Italy Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 668

The boat was very nice and cozy. I loved the fact it was ran by a family. The staff were nice and helpful. Nice tour guide also.
What I liked the most was there flexibility of changing our Island hopping according to the weather. We ended up having the best weather possible during our trip ❤️

I really enjoyed the people and exploring a small part of Italy. Our crew was amazing.

The trip was great. All of the itinerary was wonderful places to visit. The hotels and baggage management on the first three days was four-star.
The boat was very nice and we enjoyed it even more than the larger boat on The Danube trip. The food was amazing and Albert & Danny deserve a shout-out. Our guides Micaela and Ricardo were great guides, though Micaela could’ve slowed the pace some for us “push-bike” riders.
We loved the trip and will definitely be back. Thinking Spain/Portugal will be our next one.

I loved being able to experience things I would have never found on my own. Meeting Franco the gondola builder, the cheese factory and the beauty of the river area were fantastic. The crew and food were outstanding. They were all very helpful and friendly and fostered a positive community among the guests. One tip is to bring a twin sheet as there is only a comforter on the bed.

The Bike and Barge on the Ave Maria exceeded my expectations. The boat was very comfortable (twin beds, bathroom for each room). The room had more storage than expected which is good because I overpacked. The food was fantastic from the mushroom risotto to the homemade lasagna and tiramasu. The chef, boat captain and bike guides are extraordinary hard workers and such a pleasure to be around. We can't wait to go on another trip with them. Although I initially thought this was a self-guided tour, it is not. However, I am glad it was guided by Silvia and Caterina...two amazing people that made the trips a lot of fun.

Our bike and barge trip from Venice to Mantova was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. Each day’s ride was beautifully planned, with amazing scenery, charming towns, and just the right balance of activity and relaxation. The daily stops gave us such a rich taste of Italian culture, history, and countryside life.

The food on board was fabulous — fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented — truly a highlight of the trip. Accommodations were excellent, comfortable, and thoughtfully maintained throughout the journey.

Most of all, the guides and entire crew were exceptional. Their knowledge, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm brought everyone together and created such a fun, friendly atmosphere among the group.

This was an unforgettable adventure. It was perfectly organized, wonderfully led, and deeply memorable. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique way to experience Italy!

The crew, the meals, Francesco was an excellent guide.
Accommodation was great.

Wonderful tour. Experienced 3 day self guided portion. Barge crew was great. Georgio was very knowledgeable anout local area. He was an exceptional guide. Felt very comfortable asking questions.

We had a fabulous trip! The route was beautiful and everyday brought new surprises. We especially loved riding inland into the mid evil villages up in the mountains. The scenery was spectacular and lots of sights to explore. We would highly recommend this tour!

Biking from Bolzano to Trento surrounded by mountains and scenery was memorable.
The extra days in Bolzano were well worth it. Lots to do with gondola rides and hikes to wineries.
The bike app worked pretty well, although some instruction was either confusing or a bit late.
Unfortunately we were kicked off the ferry ride on Lake Garda with bikes due to transportation strikes so had to take a van. We missed some scenery, but also had a faster trip to Pescheira.
We got caught in quite a downpour one day and the next day was looking stormy also, so we took a train.
Easy getting train tickets, harder getting spots on the train for bikes. We got the last.
Venice was nice, but naturally crowded. Hotels were mostly nice accommodations. Hotel staffs were pleasant and helpful. Hotel Majestic seems to go by different names and was initially difficult to find.
We enjoyed the self-guided bike tour, even though we didn't use E-bikes.

The boat was very nice, the scenery was lovely, food great, and the group interesting with people from a variety of countries. Guides, especially Stefania, were very good.

This is the second time we’ve done this trip, so it was all very familiar. Our guide this time, Giorgio, was amazing! He made our various stops so interesting with his stories and all the history he has at his fingertips. The food was excellent on board the Ave Maria. Venice is the highlight, as you might expect. Suggestions for improvement - get a better guide for the walking tour in Mantova. The one we had seemed to think we were art history students. We didn’t get a very good overview of that wonderful city. Also, the Ave Maria should have a simple sheet to hand out when we arrive in Venice giving people explicit instructions about the various ways to get from the boat’s docking location to the airport. I’ve been to Venice 4 times, so I know how to navigate the transportation system, but many on the boat were confused and a bit anxious. All in all, though, this is a great trip and one I would recommend in a heartbeat.

Great crew, very welcoming and helpful. The food was amazing and plenty of it.

Cycling with Sylvia and Francesco! The places they decided to stop and tour-cheese factory, glass blowing in Marano, grandpa distillery… All great experiences. The food on board was fabulous! Chefs did a great job. Boat was orderly, clean comfortable. Would travel with them again in a heartbeat!

This one of the best bike rides we've done in Europe! It was our 7th one and our first guided tour. All the others were self guided. And even though we loved the self guided ones, this was a nice change. The crew on board and the other people on the tour were amazing. It was like we all knew each other forever. The guides were a wealth of information. The chefs on board were over the top. There creations each day were excellent. Never heard anyone complain! We loved all the stops each day and the history they provided about each place. Loved Bolzano too. What a beautiful place. Would like to spend more time there. I could go on about all the things we loved about this trip and look forward to another one with Tripsite! Job well done!!

