Vita Pugna

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Being in Venice, great dinners, excellent staff, incredibly good background material and maps (wish we got this before the trip so we could have been better prepared). We would have appreciated “corners” and a “sweep” when biking.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The staff of the Vita Pugna, Michela, Esther, Danilo & Sam were superb!! They ensured our experience was a great one from the fabulous food to the wonderful guiding while cycling.
The weather cooperated for the most part as it was in the latter part of October, but I would suggest if possible to go earlier in the season.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

My most memorable part of the trip for me was seeing the beautiful
countryside as we bicycled
along the Poe River. Another highlight was the delicious food prepared by our chef.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The whole 7 day bike/barge trip exceeded expectations in EVERY way! Very professional, helpful and friendly crew; great bikes and accommodation plus simply incredible food. A truly fantastic experience

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

My wife and I travelled around the world from New Zealand to participate in this bike/barge trip - and that long journey was well worth it! EVERYTHING about the experience was first class and could not be faulted; the tour leader and cooking staff, the on board catering, the accommodation on the Vita Pugna, the e-bikes and the scenery were fabulous - and the two extra aspects to the trip (the weather and our fellow guests!) were also the best!
As a result of the comments above, we will be thoroughly recommending this trip, through Tripsite, to anyone interested in this type of holiday......

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The warm companionship of the trip leader and staff on the boat was outstanding as well as the fabulous meals taken from local/seasonal sources. Bikes were kept in top working condition, the trails and tours followed scenic and cultural experiences, and the leader's interaction with the local people made for a most genuine and memorable trip.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The Crew on the boat (Captain Eduardo, Sylvia, & Barb) and our biking guide Antonella were all PHENOMENAL. The service and the food are first class.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

I really enjoyed the staff, Sylvia and Barbara and the delicious dinners! They were so cute and fun. Loved the cheese factory, and Antonella was a wonderful tour guide.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The entire trip was great. Have highly recommended it to others!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our guide (Sylvia) embellished every part of the day, the staff was very friendly, cooperative, accommodating and full of fun...great trip, thanks

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Just finished the Venice to Mantova about the Vita Pugna. This trip was amazing and exactly as advertised with easy cycling on flat roads. Normally I would have liked more miles but with a record breaking heat wave (topping at 44C one day) that week, the distances worked out well. The chefs Sylvia and Irene are hugely talented and every meal was a delight. I really can't praise the food enough! Fabio did an excellent job as guide and is extremely knowledgeable about the area and gave excellent advice. Eduardo the captain was also very personable and friendly, overall a super crew who obviously enjoyed working together. Our international group had a great time cycling together despite the heat. I hope to do this trip again someday.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

  Vita Pugna Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Couldn't ask for more. We absolutely loved our bike/barge tour in Italy from Bolzano to Mantova to Venice in August on the Vita Pugna. The staff were fantastic and our guide Michela was amazing. We had a lot of fun, met some great people and visited some very beautiful places. The biking was not difficult. The food on the Barge was first class and plenty of it. Would absolutely recommend this trip. Can't think of the most memorable part of the trip it was all amazing. The first three days was challenging following the instructions, but we got there in the end. Was sorry to say goodbye to everyone.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The most memorable part of our Mantova to Venice trip was visiting chioggia, the carnival museum and the cheese factory.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Best part? The wonderful food served everyday

  Vita Pugna Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Most Memorable Part? Riding our bikes back to the barge in Venice in a rainstorm. The laughter and camaraderie was priceless.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Mantova to Venice was wonderful. Very pretty scenery with lots of unique places to stop.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The food on the barge was terrific--as was our guide Fabio.
Come prepared for 5 serious days of biking as well as bringing the right/complete biking clothes.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Every aspect of the trip was as expected or better.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The best parts of the trip were the staff, the food and the camaraderie. The bike rides, the scenery and the towns visited could not have been better. It was an all around outstanding vacation!!!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Most Memorable Part: Being part of a bike family for a week with wonderful people from several countries! And our tour guide, Helmut ... Capt. Giovanni ... Crew/Chefs Sylvia and Samule, who made the week even more special! Riding through the small towns was fun!! Ready to go again!!!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The trip was amazing: excellent food prepared by our 2 chefs; our guide was well-prepared, thoughtful, good-natured; the route was beautifully planned and educational, the bikes were more comfortable than my own, the weather was fortunately perfect, and we had a great group to bike with. The experience went way beyond my expectations . Can’t wait to plan the next biking adventure.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Most Memorable Part: The beautiful scenery of Italy and the connections we made with the other guests!!!

