Italy Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 61 to 90 of 408

Fabulous trip! Tripsite personnel were great and the Ave Maria and staff were outstanding!

The six “ crew members” , especially Sylvia who’s English was great and energy outstanding! Next the food! Amazing. Finally the biking and scenery and tours along the way.
I would definitely recommend others to plan an extended stay in Venice before the cruise begins as it is such a wonderful place and more time is needed to see it all.

It was a great trip, with an additional special treat. I decided to skip the second-to-last day of biking. Rain and maybe thunderstorms were predicted. I REALLY dislike biking in the rain. Plus, I was dehydrated. (Three others stayed behind, too.) I walked into the bow, book in hand, and turned around to wave to captain Andrea in the pilot house. He motioned for me to come up. I climbed up, and we spent a lovely time of ~30 minutes or so, listening to music - Mozart, Vivaldi, Rossini, Luciano Pavarotti. He said that he especially likes Rossini's operas, since they end well. I told him that I will sing the Vivaldi Gloria in December, here in Vermont. As we got very close to the "doors" of a canal lock, he played the beginning of Also Sprach Zarathustra. It was very funny! I'm "smiling out loud" thinking about the unexpected treat - yay!

Also sprach Zarathustra

There were countless unforgettable moments on our trip! Every day was filled with excitement, from leisurely bike rides along the River Po through picturesque cornfields and poplar tree groves to tasting grappa and exploring the captivating carnival museum. Arriving in Venice by boat was an absolute blast, and witnessing the mesmerizing glass-blowing demonstration on Murano Island was genuinely fascinating. The food on board surpassed all expectations, and the crew's warm hospitality, wealth of knowledge, and lively spirit made the journey even more enjoyable. The delightful surprise of receiving a cookbook on our final night was the perfect ending to an already incredible experience. My advice to anyone considering this tour is simple: book it for an unforgettable adventure!

Great crew and food. I thought stops and rides were well planned for a vacation in Europe .

The guide, Giorgio, made the trip memorable with excellent stories, helpful translations, and kept the group together with sweepers and corner helpers. He had a good sense of humor. Also we appreciated the intimate tours of a glass blowing place, a cheese factory, carousel, and fire brigade museums in small towns. The flat roads and bike paths were well chosen, and the bicycles, helmets, and saddle bags were excellent quality and made the rides comfortable. We enjoyed all the Italian food made by the cooks, and dinners were very enjoyable in our cozy dining room. The rooms on the barge were small and a bit tight for tall people like someone 6'6". We would do this again.

The daily stops were so fun as we discovered the culture of Italy away from the big cities. The merry go round museum, the cheese factory & the distillery were all so enlightening. Daniela was a perfect guide. Our chef Sylvia had such a creative way of cooking that I ate so many things I never would have & all were wonderful!

The beautiful landscape,the bike ride, the points of interest. Our tour guide George was excellent and the crew did a great job.

The meals were delicious, staff professional and knowledgeable!

I was a last minute addition to the tour and the staff was extremely helpful in getting me oriented as I had 2 weeks to prepare. In looking back after a couple weeks and in sharing highlights with friends and family I think of the food on board, the beautiful scenery along the bike paths in the countryside's, the comfortable pace of the guide, the stops along the way to learn more about some of the little towns and the support I felt from the staff on board as well as the group of new friends I made as barge mates. Daniela was the perfect guide. There was a choice for self-guided but everyone chose the guided tour. We learned so much from her. From tips on riding in a group, to how to catch a water bus and ferry in the Venice lagoons. As well as the history of the places we visited. She was an awesome teacher, care-giver when riders needed assistance, patient leader when some weren't on schedule and just a great person. Everyone in our group of friends raved about our experiences. I had read reviews and many mentioned the food. Well they were on point. Sylvia prepared some very high quality meals that you might find in a fancy restaurant. Exquisite! All in all, I would highly recommend this trip.

It’s hard to pick one thing. The ride leaders & rides were awesome. They took the time to make sure there was a great bike fit. Food was spectacular everyday. Fresh and delicious. The crew were funny and knew their boat. Rooms were clean and ready for us when we arrived. And Venice to Mantova—perfect. I highly recommend this trip and this boat.

Cycling in Lido and Pellistrina was fantastic. The cycling guides were all over the place. The boat went to Murano to see a glass blowing factory. We were told to be back at 4:45. We returned at 4:40 and the boat had already removed the gangway and was preparing to sail. We communicated with tripsite that we wanted a room with a window that opened that we could escape from if necessary. The window was less than 12" wide when opened. Clearly not was advertised. The guides frequently stopped after just a few minutes to talk about some unimportant building that wasn't even on the Ride with GPS app. The itinerary says you spend two nights in Venice. The boat is not in Venice. You have to take a Vaparetto to get to Venice. It is close but it is not Venice. That is false advertising. The espresso / cappucino machine had sour milk in it every morning. We had to buy our own Vaporetto passes even though the boat knew everyone would need them. This is ridiculous when you pay $5,000 for a trip. The whole crew had made arrangements with a group of Italian passengers to take them on a bike ride near Venice but didn't give anyone else the option of going. They also didn't tell anyone. The itinerary says you can get on the boat at 11:00 but the boat was gone to support the last bike ride. So folks who went to Venice had to stay out in the heat for over 4 hours.

