5 Star Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova Tour Reviews — 31 to 60 of 168

4.7 out of 5

 


Lora G.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

This is an unforgettable trip that everyone should take! The guides, chefs, crew and captain were all knowledgeable, kind and fabulous!

Dale S.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The crew, guides, and food were great - Thankyou for a wonderful time. The Ave Maria is a very well appointed barge. The trip exceeded expectations and we have taken several bike and boat tours with Tripsite.

Wendy V.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Our crew and tour guides were fantastic. Not to mention the food onboard was outstanding.

Donna W.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

This was a trip of a lifetime for me. Hein and Marjolein were wonderful trip leaders and so knowledgeable about the cities we visited. They made the trip a delight and handled any glitches that arose seamlessly. It helped that they had lived in the area for several years and were familiar with the customs and history of the Veneto.
The food provided by Alberto and Daniele was superb and plentiful, and reflected the cuisine of northern Italy. And Jano was amazing at piloting the Ave Maria through the canals and lagoon. Francesco did a great job anticipating and fulfilling our requests throughout the trip.
The Ave Maria was a perfect vessel for our weeklong tour of the Po River valley of northern Italy. The staterooms were very comfortable and had ample room for two people and their belongings. It was very interesting to hear about the transition of a derelict barge into the sleek Ave Maria that was our home for a week.
I would love to do another trip with this group to explore a new area of Europe in the future.

Ric B.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The trip was awesome. Everything was 1st rate. We loved all of our staff. Each person on the staff went the extra mile to make the tour very special!

cynthia w.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

This was our second bike and barge with tripsite. It exceded our expectations. The room had plenty of storage, the staff was outstanding and the meals were all excellent. Our tripsite vacation was perfect.

Diane C.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Ave Maria is a beautiful comfortable well equipped boat. The staff was courteous, helpful, pleasant and efficient. The food absolutely the best! plentiful and with great variety. Our tour host Hein and Mayleine were awesome. They were well informed about the historic and local areas that we traveled thru and were humorous, kind and considerable for all the guests needs and abilities.
The tour was a well planned route thru some lovely back roads and small towns and cities. The bicycles were very good and easy to ride. It is very difficult to choose just one memorable part of the trip it was well worth the time we waited to enjoy the Boat/Barge.

Laurie H.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Seeing venice on a sunny day from the roof of an historic building.
Biking through the countryside and villages.
Excellent food.

John L.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Arriving into Venice on the Ave Maria. In beautiful Lido we turned in our bikes and by the way they were terrific bikes. I even named mine. I hated to to see "Lisa Marie" go into storage but what came next was even more spectacular. To arrive in magical Venice by boat on a glorious fall day with brilliant sun glistening off the buildings and the water was breath-taking. The fact that the crew had arranged pizza and cocktails only added to the experience. And then that sunset! What a day!

Sharman H.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The food by Sylvia and Irena was delicious and the daily movies by Hugo gave us a sweet memory .

LISA C.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

This was an absolute memorable trip! Our guides Sylvia and Francisco did everything possible to make sure we enjoyed. The brought on tours, day an night. The food was great food. The cooks and engineers were great. The quality of the bikes were perfect. Having 31 guests was great because it is easy to get to know everyone. I would definitely recommend

Kay B.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

It isn't possible to pick out a "most memorable part." We will treasure memories of it all: the delightful and accommodating crew on the Ave Maria, the extraordinary food (where did those two men train?), the city guides that lead us around Venice and Mantua, the beautiful countryside viewed from excellent bikes, our always upbeat bicycling guides, and the terrific company of fellow bikers. It was the perfect up close and personal way to experience this part of Italy.

Bethia W.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The boat crew, Andrea, Dani, Alberto, Francisco and the two Stefanias were such excellent hosts. They created a friendly community atmosphere that brought all of us strangers together. They worked hard to make sure we were well taken care of on board and on the bikes and taught us so much about the culture, the ecosystem of the Po Valley and history which made the trip an educational experience. The local and regional meals they serverd were culinary masterpieces as memorable as any artwork we saw. I highly recommend this trip to cyclists of all ages and abilities. I would like to do it all over again! Thanks for a fun and exciting trip.

Sarah E.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

While the touring each day was beautiful, the most memorable part of the trip were the evening meals. Chefs Sylvia and Irena delighted us all with outstanding dishes featuring local ingredients and recipes. A gourmet bike tour!

Tom B.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Very well organised trip - the tour guides Silvia & Francesco were outstanding. Full of life, informative and funny.
The boat , Ave Maria, was very comfortable and well set out.
The bikes were excellent - we had electric ones.
The scenery, countryside and towns were lovely.

Lev Z.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

With the exception of the room, which could be a bit larger, and Wi-Fi, which could be stronger and steadier, everything else of the tour was outmost enjoyable: the route and rides, the equipment, the food, the guide, the people in the group.

Lawrence B.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Seeing Italy from a closer perspective than on most tours.