  Vita Pugna Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Most Memorable Parts: the swimming off the boat, out in the ocean after a hot bike ride, were amazing.
The historical information from our tour guides was outstanding.
The food was DELICIOUS.
Sunsets out on the water were glorious

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Everything was excellent! There were a limited number of available rental helmets, I highly recommend bringing one's own from home.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

What a wonderful week!! Excellent staff...Captain, Helmut, Silvia & Samuele! Food was 5-Star, very comfortable accommodations! Helmut was a great guide, knowledgeable and made sure we all had a good, safe time! Bike riding was so much fun and we saw many different towns and sights we would have missed in a bus! Meeting so many wonderful, fellow bikers from different countries was so enjoyable! This trip was more than I ever expected!! Loved it!! Definitely will travel with Tripsite again!!! Bike On!!!!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Everything was memorable. I took this trip with my sister not having any expectations. Besides the great accommodations, food & scenery, there were strangers from 8 different countries that became a bike family for 8 days. It was a wonderful trip.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

This was a fabulous trip. Truly amazing. The food was the best surprise of the week!! It was delicious!!! Our tour guide Tamara was excellent, she made every day very very interesting. She went above and beyond. Can't wait to do another trip with Tamara!!

  Vita Pugna Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Every aspect of the trip made for a memorable experience. Having done both the hotel to hotel and the guided section gave us a truly great opportunity to see a part of Italy that is so varied in both history, culture, food and landscape.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Great trip. Irene was a great guide. She adopted my suggestion that she wait for the stragglers to catch up to the stopped leaders so the stragglers could have a short rest also. Her suggested side tours were great. Our chefs, Samuel and Enrico were great as well. Superb food. First class trip.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

A fabulous experience. We will seriously consider further barge/bike holidays with you.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The biking was not as scenic as other trips I have been on. However the food, staff and guide were excellent.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Understanding the trip was planned for little difficulty, expected that the terrain would be flat, but was hoping for more scenery and countryside to take in while biking. Perhaps if there was an option of having a sag vehicle for those who couldn't/didn't want more difficult terrain so the option was available for those who could do more ... and see more. Overall great experience, friendly crew and excellent food!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our Guide, Rosita was excellent, friendly, pleasant and very knowledgeable. Would recommend her anytime.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Recommended for novice cyclists only. Not challenging enough for experienced cyclists.

  Vita Pugna Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Route guides(arrows)could in some areas(particularly in the Bolzano to barge section when riders on their own) be more clearly marked and better positioned.
Steph,our guide,and the boat crew combined to make this a special experience.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

I love our leader Michaela and we want to do another trip with her. I have recommended the Pugna boat Mantova-Venice trip to many people.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our tour guide Marco was ok, but not outstanding. His commentary was adequate, but we got more from the notes provided.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Tedious farm land, 30 mile an hour winds. Our guide and staff were fabulous! Put them on a little more picturesque route and I would say yes. Marco was absolutely wonderful!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our group had the misfortune of 25mph+ headwinds for 4 consecutive days through barren landscape. My hesitation to recommend this trip is not however based on the weather but rather the lack of interesting terrain. I liken this biking to a trip thru Nebraska. Our stops in the villages were poorly timed, shops were closed and our short stop precluded investigating any historical attraction. The charming aspects of European villages, exploring the local cuisine were non existent. Every day we were advised to bring a sandwich. In complete contrast, the bike/barge trip in France visited medieval villages and provided enough time to enjoy a meal in a bistro. Understandably this trip along the Po might be selected by those not willing to bike the hills but biking for hours on an elevated levee and looking at clods of freshly tilled earth is hardly a huge endorsement for this option.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our first bike and barge experience made unforgettable by creative, delicious and healthy meals, an outstanding guide with a great sense of humour, extensive knowledge of the areas we cycled through, and much patience and warmth. We arrived as nervous neophytes and left feeling we were part of the family....and cycling athletes to boot!

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

This was our first experience with an inclusive tour and we were a bit apprensive about the lack of freedom. No worries! It was a great trip and we would do it again. The small boat/group was key. Great food, excellent tour leader and first rate crew. We would not want to be in a larger group. Three cheers for the older and smaller boat!