work.

  1. 11 guests, one host.

    Each dinner brings together at most eleven paying guests, plus the host.

  2. Come alone or with one friend.

    You can join on your own or with one person you know. Groups that already exist are not admitted.

  3. English or Spanish.

    Each evening has one main language, stated in the invitation. No certificate required.

  4. Everyone is welcome.

    Residents, expats, travellers, singles and couples. It is not a dating event and it is not a networking meeting.

  5. Different places, same spirit.

    Dinners are held in different homes and spaces in Venice. The exact address is sent to confirmed guests only.

  6. Respect the table.

    Respect, openness towards others, no intrusive or discriminatory behaviour.

  7. Be present.

    Phones stay discreet, conversations stay real, and you photograph other guests only with their consent.

  8. Booking is essential.

    Seats are limited. Price, menu, time, cancellation terms and food information are given before payment.

The invitation list

Your chair is the empty one.

Seats are not sold to the public first. They are offered to the list, in order.

  • Invitations before anyone else
  • Only the languages you speak
  • Bring one person, move up the line
Languages you are happy to dine in
You and Venice

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Questions

Before you ask.

What is Strangers in Venice?

Strangers in Venice is a private dinner club in Venice, Italy. Each dinner seats eleven guests who have never met and one host, at a single table in a private home or space. The exact address is revealed to confirmed guests 24 hours before.

How do I get a seat?

Join the invitation list with your email and the languages you speak. When a dinner opens in one of your languages you receive the invitation with date, price, menu outline and conditions. You request a seat and we confirm it.

How much does a dinner cost?

The price changes with the place and the menu. It is always written in the invitation, together with what is included, before you pay anything.

Can I come alone?

Yes, most guests do. You can also come with one person you know. Groups of friends are not admitted, because the table is made for meeting new people.

Is it a dating event?

No. It is not a dating event and not a professional networking meeting. Residents, expats, travellers, singles and couples are all welcome.

Which languages are spoken?

Each dinner has one main language, English or Spanish, stated in the invitation. You do not need a certificate: you only need to enjoy a conversation in that language.

Where do the dinners take place?

In private homes and spaces in Venice, different every time. Only confirmed guests receive the exact address, the day before the dinner.

Who cooks, and what about allergies?

Dinner is prepared by a licensed catering service. The menu is revealed seven days before, and you can tell us about allergies and food you do not eat from your personal page.

Can I cancel?

Cancellation terms are written in each invitation, before payment.