Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova

Day 1: Individual arrival in Mantova | embarkation at 6pm followed by dinner
Day 2: Mantova,  21 mi. (35 km)
Day 3: Mantova - Governolo - Zelo, 32 mi. (50 km)
Day 4: Zelo - Ferrara - Adria, 31 mi. by bike + 37 mi. by bus (50 + 60 km)
Day 5: Adria - Po Delta Nature Reserve - Pellestrina Island, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 6: Pellestrina Island - Venice, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 7: Venice, free day
Day 8: Venice, departure following breakfast

Day 1: Arrival in Mantova
Your cabins will be available from 6:00 pm. The boat is moored at Porto Catena, just a short walk from the city center. The meeting with the tour guide and the crew is scheduled at dinner-time, approximately 6:30 pm. Mantova is one of the most beautiful towns in Northern Italy as many worldwide know artists have left their masterpieces for us to enjoy, thanks to the famous Gonzaga family! Benvenuti a Mantova!

Day 2: Mantova - round trip tour - 21 mi. (35 km)
This entire day is dedicated to the discovery of this wonderful city and its surroundings, dominated by the wealth and influences left by the Gonzaga family, who owned the city for over 400 years. Mantova was considered one of the most important cultural cities in the Renaissance and it still maintains a lot of the landscapes and the building that made it famous during that period. In the late afternoon, a local guide will lead you through the most known highlights of the town.

Day 3: Mantova - Governolo - Zelo, 32 mi. (50 km)
After breakfast, on board, you navigate from the "lakes" of Mantova and cruise through the lush wetlands that lead to Governolo Lock, where Mantova's Mincio River flows into the Po. From here, by bike, you follow the broad sweeps of the levee towards Ostiglia, renowned for its medieval fortress and fierce fighting in 1945, as the Allies drove Hitler's forces back.

Next: Bergantino, home of the distinctive Museum of Fairground Rides and its collection of street organs, all expertly restored (and thunderous!). This village is also in the heartland of Grana Padano, the arch-rival of Parmesan. A visit to the local cheese factory, sampling some well-seasoned Grana, is a must-do. You meet the barge in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.

Day 4: Zelo - Ferrara - Adria, 31 mi. by bike + 37 mi. by bus (50 km by bike + 60 km by bus)
Following breakfast, you will start cycling towards Ferrara. Once you have reached the town, which earned the name of "city of bicycles", you will be enchanted by the historical center, still surrounded by the old city walls. You will enjoy a guided town tour. From Ferrara, a short bus transfer will bring you to Adria, an ancient Greek port, famous for trading amber coming from the Baltic. It's a remarkable museum that also bears witness to its Etruscan, Roman, and Venetian Heritage.

Day 5: Adria - Po Delta Nature Reserve - Pellestrina Island, 25 mi. (40 km)
After a short ride on board, you cycle into the delta of the life-giving Po. This unique wetland is the prime reserve in Europe for herons and home to a sizeable colony of flamingos. Weather permitting, as you continue towards Chioggia, you can also enjoy a stop at a beach and a dip in the Adriatic - not forgetting a hot savory piadina! Chioggia is also known as "Little Venice", a colorful fishing hub. The overnight takes place on the island of  Pellestrina, just in front of Chioggia.

Day 6: Pellestrina Island - Venice, 19 mi. (30 km)
Venice beckons, but first another world altogether: Pellestrina, the first of two islands you traverse today – a humble and tranquil fishing backwater, picturesque as ever with its cottages, boats, and nets. A short island-hop by ferry transfers to Lido. Fashionable in high society ever since the Belle Époque, the Lido di Venezia is now home to the International Venice Film Festival and its galaxy of stars. After rejoining the barge, you will enjoy a leisure cruise in front of St Mark’s square to the final destination. After dinner, you can savor Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic: Benvenuti a Venezia!

Day 7: Venice
Feel free to explore Venice's most iconic sights at your leisure. Visit St. Mark’s Square with its stunning monuments, wander through the sestiere of Castello, and admire the impressive Gothic basilica at Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, as well as the Scuola Grande di San Marco, which now serves as the city’s civic hospital. Don’t miss the famous Rialto Bridge! To wrap up your day, consider a visit to the vibrant islands of Burano and Torcello. It's entirely up to you—just make sure to return to the boat in time for dinner!

Day 8: Venice
After breakfast and the customary goodbyes, free time for individual visits of Venice before returning home.

Day 1: Venice | embarkation at 6pm followed by dinner
Day 2: Venice
Day 3: Venice - Pellestrina Island, 15 mi. (25 km)
Day 4: Pellestrina island - Po Delta Nature Reserve - Adria, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 5:  Adria - Ferrara - Zelo, 22 mi. (35 km by bike + 35 km by bus)
Day 6: Zelo - Mantova, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 7: Mantova round tour, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 8: Mantova | disembarkation following breakfast

Day 1: Venice
Cabins are available for check-in at 6 pm followed by an introductory briefing at 6.30 pm with your tour leader, skipper, and crew, along with a first refreshing aperitivo. After dinner, you can savor Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic! Benvenuti a Venezia!

Day 2: Venice
Feel free to explore Venice's most iconic sights at your leisure. Visit St. Mark’s Square with its stunning monuments, wander through the sestiere of Castello, and admire the impressive Gothic basilica at Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, as well as the Scuola Grande di San Marco, which now serves as the city’s civic hospital. Don’t miss the famous Rialto Bridge! To wrap up your day, consider a visit to the vibrant islands of Burano and Torcello. Your evening dinner is on your own, in one of the many restaurant options in Venice! 

