5 Star Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova Tour Reviews — 31 to 60 of 268

Hard to pick any single thing - the staff was likely the best part, with great tour leaders, followed by how good the food was!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The guides and staff were fantastic.

The trip was a wonderful way to see Italy minus the crowds.

The excellent crew, good food and beautiful bike rides and scenery.

The trip was well organized, our boat was comfortable and the food was incredible! The tour took us through quaint little villages and the arranged stops were all informative and enjoyable. My favourite was Grana Parma. We chose self-guided, and enjoyed the flexibility that gave. Sylvie took time each day to explain any potential areas of concern. Overall, a great experience!

Beautiful bike trails and amazing food! The boat staff were amazing and very friendly. The tour guide Sylvia was so very helpful to our group who did our own tour.

The crew worked very well together, supporting each other.
Also, the fact that the number of guests was not large, contributed to a sense of community.
For suggestions: I couldn't get wifi in my lower deck room - as was true for others I spoke with, and had to go to the dinning room for service.

The most memorable moment of my trip was the guided tours through special viewings of Venice and surrounding islands to capture the true essence of the Italian culture is our expert tour leaders, Silvia and Marco. My favorite part was stopping through one of the smallest villages and see an elderly man raising the flag at noon, as he has done daily for many decades.