Join Mysterious Adventures Tours and paranormal investigator Nick Groff & psychic medium Tessa Groff on an extraordinary journey into the shadowed heart of Italy—where beauty conceals betrayal, history bleeds through stone, and the past is never truly at rest. This re-imagined seven-day experience travels from the haunted waterways of Venice south through Renaissance intrigue and medieval cruelty, ultimately arriving in Rome, where your core journey concludes—and where deeper mysteries await those who choose to continue.

Your adventure begins in Venice, a city built on water, secrecy, and sorrow. Beneath its romantic façade lies a legacy of plague, political betrayal, and restless spirits. Drift through narrow alleys and candlelit canals on the Venice Dark Side Tour, then venture onto the water itself during the Dark Waters Ghost Boat experience, where cursed palaces and whispered legends emerge from the mist. You’ll explore haunting noble estates such as Villa Foscari (La Malcontenta) and Catajo Castle, where grief, murder, and spectral sightings are woven into the walls. Offshore, you’ll visit San Servolo, once an infamous asylum, now home to the Museum of Madness—before approaching the forbidden shores of Poveglia Island, Italy’s most feared plague island and mass grave for a paranormal investigation. Few dare to come this close.

Leaving Venice, the journey turns inward and darker still. Along the way, stop at two of northern Italy’s most atmospheric strongholds: Castello Estense in Ferrara, where imprisoned nobles and drowned prisoners are said to linger, and the Castle of Monselice, haunted by Avalda, a young woman whose tragic death echoes through its halls. These places of confinement, injustice, and sorrow serve as a chilling prelude to Tuscany.

In Florence, the Renaissance veneer cracks to reveal a city shaped by executions, inquisitions, and whispered curses. On the Florence Dark Side Tour, uncover stories of spectral nuns, political revenge, and haunted palaces hidden in plain sight. Then journey into the Tuscan hills to Volterra, a city marked by witchcraft legends, tragic spirits, and the remains of a former psychiatric asylum—where history and human suffering still leave an unmistakable imprint.

The 10-day journey concludes as you arrive in Rome, the Eternal City—where centuries of power, faith, and sacrifice converge. For some, this is the final chapter of an unforgettable passage through Italy’s shadowlands. For others, Rome becomes the gateway to an optional post-tour extension, where the deepest layers of Italy’s dark history will be revealed.

This is not a sightseeing itinerary.

It is a deliberate descent through Italy’s hidden veil—where ghosts linger, legends endure, and the stones remember everything.

Nick Groff, stellar paranormal investigator,  film producer, and supernatural influencer.

Nick Groff was born on April 19th, 1980, in San José, California. Raised in New England, he’s been fascinated with the paranormal since childhood because of his passion for horror movies and some inexplicable experiences within his home and family. His strong vivacity led him to risk his own life twice within one year; he considers the first and gravest time a near-death experience that made him more sensitive to the supernatural.

Groff’s first documentary film was “Ghost Adventures”. The movie aired in 2007 on the SyFy channel with a record-breaking 1.4 million viewers on a Friday night. Groff co-created, co-produced, edited, cinematographer and was an investigator on screen. Groff is the co-founder of GAC, “Ghost Adventures Crew”. “Ghost Adventures” was his first paranormal TV project, which he co-created, co-hosted, and executive-produced for ten seasons (2008-2014).

He worked on many projects in different fields, like writing his autobiography book titled “Chasing Spirits: The Building of the Ghost Adventures Crew” (2012).

Through his production company, Groff Entertainment, he produces some independent music artists besides his TV projects. Among his past important film projects are the movie he wrote and directed, “Malevolence” (2004), and the TV shows he executive-produced: Travel Channel’s “Vegas Stripped” (2012) and Destination America’s “Ghost Stalkers” (2014).

On November 24th, 2014, he announced to no longer be a part of the Ghost Adventures Crew and launched the Nick Groff Tour, through which he organizes events to meet his fans and investigate with them in America’s most haunted locations. His next show, “Paranormal Lockdown,” first premiered on March 4th, 201,6 on Destination America, breaking the ratings records of the network. It has been such a success that it was renewed for a second and third season and aired on TLC/ID, Discovery/Destination America.

In 2019, Paranormal Lockdown UK aired on QuestRed in the UK, which was a huge success in the United Kingdom helping the Discovery Inc. International channels. Paranormal Lockdown is airing worldwide.

