5 Star Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 280

Outstanding tour leader and overall crew. Well-planned routes (except for the gravel parts :) and interesting sights. Excellent, plentiful food. Wonderful fellow travelers. Basic but comfortable cabin. This was a very memorable experience for us, and we would enjoy another similar tour with this company.

This was our first bike and barge trip and it EXCEEDED all expectations!!! The Ave Maria ITALIA was a beautiful boat with a spacious cabin for storing all luggage -we were on the upper deck, having 2 large portholes-one that opened slightly for fresh air, even though that was never needed. The chefs, Danny and Michaela always served us the highest quality of dinners/meals and the self serve breakfasts were substantial and delicious. We enjoyed packing our box lunch each morning for the day’s adventures. Our 2 guides, Sylvia (lead) and Pietro were top notch!! Having a lead bike and end (sweep) kept us all safe, regardless the speed of individual riders, which most of our 30 person group chose e-bikes. The (level easy) rides were always flat with slight variations of road conditions (paved, gravel) and all bikers were happy and confident. At times when we entered the busier towns along the way, our EXCEPTIONALLY skilled and personable guides kept everyone safe, navigating us all through many turns to get us to the town centre for our scheduled stops. Many times we had ‘surprise’ stops for tourist interest spots which were highlights!! Can’t say enough about this tour, especially ending in Venice as a finale, just blew our minds. And our entire crew, all spectacular in their own right, Captain Yano, techy Samuele kept the boat in perfect condition functionally and throughout the entire navigational route —-this was a vacation that will remain HIGH in our memories and already starting to plan our NEXT bike and barge trip!! Thank you all, thank you, Tripsite!!!

The most memorable part was the camaraderie that we saw and felt with the staff. The Capt., the Chef and sous chef, the engineer and the two Tour Guide guides were absolutely amazing.

We had the absolute best time on our recent bike and barge trip aboard the Ave Maria, cycling from Venice to Mantova.
Thanks to Chef Alberto and his assistant Sylvia, the meals on board were outstanding. Captain Bughi and tech engineer Fabio ensured smooth sailing and maintained the barge. Our cycling guides, Silvia and Pietro, were phenomenal—expertly navigating us through gorgeous countryside and charming villages with high energy and smiles every day. What truly made the week special, though, was the crew's collective attitude; everyone consistently went above and beyond, pitching in across all aspects of the trip to ensure our cycling holiday was absolutely fabulous.

All of the staff were excellent but Sylvia was a highlight! I liked how everyone pitched in during meals.

This was an outstanding trip that we completed in early June. The scenery was beautiful, the staff was outstanding, and the accommodations were great. The food was unbelievable and totally unexpected from the standpoint of local, delicious, preparation and presentation; including outstanding dishes for vegetarian and gluten free/non dairy diets. The docking proximity for easy access to Venice was amazing as were the stops along the way. Give this trip serious consideration.

The crew was fun and professional. The food was amazing. We had a couple of people in our group of 18 that had dietary restrictions, but they went to great lengths to provide options. The bar/wine system is fair and fairly priced. The bikes are top notch, and the itinerary has many little extras, better than most.

Great trip!!! We also added the self-guided bike portion starting from Bolzano! Everything went very well....RidewithGPS had no issues, hotels were good. The barge experience was awesome!! Our meals were absolutely over the top - those 2 Italian chefs know what they are doing! Guides were exceptional - they know their history and they know bikes! Would highly recommend this trip!

Excellent crew, especially the tour guides. The places they took us would have been difficult to find on our own, making it a unique experience.

Being on bike paths going through the countryside was a highlight. Tour guides were terrific, and we were very impressed with how the whole barge team worked together on all aspects of the trip.

We enjoyed learning about the culture and history of the areas we visited. Our guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

It should be mentioned that customers will need to purchase waterbus tickets for travel from Venice to the dock site.

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

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.

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!!

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.

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!!

I most appreciated the small group experience. there were only 18 on our tour and it was perfect. Our group of 6 booked a year ago so we could get a spot on the Vita Pugna and I was very happy with it. I cannot imagine have a group bigger group, perhaps 30 and I think that would have slowed down our progress on the bikes immensely. This size group I felt like we all had the opportunity to meet others, enjoy the company of different people each meal, but also got to know them a little bit. I was also very happy with the support and service of all of the staff (Capt Bugie, Silvia, Michael and Hugo)

Great staff, incredible food, comfortable boat, and a great tour with fun and memorable stops such as glass factory, cheese factory, grappa wine tasting, and a carousel tour - so much fun with a great group of people!

Great company. Excellent guide in Hugo. Very knowledgable passionate..Great food excellent staff