Day 3: Venice - Pellestrina Island, 15 mi. (25 km)
Leaving Venice behind after a leisurely cruise in front of St Mark’s Square, your first stop will be Murano Island, where you will visit a historic glass factory and witness a glassblowing demonstration by a master artisan. Your cycling adventure then begins on the Lido, the first of two islands you will traverse today. Fashionable in high society since the Belle Époque, the Lido di Venezia is now home to the International Venice Film Festival and its galaxy of stars. A short island-hop by ferry takes you into another world: Pellestrina, where you ride past the picturesque cottages and boats of this charming fishing backwater. You rejoin the barge just in front of Chioggia—a bustling and colorful fishing hub known as "Little Venice."

Day 4: Pellestrina island – Po Delta Nature Reserve – Adria, 25 mi. (40 km)
We start the day with a stroll through Chioggia, with the option to climb the ancient millennial clock tower—the oldest in the world—for stunning views. If the weather is nice, you can relax on a nearby sandy beach, take a dip in the Adriatic, and enjoy a tasty piadina for a true local experience.

Next, we head into the Po Delta, a vast wetland that is home to herons and a colony of flamingos. In the evening, we arrive in Adria, a former Roman port with a rich Etruscan and Greek heritage. A short walk through town after dinner, perhaps with a grappa or gelato in hand, is the perfect way to end the day.

Day 5:  Adria – Ferrara – Zelo, 22 mi. (35 km by bike + 35 km by bus)
After a short onboard cruise, you pedal following the Po through farmland and hamlets until  Ferrara. Under its ruling family, the Este, this city-state attracted architects, artists, and scholars for centuries, pioneering town planning principles that have been emulated worldwide ever since. To this day, Ferrara University ranks among the best, and the town is dubbed the ''Cycling Capital of Italy". A private bus and trailer take us back to our floating hotel in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.

Day 6: Zelo – Mantova, 31 mi.  (50 km)
This morning you head for the village of Bergantino, home of the distinctive Museum of Fairground Rides and its collection of street organs, all expertly restored (and thunderous!). But first things first: you are in the heartland of Grana Padano - the arch-rival of Parmesan - and after visiting the local cheese factory, you enjoy a tasting of sharp and seasoned Grana, washed down with a glass of Valpolicella.

After the customary picnic lunch, you leave Bergantino and follow the river to Ostiglia, famed for its medieval fortress and the fierce fighting that took place here in 1945, as the Allies and partisans drove Hitler's forces back. You ride on and rejoin the barge at Governolo Lock, where Mantua's River Mincio flows into the Po. Veering north, you cruise through the lush wetlands that finally emerge into the glorious "lakes" of Mantua.

Day 7: Mantova round tour, 22 mi. (35 km)
A day dedicated to the discovery of this little-visited cultural gem, its three picturesque "lakes" formed by the Mincio, and its surrounding countryside - once a City State ruled by the Gonzaga family and now considered by many as Italy’s "Sleeping Beauty". This afternoon we meet our Mantuan guide for a walking tour of the historic center, and enjoy the rest of the day in town, at our own leisure.

Day 8:  Mantova
Departure after breakfast.

Select Wednesday departures
Ave Maria: April 29, May 13, May 27, June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, August 5, August 19, September 2, and September 16, 2026
Vita Pugna: April 22, May 6, May 20, June 3, June 17, July 1, July 15, July 29, August 12, August 26, September 9, and September 23, 2026

Day 1: Arrival in Bolzano
Day 2: Bolzano - Trento, 41/44 mi. (65/70 km)
Day 3: Trento - Desenzano/Peschiera, 29 mi. (50 km) + ferry ride
Day 4: Desenzano/Peschiera - Mantova, 27/44  mi. (45/70 km). Arrival on boat in Mantova.

All distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, safe navigation, etc.

Day 1: Arrival in Bolzano
The bilingual capital city of South Tyrol is a renowned commercial and tourist center that looks back on a rich history. Today, the Italian and the Austrian cultures and ways of life join together. The historical center of Bolzano boasts an enchanting beauty.

Day 2: Bolzano - Trento, 41/44 mi. (65/70 km)
You will collect your bikes today from 8 to 9:30 am. Cycling on bike paths you follow the Adige River alongside apple orchards, vineyards, and through the villages of Ora, Egna, and Salorno. Along the river banks, you ride towards Trento. This city is not on the typical tourist's radar, so take your time to take a look behind the splendid walls of its painted buildings. It is possible to shorten the route today by taking a train from several stations along the way.

Elevation gain: 30 or 250 m

Day 3: Trento - Desenzano/Peschiera, 29 mi. (50 km) + ferry ride
Still cycling along the Adige, you reach Rovereto and Mori. From here you continue up a gently rising slope westwards in the direction of Lake Garda (the largest in Italy). Before leaving for Riva you absolutely must enjoy the sight of the lake from above! By boat, you travel as far as Peschiera del Garda along the southern shore of the lake. The boat excursion alone is worth the whole trip.

Elevation gain: 140 m

Day 4: Desenzano/Peschiera  - Mantova, 27/44 mi. (45/70 km). Arrival on boat in Mantova.
Distance depends on where you begin your cycling. Today you will follow one of the most famous Italian bike paths, which runs parallel to the Mincio River. You will pass through the village of Borghetto, with its mills, and Valeggio sul Mincio, famous for the huge botanical park “Sigurtà”.

The trip ends in Mantova, where your floating hotel, your boat,  for the next week is moored at Porto Catena, just a short walk from the city center. Your cabins will be available from 4 p.m. The meeting with the tour guide and the crew is scheduled for dinner-time, approximately 6:30 p.m. Mantova is one of the most beautiful towns in Northern Italy, where a lot of worldwide known artists left their masterpieces, thanks to the wealth of the famous Gonzaga family who commissioned works of art.

Elevation gain: 20 or 200 m