Another show he has worked on was Destination America’s “Ghosts of Shepherdstown” (2016), where he was called to assist the Shepherdstown, WV, police department with his expertise in the paranormal field. He has two daughters: Annabelle, born on December 7, 2010, and Chloë, born on September 2, 2014, and has lived in New England since 2012. In 2020, his new project, “Death Walker” serie,s was announced. Groff’s projects are syndicated in over 50 countries worldwide!

Groff travels the world in search of discovering new findings within the unknown.

We are proud and truly excited to have Nick and his wife, Tessa, as part of our Mysterious Adventures Tours family, where he will be accompanying us to some of the most prominent international locations that hold the deepest secrets of the unknown and the unexplainable.

Tessa Groff, psychic medium

Around the age of four, after a near-death experience, Tessa began seeing and communicating with spirits. In her later years, her work as a medium overpowered what she could do in a clinical setting after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Education and. master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, so she decided to put her career aside and follow her passion as a medium relaying messages from spirit.

She was always very drawn to the paranormal world from a young age due to her constant interaction with spirits, and would frequently be asked to come to locations that experienced a lot of activity— to read the location and find out who or what was around. Tessa’s role as a medium began to take many different avenues, from private readings to paranormal work, as well as criminal investigations involving missing persons and homicides.

Tessa’s career took off as she began reading to people nationally and internationally around the world. From podcasts to local radio stations, Tessa began to connect with large audiences. Due to her background in the entertainment world as a dancer and an aerialist, she was always drawn to the stage. She knew for a very long time she wanted to be able to create a venue where people could witness spirit communication firsthand, which is when she decided to take the stage.

Tessa began reading to large live audiences in different venues, eventually leading to her live casino show, “A Glimpse,” which started to tour in 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Tessa transformed her live show into a podcast called “A Night with a Medium.” She then continued her live casino/venue shows as “Tessa DelZoppo: LIVE! With The Other Side,” which is currently touring.

Tessa has read and hosted many celebrity faces in the entertainment world, including actors from HBO’s famous series “The Sopranos”, TV personalities such as Bridget Marquardt, comedians, Disney animators, Cirque du Soleil performers, Broadway faces, and paranormal TV personalities. Tessa’s career continues to grow, and her continued passion for her ability as a medium continuously allows her to reach more and more people throughout the world.

In October 2021, Tessa married Nick Groff (of Ghost Adventures, Paranormal Lockdown, Death Walker). Tessa has appeared on Nick’s hit show “Death Walker” as the medium during investigations at The Myrtles Plantation and The Northeastern Hospital (where Tessa had her near-death experience as a child). The “paranormal power couple” has done multiple live venue shows together and created their web series “Deadtime with The Groff’s” (airing on YouTube & Facebook)

Tessa’s goal as a medium is to validate evidence that our loved ones ARE around and that they are safe and at peace. Tessa’s ability is meant to bring healing and closure by connecting our world to the spirit world and also to shed light on that burning question: “What happens when we die?”

Arrive: Venice Marco Polo

Depart: Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport

Venice: Novotel Venezia Mestre Castellana (or of the like)

Florence:  Hotel Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio

Rome: Mercure Roma Piazza Bologna

These Terms of Agreement, Policies, and Recommendations, referred to throughout this document as the “Terms and Conditions,” are offered for the purpose of supporting a safe, viable, organized, and quality tour or cruise package. 

These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire understanding and agreement between you, the tour or cruise participant, referred to as the “Traveler,” and Mysterious Adventures Tours LLC, referred to as “Mysterious Adventures Tours,” “MAT,” “we,” “our,” or “us,” with respect to any and all bookings, tours, cruises, travel packages, optional activities, add-ons, or transactions made with Mysterious Adventures Tours LLC. 

These Terms and Conditions govern your participation in any tour, cruise, travel package, optional activity, or related service organized, sold, or facilitated by Mysterious Adventures Tours LLC. By booking, paying, making a reservation, accepting a travel credit, participating in a payment plan, selecting a Buy Now Pay Later option, or participating in any tour or cruise, you acknowledge and agree to these Terms and Conditions. 

1. Acceptance 

Booking a tour, cruise, travel package, optional activity, or related service with Mysterious Adventures Tours LLC constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. 

Payment of any amount toward a tour or cruise, including a deposit, partial payment, full payment, installment payment, Buy Now Pay Later transaction, travel credit application, or other payment method, shall imply acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. 

By purchasing or reserving a tour or cruise, the Traveler acknowledges that they have reviewed, accepted, and agreed to the information, policies, responsibilities, limitations, payment requirements, and cancellation terms applicable to the tour or cruise selected. 