Beautiful scenery and villages to visit. We had a wonderful holiday. Everything was organised well and went smoothly.
We were met on the first day by Petra who made sure our ride with GPS had downloaded correctly, and who advised us about places to visit and restaurants to go to.
Paulo then came along with excellent bikes, which worked perfectly for us for the week.
Given the poor state of the roads, we would recommend gravel bikes and NOT road bikes for this trip.

Swimming in the Adriatic - twice - was a treat enjoyed by most. The first time we were on a public beach and rented an umbrella for shade during the two-hour break. The second time was on a more remote, private beach. People indulged both before and after dinner. It was a welcome relief from the record heat. TIP TO OTHERS: bring beach shoes - that sand can be quite hot on bare feet
THE MOST MEMORABLE - Standing on the top deck as we floated past the Medieval buildings and beautiful people of a city with no cars – Venice. We drank our apertifs and toasted to a splendid trip. TIP TO OTHERS - for women, wearing a casual dress in Venice is really a thing.

Biking together in the countryside of Italy along with stopping at the towns small piazzas .

The crew and tour guides were fantastic The food was great
The bike ride itself was not for all levels of bikers...lots of city biking that made many riders nervous. A large guided group made it difficult to keep everyone together, causing large gaps
The sites were sometimes great and other days just riding along a dyke with not much to see
The tour guides Hein and Marjoleine were very knowledgeable and interesting to listen to
The unfortunate plumbing issue on the boat upon embarkation wasn't ideal but they moved us upstairs to another room and others were put up in a hotel for 2 nights...they were dedicated to resolving the problem which was done on day 3.

This is our third bike, boat, and barge tour. The barge vessels create a cozy and friendly atmosphere with the crew and fellow cyclists. The Vita Pugna crew offers excellent service. The meals were delicious and freshly prepared with regional products from each area we visited. Michaela, the bike leader, was energetic, meticulous, and knowledgeable. We used e-bikes to enjoy the ride; the trail is flat and suitable for regular bikes as well. Everything was clean. The barge could use a cosmetic refresh, but overall, the vessel is great.

Thirteen years ago we took one of our favorite family vacations aboard the Ave Maria from Mantova to Venice. We decided to recreate the trip with (now adult) children and their partners. The only week that worked was in the opposite direction and on the Vita Pugna. Before we knew it, we had other friends and family sign on and we filled 9 of the 10 cabins. As the trip approached we were concerned that the reality would not meet our memories or that a different direction or boat might lessen the experience.

We were thrilled to find out that any such fears were unwarranted. From the moment we boarded the Vita Pugna in Venice until the sad day we departed in Mantova, we had an absolute blast. The boat is not opulent, but very comfortable and well appointed. The food was excellent -- the wonderful Silvia not only made delicious meals every day, but nimbly adjusted to a number of us with different dietary tastes and restrictions. Our pursor/sommelier/captain in training Michele was a joy to be around and will make an outstanding captain soon. The captain, Ricardo (Bugy), was so helpful and fun and we thoroughly enjoyed interacting with him. And Giorgio, our fearless leader and guide, was funny, informative, patient, experienced and a pure joy to be around. The entire crew spent an enormous amount of time helping us to enjoy our trip.

The trip was simply fantastic.

I loved the small family-like atmosphere of the boat. I also loved the built in guided tours.

food, the crew, the bike leaders, both. the boat was very nice. Perfect again!!

Beautiful countryside and amazing rides. The onsite tour support was above anything we could have asked for, fast responses, and help with taxis and trains.

This was the guided version. I thought, overall, it was a great trip and I would recommend it. The countryside we cycled through was interesting and we were mainly on paved, secondary lanes/roads - so very quiet, for the most part. The towns we stayed in were very picturesque and the accommodation were wonderful (with one exception in Alberobello, however, it was fine, just not up to the standards of the others). The meals were wonderful - exceptional local fare. Highlights: the meal at an Agriturismo, along with a mozzarella and burrata making demonstration; visiting a local olive oil operation, swimming in the Ionian Sea; Masseria Bosco with it's lovely pool, accommodation and Aperol Spritz. The one thing that made the trip challenging was the weather - 33 to 36 degrees. I highly recommend an e-bike and the guided version. The guide offered a great deal of information about what we were seeing and the history of the area.

Our guide, Cenzo was the most memorable part of our trip. His friendly, personable & humorous nature added to the wealth of cultural, historical, horticultural and geological information he shared with us. He was earnest and always ready to solve anything that came up.
Rocco also was a joy to be with, always taking care of any issues we had during our travels, giving advice regarding restaurants, and other sites to see.

The easy beautiful long rides through the country side and the GPS.
Didn’t actually stay in Venice, which was odd, no gondolas …
Very few water stops and very few places to find food between 12-5.

The riding was fairly easy except for the last part of the day when we had to ride up some steep hills. We definitely appreciated the hotels that had a swimming pool. The food experiences were amazing--fun and tasty! We were not aware we would have a picnic after the wine tasting so that was a necessary surprise.

I think we might have paid for an upgraded room (junior suite?) as that was all that was available. It was more of a triple with a very tiny single bed. If that was in Torgiano, then that was not worth it. That room was the something found more in a two star hotel. Not well decorated, no view or patio.

The rich and varied vegetation on the islands!! the sparkling blue water surrounding the islands! Stunning views! Food onboard was so delicious! The family that owned and worked the boat were very friendly and inviting!!

This family run adventure is the perfect way to explore the Aeolian Islands. The Sundail ship provides an intimate atmosphere to interact with the other guests during your week adventure.