A Venetian authorized guide, Antonella Zanoni, offers a very unusual and fascinating tour. A jump back in time to the Roman and Byzantine eras in Venice, which still shows precious architectural evidence of such periods.
Free parking for those arriving by car, with starting point at Altino (in the Province of Venice), then you are good to go. Back through the centuries with a tour of the archaeological site bringing Venice directly to its Roman times. A journey to the most ancient origins, in a lively and fecund epoch. At Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Altino visitors will be able to appreciate and look closer at all that time has preserved to remember the magnificence of this relevant historical time.

After Altino, the tour proceeds from the land to the lagoon—the area from which Venice emerged. You will cruise through ghebi and barenein a quiet and enchanting landscape apparently suspended in time. You will get off the boat at Torcello, a faraway island, quiet and rich with history, which revolves around the enchanting Byzantine basilica (or Carolingian? Antonella will tell you…). From the peacefulness of Torcello, you will then reach the bright colors and vivacity of Burano, the island of the sweet bussolà biscuits and of lacemaking, still hand-crafted with needle and thread by the last lace makers. If you are lucky enough, you might see them working outside their homedoor. After lunch, the tour will reach Mazzorbo and its suggestive monastic garden.

This special tour ends on the island ofS. Francesco del Deserto, where the five friars (and its only inhabitants) will show visitors the cell of St. Francis of Assisi, who stayed here when coming back from the Crusades.
An itinerary dedicated to those who wish to understand the origins of Venice and who are not worried about departing from the most common routes.

Here's the link to the magazine article!

Unusual Venice: special itineraries and guided tours, in the Italian Signs Language too