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As written in our Terms & Conditions, please note the following Cancellation Policies:

It is considered upon meeting the following standards and penalties: The collected deposit is not refundable at any time.  The balance due for the tour (and options) is subject to the following penalties, after the deposit is removed from the obligation.

• Within 150+ days prior to Tour Start Date: You will forfeit the 20% non-refundable booking commitment amount only. Any remaining eligible balance paid will be refunded.
  

• Within 120–149 days prior to Tour Start Date: You will forfeit the 20% non-refundable booking commitment amount plus 25% of the remaining balance. Any remaining eligible balance paid will be refunded.
  

• Within 91–119 days prior to Tour Start Date: You will forfeit the 20% non-refundable booking commitment amount plus 50% of the remaining balance. Any remaining eligible balance paid will be refunded.
  

• Within 61–90 days prior to Tour Start Date: You will forfeit the 20% non-refundable booking commitment amount plus 75% of the remaining balance. Any remaining eligible balance paid will be refunded.
  

• Within 0–60 days prior to Tour Start Date: You will forfeit 100% of the complete tour package, options, and add-ons. No refund will be issued.
  

Your journey begins (no later) than 12 Noon in Venice. Be enchanted by a city suspended between water and shadow, where centuries of power, intrigue, and whispered legends still linger in stone corridors and silent canals. After checking in by midday, the afternoon is yours to explore Venice at your own pace — whether wandering hidden alleyways, lingering in quiet campo squares, or simply absorbing the city’s otherworldly atmosphere as it reveals itself beyond the postcards.

In the early afternoon, we gather for a welcome kick-off meeting, setting the tone for the days ahead and introducing the themes that will guide this immersive journey into Italy’s lesser-seen realms.

The day’s centerpiece unfolds inside one of Venice’s most symbolically charged landmarks: Doge’s Palace. During the Secret Itineraries Tour, you step beyond the grand halls into the concealed spaces once reserved for prisoners, informants, and those who crossed the Republic. Walk through interrogation rooms, secret archives, and the prison cell of Giacomo Casanova himself — a man whose life blurred the line between legend and scandal. These hidden passages reveal a Venice built as much on fear and control as on art and beauty.

After the guided experience, you may continue exploring the palace independently, now seeing its public splendor through a far more informed and unsettling lens.

As evening falls, we come together for a welcome dinner — a moment to connect, reflect, and prepare for the deeper mysteries that await.

Walking & Difficulty:

• Light to moderate walking (2–3 miles total)

• Mostly flat surfaces, occasional stairs inside historic buildings

• Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate

Hotel: Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio (or of the like)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today reveals a side of Venice few ever encounter—one shaped by isolation, fear, and unanswered questions that still linger over the water.

Your journey begins across the lagoon with a guided exploration of San Servolo, once a monastery and later a psychiatric hospital. Inside the Museum of Madness, preserved treatment rooms and archival records tell unsettling stories of confinement and experimental care. Visitors and former staff alike have long reported unexplained sounds, sudden cold pockets, and an uncanny sense of presence that defies easy explanation.

From there, continue to Lazzaretto Nuovo, a former quarantine station where plague victims were held in isolation. The island’s empty warehouses and defensive walls still echo with the weight of loss. Archaeological finds—including the so-called “Vampire of Venice,” buried with a brick in its mouth—reveal how superstition and fear once shaped life-and-death rituals here.

The journey takes you onto Poveglia Island itself, a place many locals still refuse to visit. Once used as a quarantine site during devastating plague outbreaks and later home to a psychiatric hospital, Poveglia has become one of Italy’s most infamous and mysterious locations. On this tour, you’ll have full access to the island for an exclusive paranormal investigation, giving you the rare opportunity to explore its abandoned grounds after stepping ashore. Surrounded by the silence of the Venetian Lagoon, you’ll investigate a place few travelers will ever have the chance to experience for themselves.

As night falls, Venice transforms. Glide along the Grand Canal on Venice’s Dark Waters Gondola Experience, where moonlit palazzi and shadowed façades reveal legends of betrayal, curses, and restless spirits whispered through the centuries.

Walking & Activity Level:

• Walking: Light to moderate (mostly flat terrain on islands and canals)

• Trekking Difficulty: Easy

• Notes: Some uneven surfaces on historic islands; boat travel throughout the day

Hotel: Novotel Venezia Mestre Castellana (or of the like)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today marks your transition from the misty lagoons of Venice into the haunted heartlands of northern Italy, traveling by private coach through landscapes shaped by power, betrayal, and forgotten lives.

