Introduction

Welcome to Venice, the enchanting city of canals, art, and timeless creativity. Guided by Peter de Kuster, the world-famous storyteller, this two-day walking tour invites you to embark on The Hero’s Journey—a transformative exploration of Venice’s inspiring heroes and their enduring passion for creation. As you wander through Venice’s iconic landmarks and hidden gems, you will reflect on your own story: how to craft a life and work you love so deeply that retirement becomes irrelevant. Inspired by creators who worked passionately until their final days, this journey blends discovery, reflection, and inspiration in one of the world’s most magical cities.

Day 1: The Call to Adventure

Timeline: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

• 9:00 AM – Meeting Point at St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
  Begin your journey at Venice’s heart, St. Mark’s Square. Peter de Kuster introduces The Hero’s Journey story model, inviting you to reflect on your own call to adventure: What drives your passion? What is your quest?
• 9:30 AM – St. Mark’s Basilica and Campanile
  Explore the grandeur of St. Mark’s Basilica and ascend the Campanile for breathtaking views of Venice. Reflect on how visionaries like architects and artists shaped this masterpiece over centuries.
• 11:00 AM – Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs
  Step into the Doge’s Palace, a symbol of leadership and creativity. Cross the Bridge of Sighs while contemplating transitions in your own life story—the moments that led you to embrace your passions.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch Break at a Bacaro (Venetian Wine Bar)
  Enjoy Venetian cicchetti (small plates) at a local bacaro near Rialto Bridge while discussing how passion fuels creativity with Peter.
• 2:00 PM – Rialto Bridge and Market
  Walk across Rialto Bridge and visit its bustling market. Reflect on how commerce and creativity intertwine in building legacies that last centuries.
• 3:30 PM – Peggy Guggenheim Collection
  Dive into modern art at Peggy Guggenheim’s former home. Reflect on her story as a patron who dedicated her life to art—a testament to passion never retiring.
• 5:30 PM – Evening Reflection by the Grand Canal
  Conclude the day with a group discussion led by Peter about embracing challenges as opportunities for transformation in your personal narrative.

Day 2: Transformation and Return

Timeline: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• 9:00 AM – Meeting Point at Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell’Accademia)
  Start the day with reflections on transformation—the pivotal stage in every hero’s journey. How are you evolving through your passions?
• 9:30 AM – Gallerie dell’Accademia
  Explore masterpieces from Venetian painters like Titian and Tintoretto. Reflect on the enduring impact of artistic creation across centuries.
• 11:00 AM – Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
  Visit this stunning basilica built as an offering during Venice’s plague years. Consider how adversity can inspire monumental creativity.
• 12:30 PM – Lunch Break at Campo Santa Margherita
  Relax in one of Venice’s vibrant squares while discussing the importance of balancing work with leisure—a cornerstone of Peter’s philosophy.
• 2:00 PM – Teatro La Fenice
  Tour Venice’s iconic opera house, which rose from fire multiple times. Reflect on resilience and rebirth in your own life story.
• 4:00 PM – Libreria Acqua Alta
  Discover this quirky bookstore where books are stored in gondolas to protect them from flooding. Reflect on how unconventional solutions can preserve creativity.
• 5:00 PM – Final Reflection at St. Mark’s Square
  Gather one last time with Peter de Kuster to revisit lessons from The Hero’s Journey. Share insights about how this experience has reshaped your vision for life and work.

Conclusion

As your journey through Venice ends, take away these questions for deeper reflection:

1. What is your personal call to adventure? What drives you every day?
2. How do you integrate passion into your work so it feels timeless?
3. What legacy do you want to create through your life’s work?
4. How can resilience and transformation shape your hero’s journey?

Venice has shown us that passion is eternal—it transcends age, challenges, and even time itself. Guided by Peter de Kuster, this walking tour has been more than sightseeing; it has been an invitation to rewrite your own story as a creator who never wants to retire from what they love most. Let Venice inspire you to live fully, create boldly, and embrace every chapter ahead!

Tour Details:

• Duration: 2 days
• Start Time: 09:30 AM
• End Time: 07:00 PM
• Cost: € 1.095 per person excluding VAT per person and excluding hotel accomodation

You can book this tour by sending Peter an email with details at peter@wearesomeone.nl

Your Tour Guide

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project,  a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.

Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing,  MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.