The Mantova to Venice trip cannot be broken into more or less memorable. It is just one great memorable experience. From the skipper who manoeuvres that large ship in tight spaces, to the chef and sous chef with their delicious meals, the skippers mate who cuts breakfast fruits with such delicacy and the guides who have such a knowledge and love of their country. All are top knotch. The itinerary varies with stops on the way to visit local places of interest so that one gets both exercise and to learn about the area.

I the whole experience was memorable, but the most exceptional was the food. Danny was truly a chef who was interested in preparing the meals with a purpose. He also kept good eating habits in mind, offering a great variety of vegetables in each meal.

The excellent Tour Guides! I felt totally safe on every outing! They were so attentive to everyone's needs and requests.
Informed us about the areas we visited.
They were very respectful at all times.

I loved everything about this adventure.
My ebike was easy to understand and to ride. The whole crew were so amazing, welcoming and attentive. Our meals were delicious. We rode through the countryside and along the river. At times we were on main roads..but not for long.
I had a memorable time on the Ava Maria, a very positive experience.I would definitely do it again.

What a great trip. This is the perfect choice if you are looking for a smaller boat and small crew. We really got to know the crew well and the other passengers. I enjoyed the guided bike tour and the Italian countryside is beautiful.

The first few days of unguided biking Bolzano to Mantova because of the beautiful surrounding mountains.

The whole trip was fabulous. The boat was comfortable and crew and guide were very well informed and provided a great experience. The family who owns and runs the boat are capable, competent and helpful.

Our tour aboard the Sundial was fantastic. In addition to the gorgeous setting and the wonderful boat, what really made our trip special was the crew, a family operation. They were pleasant, interactive, hard working, and professional, all while making an extra effort to make our trip smooth and enjoyable. In addition, the food was excellent, with lots of seafood prepared differently each night. With only six couples on board, it was an intimate, fun atmosphere. My only suggestion would be for Tripsite, not the crew, and that would be to more accurately represent the difficulty of the riding. For my age, I am a relatively strong cyclist so I originally selected a conventional bike. Fortunately, during the bike fitting before leaving port, Angelo, the first mate, gave us an accurate description of the rides (many kilometers of 6% grade, etc.) and encouraged us to select a bike that would make the rides enjoyable, not a torturous workout. Because of that I switched to an e-bike, and I am very glad I did— I would have been miserable and not able to enjoy the beauty of the islands.

Biking through the Italian country site was fabulous. We enjoyed a day and evening walking tour of Venice, we biked through two islands, Italy's largest wetland, the delta of the Po River, and several medieval cities. Hats off to the chef, Silvia, her food was amazingly delicious. Our guide Elena was knowledgeable, very helpful, and friendly. The Captain and sous chef were amazing.

The guide (Hugo) was excellent and made the trip. His personality was great. Food on the boat was better than most bike and barge trips we have taken.

The barge crew were very helpful and friendly and the group of people on the bike trip were fantastic. The barge rooms were bad - very wet and humid. The beds were wet with humidity. All clothing were wet with humidity and the rooms smelled very badly. We turned on the A/C but it didn’t help with the humidity and smell. If we opened the portholes, condensation dripped down on the bed. 4 of us got sick and I think it was due to the bacteria in the rooms.

The entire trip was an insightful and delightful experience, providing access to the heart and soul of everyday-life in "working Italy", versus an antiseptic highlight-reel tour of famous monuments and churches. That said, the overwhelming uniqueness and timelessness of Venice couldn't help but be a highlight. I wouldn't have minded a somewhat more strenuous cycling experience; however, that was more than offset by the enjoyment of the comaraderie of a relatively small tour group (20), forged both on the cycling paths and over fabulous gourmet meals provided by the two young chefs aboard the Vita Pugna.

Once again, we just came back from a memorable experience with this tour. We began with the self-guided section from Balzano to Mantova which was very well laid out with our GPS, then was welcomed aboard the Vita Pugna to continue the tour all the way to Venice with the most interesting and amiable Hugo, our guide for the week. Life aboard the Vita Pugna was excellent… friendly crew and excellent food! I would not change a thing.

Our tour guides, Hein and Irene made the tour so special! The chefs, Alberto and Francesco were amazing. Captain "Van Gogh" was great. The tour was a blast from start to finish!

Fabulous trip!! We did this same trip 8 years ago
and returned again this summer with friends as it was our favorite trip… it did not disappoint!
Highly recommend….from the great scenery to the fabulous meals and amazing tour guides!

It’s awfully hard to pick out “the most memorable” part of the trip. The whole experience was great: the biking, the connections made with fellow riders, the crew, the food, the boat. It was all top rate. I guess I’d have to pick out the biking as the most memorable. The points of interest along the way were great. I loved the cheese factory, the glass blowing place, the carnival museum and the distillery. I probably wouldn’t have chosen to visit those places if on my own, but in the end I truly enjoyed them. The Ave Maria is a beautiful boat. The bikes were almost new and in excellent condition. The crew (and guides) made everything go smoothly. The chefs took my food intolerances seriously and made it easy for me to enjoy the food on board.

The general organization of the trip, and the great staff aboard!
Disappointed with the scenery along the routes - often quite monotonous

It was our first trip on a smaller boat and we enjoyed getting to know all the other bikers and also the crew. It was also our first trip with a guide(s) and it was nice to not be concerned with navigating. The guides were excellent and the mini tours we interesting. My only suggestion is it would be nice to know more about the lunch stop ahead of time so we could decide whether we wanted to bring a lunch or eat at the restaurant.