Your first stop rises above the Samoggia Valley at Castello di Serravalle, a medieval fortress long surrounded by stories of unrest and unexplained encounters. Once ruled by the formidable Boccadiferro family, the castle is linked to tragic marriages, whispered curses, and a lingering female presence said to roam its staircases and battlements. Visitors and staff alike have reported shadowy figures, sudden drops in temperature, and an unsettling feeling of being watched. As you explore its vaulted halls and panoramic terraces, history and folklore intertwine in ways that resist easy explanation.

After a relaxed lunch stop (independent dining), the journey continues to the dramatic Castle of Monselice, perched high above the surrounding plains. This fortress is remembered not for romance, but for cruelty and betrayal. Here, legends tell of Avalda, Jacopino da Carrara, and Giuditta — figures bound by forbidden love, imprisonment, and violent ends. Guests often describe strange chills, flickering lights, and a heavy silence that seems to press in from the stone walls themselves.

As evening approaches, arrive in Florence, where Renaissance beauty conceals centuries of darker truths — setting the stage for the days ahead.

Walking & Difficulty:
• Moderate walking throughout the day (approx. 1.5–2 miles total)
• Uneven stone floors, stairs, and inclines at castle sites
• Difficulty Level: Moderate (comfortable walking shoes required)

Hotel: Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio (or of the like)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today invites you to experience Florence at two very different rhythms — luminous by day, unsettling by night.

The morning and early afternoon are yours to explore Florence at leisure. Wander through sunlit piazzas, trace the curves of the Arno, or step inside centuries-old churches and workshops where the Renaissance was born. Beneath the city’s refined beauty lies a long memory of ambition, betrayal, and power — stories that linger quietly beneath frescoed ceilings and stone streets.

As evening falls, Florence reveals its lesser-known face during the Florence Dark Side Walking Tour. This guided experience peels back the polished surface of the city to expose a history shaped by executions, forbidden knowledge, political intrigue, and unresolved spirits. You’ll walk narrow medieval lanes and shadowed squares where noble families plotted, alchemists crossed dangerous lines, and justice was often swift — and cruel.

Your guide weaves documented history with chilling local lore, recounting tales of restless noblewomen, Medici-era scandals, and places where unexplained encounters are still whispered about today. This is not folklore for shock value — it is Florence’s forgotten history, brought to life through atmosphere, storytelling, and place.

By the end of the evening, Florence no longer feels like a museum city frozen in time, but a living landscape where past and present quietly coexist — and where some stories refuse to stay buried.

Walking & Activity Level:
• Walking: ~1.5–2 miles total
• Terrain: Flat historic streets, cobblestones
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Pace: Relaxed, with frequent stops

Hotel: Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio in Florence (or of the like)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today takes you beyond Florence and into the quieter, shadow-filled landscapes of Tuscany, where elegant estates and medieval strongholds hold secrets that have refused to fade.

Your journey begins at Villa di Corliano, a Renaissance villa nestled against the wooded slopes of the Monti Pisani. Once a residence of noble families, this atmospheric estate is steeped in stories of unexplained footsteps, shifting lights, and an enduring presence believed to belong to a young noblewoman whose tragic fate left an indelible mark on the property. As you walk through frescoed halls and timeworn corridors, history and legend intertwine, creating a space where the past feels unusually close.

After a relaxed lunch stop at a local restaurant (not included), the journey continues north into the Lunigiana hills to Castello di Fosdinovo Malaspina. Perched dramatically above forests and valleys, this formidable medieval fortress has accumulated centuries of ghostly lore tied to the powerful Malaspina family. Inside its stone chambers and narrow staircases, visitors have long reported sudden chills, disembodied sounds, and sightings linked to a young noblewoman whose sorrowful story remains central to the castle’s mystique. As shadows stretch across the walls, the atmosphere becomes unmistakably charged.

By evening, you’ll return to Florence carrying the lingering impressions of Tuscany’s quieter, darker stories—places where nobility, tragedy, and unseen forces seem forever entwined.

Hotel: Pitti Palace al Ponte Vecchio (or of the like)

Walking & Activity Level:
• Light to moderate walking throughout the day
• Uneven stone floors, staircases, and mild inclines at historic sites
• Difficulty: Easy–Moderate (comfortable walking shoes recommended)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today carries a meaningful shift in energy as we travel south toward Rome, pausing first in the Umbrian hills to explore one of Italy’s most enigmatic underground sites: Narni Sotterranea.