Bikes worked well, and the food and tour guides were excellent

Linda C.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The most memorable part of the trip for me was riding our bikes in the country between towns. We were able to see the crops in the fields, and the beautiful countryside dotted with houses and the green vegetation of spring. We were in Italy in early May and the weather was perfect - not too warm but not cold either. A particular highlight was riding along a canal and seeing the Ave Maria ahead of us. We speeded up, of course so that we could pass the boat, greeting the captain as we rode by. He responded by honking the horn and putting music on the loudspeaker for us to enjoy. The food was another highlight of the trip. We had fantastic, filling breakfasts, and delicious traditional Italian food for dinner each night. The chefs explained the courses, and where the recipes originated. We were able to nourish our minds and bodies together. Our group was immediately cohesive, and we had lively entertainment every night from card games to karaoke singing. The trip was one of the best I have ever experienced, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience biking in Europe.

Linda B.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

The 6 member crew of the Ava Maria was fantastic. Food was excellent and the barge accommodations were very nice. I was in a deluxe cabin with a window that opened and the cabin was very spacious and the water pressure in the shower was great and the beds were very comfy. TripSite stated we would be provided with a water bottle for our bikes but we were not which was difficult because a standard bottle of water would not fit in the bottle holder on the bike. WiFi only works in the main dining room which was OK. Bikes are in great condition and the bike guides (Helmut and Alex) were great. There is a fair amount of street riding with some traffic but the guides keep you safe. No diet coke on the boat but they allowed us to bring on our own soda.

Charles M.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Biking out of Venice was unforgettable.

Karen S.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

Biking along the river and the built in tours of the trip.

Jean M.
1 year ago

Verified Reviewer

We enjoyed everything about the tour! Our group was very international representative of Italy, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Switzerland, UK, and Germany. Our guide was Giorgio. He was knowledgeable about the area and it’s history and took us on many side trips including a gastronomic experience at a local cheese factory.
After biking all day we returned to a fresh snack and of course an outstanding meal at dinner made by our exceptional cook who greeted us every evening with a heartfelt Buona sera! We felt the crew did an outstanding job and were always willing to help with any given situation. Great job everybody!
Thank you all!
Jean and Brian Mearon

Roger and Rachel
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

This was a fantastic bike and barge trip! We loved all aspects of it: the delicious meals, the beautiful scenery, the great staff and guides, and wonderful travel companions. For me as an avid bicyclist, the biking was pretty easy, but for my wife it was more challenging. However, Francesco and Carlos were fantastic guides, and kept a pace that worked for everyone. We loved stopping and exploring the small towns along the way, as well as the larger attractions in cities such as Ferrara. One of our favorite memories of the trip was sitting on the top deck of the Ava Marie in the evening after a day of biking and sight-seeing, and playing cards with our new found friends. We appreciate the energy the crew and staff put into making this a great trip for everyone! We can't wait to go again! Ciao!

Gail F.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The trip was excellent! We loved it. Great to meet people from all over the world. The Ave Maria Barge was just right. The crew was excellent! The crew was helpful and personable beyond expectations. The dinners were really wonderful, I enjoyed going through the small towns in Italy. Our ride leaders knew where they were going and were very informative regarding the towns we visited. I can’t wait to do another bike and barge!

pam c.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

It was the wonderful people, (tour guides, chefs and boat crew) of the Ava Maria, that made this tour experience more than exceptional and much more than expected. We appreciated their expertise, knowledge and humourous delivery of all. Five star experience!!!!!

Shirley Pommier and John Lewis
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Our week on the Ave Marie far exceeded our expectations. Hardly words to convey how fabulous it all was. This is the 3rd such adventure for us. Our Girolibero Provence Bike and Barge was absolutely wonderful. Our Loire Valley outing with another company was pretty awful but returning to a Girolibero guided trip erased all those memories. How to praise the comfortable boat, the outstanding meals, and then the crew of 6 who went above and beyond to ensure every day was totally enjoyable and to remember forever. The crew worked so well together taking such good and kind care of all of us. We made new friends, saw so much and learned so much as Hugo and Giorgio shared so much of their vast knowledge of the Po River Valley. We miss all of them so much and wish we lived closer. Thank you Girolibero for making all this possible.

Karen B.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Italy was beautiful, historical, and interesting. But what made this trip stand apart from others was the crew. Our guides were committed to giving us an amazing experience. Hugo shared his knowledgeable of Italian history, economics, culture, and the transitions taking place in their society today. He included interesting stops along the way, my favorite being the Museum of Fairground Rides. He made and shared videos of our daily rides and entertained us with his antics. Francesco was from Italy and helped us with its language and culture while also being the caregiver of our trip. The meals were delicious and the entire crew joined in to ensure our comfort, safety and entertainment throughout the week. This was my fourth bike and barge through Tripsite and all of the crews have been good. This one was exceptional!!

Nancy S.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Most memorable part: Barge staff and bike guides

Joellyn P.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The crew was an exceptional team and demonstrated the camaraderie they tried to build within the guests. It was a fully led trip so that was important and made the experience so much more fun. Hugo was an informed and energetic leader supported by Francesco and a fabulous kitchen and boat navigation crew. Each day was packed with biking and walking activites, interesting sites, and lots of learning activities. In the end, though, it is the people you met along the way that make the difference.

Jerline (and Alan) S.
2 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Excellent food; schedule done as advertised; crew was upbeat, helpful; guide in great shape. I suggest on the middle days to check out some of the small nearby towns to break up the long distances. Very good bike also.