Italy Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 191

Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

I'd recommend this tour 100%. Well organised and quite luxurious. I was on the Ava Maria and found it very comfortable. Every afternoon on our return to the boat, we would all sit on the top deck with a canopy over (this was July) and were served cold drinks, watermelon and a selection of refreshing fruits. Meals were superb. I'm a novice cyclist but the tour catered for everyone. A flat course, which is why we chose it.

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Wonderful staff, great food, prompt assistance....overall just a wonderful trip!

  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.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Back on the boat with all of the new friends you had made during the bike ride watching photographs on the big screen of the day you had just experienced.
Our guide, Michaela, made us a cohesive group from the very first night when she said that we must mix and mingle throughout the trip and meet everyone on the barge. She also challenged us to find a secret word somewhere during the day and record it on film

  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.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

I truly enjoyed this tour that included daily rides through the picturesque Italian countryside. Each day we biked through a variety of landscapes, stopping in small towns along the way for cappuccino breaks, lunch and local tours. The bike tour staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. The boat crew was equally as wonderful, preparing wonderful meals each evening and serving them with a smile. Everyone bent over backwards to make this a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As for suggestions, I think the last leg from Pellestrina Island to Venice could be improved. The morning was wasted in a small town that was not really open for business. Why not take an earlier Ferry to Lido and spend more time there before heading to Venice?

  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.

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Most Memorable Part: Bike with friends.

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

It is difficult to choose just one memorable part of the trip. Each day was filled with a new exciting adventure! Even riding a bike in an unexpected downpour was a fun experience when shared with cycling comrades. Seeking out a delicious gelato in a town square was a favorite activity. Exploring and discovering Italy while biking and barging aboard the Ave Maria was a truly delightful experience. Our crew was very helpful and eager to show us how proud they were of their country and all it has to offer. Pumpkin tortellini eaten at an outdoor restaurant was such an enjoyable eating experience! Grazie Mille for a truly amazing cycling adventure!!

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Especially loved the area of the Dolomite Mountains, from Bolzano to Lake Gardia, for the beauty and then arriving in Venice.
Trip was extremely well organized; wonderful crew, special tour guides in Mantova and Venice, good food...and bravo to Vivian and Sonya, excellent guides
The cyclists really got along well so that was an added bonus.
First trip that was guided for us and I was pleasantly surprised. Other trips were self-guided and so was the first part of the trip, from Bolzano to Mantova.
Lack of toilets on the way...

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

The best part was the first three days self-guided tour near the Dolomites on our 10 day tour.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The Mantova to Venice bike and barge on the Ava Maria! The crew, the ship, the food and our guides were outstanding! Also all the guides we had in the cities and venues were fabulous!

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

As professional as the staff were and as delicious the food, the most memorable part of the trip was interacting with fellow travelers. Since the boat can only berth around 40, I was able to get to know almost everyone and learn about their countries and personal histories.

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Guides were amazing. They worked hard to make sure all guests mingled with guests from other countries. Games played encouraged teams working together and finding new information about the villages we visited. Always extra surprises..like visiting the mussel fishermen, panoramic vista of Venice from rooftop. Training on how to use ferry system in Venice invaluable. I didn't think we could get a better tour than our 2018 trip, but this one exceeded all expectations. From snow in the mts. near Bolzano to swimming in the Adriatic, the differences in scenery was dramatic and thrilling. Bikes...so comfortable and fit perfectly. Didn't even need to wear my bike padding! Plenty of time to look around when we went thru villages. What can I say. This tour was the best!

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Fabulous trip. Filled with adventure. Highlights included guide, staff, food and overall camaraderie developed with a great group of people!

  Ave Maria Bolzano - Mantova - Venice
Italy

Menu and food prep. much better than other bike and barge/cruises we've been on.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The Venice to Mantua tour was excellent. We particularly enjoyed the stops for cultural and natural sites of interest. The food was wonderful and the staff very helpful.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

It is hard to specify just one thing. The barge was great, the food superb and the staff could not have been better. Even though the weather wasn't great, we had a wonderful time. We're looking forward to booking our next tour.

  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

Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The food was absolutely delicious! We had a very entertaining, informative guide and the rest of the staff on the barge were great! I can’t say enough great things about our experience!!

  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.