Hidden for centuries beneath the medieval town, this labyrinth reveals a haunting convergence of faith, secrecy, and fear. As you descend through torch-lit passages, you’ll encounter a forgotten church painted with esoteric symbols, a Templar prison cell etched with desperate markings, and tribunal chambers tied to the darkest chapters of the Inquisition. Many visitors report unusual sensations here—temperature shifts, sudden silence, or the feeling of being quietly observed—making this a powerful and contemplative experience.

From the shadows, we emerge into the warmth of the countryside for what is far more than a meal. Our celebration lunch at a traditional agriturismo is a true ritual of connection. Set among vineyards and olive groves, this leisurely gathering features regional dishes paired with thoughtfully selected local wines. As glasses are raised, this moment becomes a collective pause—an opportunity to reflect on the places explored, the stories shared, and the friendships formed along the way. It is a celebration of memory, camaraderie, and the journey itself.

By late afternoon, we arrive in Rome, where guests may either prepare for departure the following day or begin their post-tour extension. The evening is yours to enjoy at your own rhythm. You may choose to stroll through a neighborhood piazza, enjoy a quiet aperitivo, browse artisan shops, or dine in a local trattoria away from the crowds. Rome invites wandering—sometimes the most memorable experiences are unplanned.

This day is about integration—honoring what has been experienced and opening the door to what still awaits.

Walking & Activity Level:

• Narni underground visit: moderate walking, uneven stone floors, stairs
• Agriturismo & Rome evening: light, optional walking
• Overall difficulty: Moderate

Hotel: Mercure Roma Piazza Bologna (or of the like)

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Rome is not merely a city. It is a living palimpsest of empire, devotion, rebellion, and belief. Layers of power, faith, and mystery rest just beneath its cobblestones. This extension invites you to slow down and step beyond the surface.

Your first day is intentionally unstructured. Wander at your own rhythm. Sip espresso in a sunlit piazza. Trace the curve of ancient stone. Lose yourself in family-owned boutiques and quiet side streets.

As dusk settles, Rome reveals another face during Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts and Legends Tour — where whispered histories and restless spirits transform familiar streets into shadowed corridors of myth.

Whether today is farewell or beginning, Rome stands as the perfect threshold — a place where journeys end gracefully or evolve into something more profound.

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

Today offers privileged access to the sacred heart of Rome.

With skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums and the awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel, you step into one of humanity’s greatest artistic legacies. Frescoes unfold above you in silence and grandeur. Masterworks whisper of devotion, power, and divine imagination.

In the afternoon, the journey shifts toward Rome’s liminal spaces at Castel Sant'Angelo — a fortress, tomb, and refuge layered with imperial and papal history.

Then, tucked quietly along the Tiber, you encounter the rarely visited Museum of the Souls in Purgatory — an intimate and haunting collection said to bridge faith, folklore, and the afterlife. Here, belief and mystery coexist in hushed reverence.

Today is not simply sightseeing. It is immersion into sacred artistry, spiritual symbolism, and Rome’s unseen dimensions.

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

This morning, you step into the heart of imperial power with skip-the-line access to the legendary Colosseum, the sprawling Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill — where Rome’s emperors once ruled, and the machinery of empire shaped the ancient world.

Stone arches and weathered columns stand as reminders of ambition, spectacle, and the rise and fall of dominion.

In the afternoon, the tone shifts inward at the Capuchin Crypt, where art and mortality intertwine in haunting beauty. Here, bones become a reflection. Ornament becomes meditation. The message is unmistakable: life is fleeting, and meaning is found in how we live it.

That evening, gather for a celebratory farewell dinner in a historic Roman restaurant. Raise a glass. Share laughter. Reflect on the layers of history, mystery, and connection that have unfolded.

This is not simply the end of a tour. It is a culmination.

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries are subject to slight change depending on availability or weather & travel conditions. 

The final morning in Rome arrives softly.

After days immersed in sacred art, imperial grandeur, hidden crypts, and whispered legends, today is a gentle goodbye.

Enjoy a quiet breakfast. Take one last walk through sunlit streets. Let the rhythm of Rome imprint itself fully before departure.

Transfers are arranged for your onward journey, whether homeward bound or continuing your travels elsewhere.

Rome does not release you unchanged.

It leaves you carrying fragments of empire, faith, shadow, and story — reminders that history is never truly past, and that every journey reshapes the traveler.

Ciao, for now.