Please note that this tour operates in two directions, from Venice to Mantua or from Mantua to Venice, depending on departure date. You'll find both itineraries detailed below.
Venice – Mantua
Ave Maria: Apr 2, 16, 30; May 14, 28; Jun 11, 25; Jul 9, 23; Aug 6, 20; Sep 3, 17; Oct 1, 15, 2022.
Vita Pugna: Apr 9, 23; May 7, 21; Jun 4, 18; Jul 2, 16, 30; Aug 13, 27; Sep 10, 24; Oct 8, 22, 2022.
Day 1: Venice
We welcome you aboard your new home-from-home from 4:30pm. onwards, and then regroup for the introductory briefing – at 6:30pm – with your tour leader, skipper, and crew, along with a first refreshing aperitif. After dinner, we can savor Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic: Benvenuti a Venezia!
Day 2: Venice
After breakfast – and perhaps following a wander off the beaten track with your tour leader – we all meet up with our Venetian guide for a tour through the historic center. Christened La Serenissima ("The Most Serene"), the Venetian Republic held sway over much of the Mediterranean (and beyond) for centuries – both as a military power and a beacon of culture, her explorers reaching as far as China and Newfoundland. After your guided tour, you have the afternoon free to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Day 3: Venice – Pellestrina/Chioggia (19 miles/30 km)
Leaving Venice behind after a gentle cruise, our cycling adventure starts on the Lido, the first of two islands we traverse today. Fashionable in high society ever since the Belle Époque, the Lido di Venezia is now home to the International Venice Film Festival and its galaxy of stars.
A short island-hop by ferry takes us into another world: Pellestrina, where we ride past the picturesque cottages and boats of this humble fishing backwater. We rejoin our Ave Maria just in front of Chioggia – a bustling and colorful fishing hub known as "Little Venice."
Day 4: Pellestrina/Chioggia – Po Delta Nature Reserve – Adria (25 miles/40 km)
We open the day with a stroll through Chioggia, followed perhaps by a visit up the millennial clock tower – the oldest in the world – for some breathtaking views. Weather permitting, we can also bask in the sun at a fine-sand beach nearby: a dip in the Adriatic, a hot savory piadina – and you are well and truly local!
Then onwards into the delta of the life-giving Po. This unique wetland is the prime reserve in Europe for herons and home to a colony of flamingos. We moor for the night in Adria, a key Roman port, once washed by the waters of the sea which bears its name. Adria is also renowned for its Etruscan and Greek heritage. An after-dinner passeggiata into town for a well-earned grappa or gelato is in order.
Day 5: Adria – Ferrara – Zelo (22 miles/35 km by bike + 22 miles/35 km by bus)
After a short cruise we saddle our bikes and, following the Po through farmland and hamlets, we reach Ferrara. Under its ruling family, the Este, this city state attracted architects, artists, and scholars for centuries, pioneering town planning principles that have been emulated worldwide ever since. To this day, Ferrara University ranks among the best, and the town is dubbed the ''Cycling Capital of Italy." A private bus and trailer take us back to our floating hotel in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.
Day 6: Zelo – Mantua (31 miles/50 km)
This morning we head for the village of Bergantino, home of the distinctive Museum of Fairground Rides and its collection of street organs, all expertly restored (and thunderous!). But first things first: we are in the heartland of Grana Padano – the arch-rival of Parmesan – and after visiting the local cheese factory, we enjoy a degustazione of sharp and seasoned Grana, washed down with a glass of Valpolicella.
After our customary picnic lunch, we leave Bergantino and follow the river to Ostiglia, famed for its medieval fortress and the fierce fighting that took place here in 1945, as the Allies and partisans drove Hitler's forces back. We ride on and rejoin our barge at Governolo Lock, where Mantua's River Mincio flows into the Po. Veering north, we cruise through the lush wetlands that finally emerge into the glorious "lakes" of Mantua.
Day 7: Mantua round tour (22 miles/35 km)
Ruled by the House of Gonzaga for four centuries, the city state of Mantua attracted a dizzying roll call of names across the arts – from Rubens and Mantegna to Monteverdi and Mozart – and to this day the town is renowned for its international book festival.
A ride through the center soon takes us past Palazzo Tè, on the outskirts, the Gonzagas' summer residence. Onwards to the hamlet of Grazie and its historic church: a site of pilgrimage, it is adorned with an intriguing host of wooden figures, personifying the many torments that pilgrims of yore could identify with. A cruise on a local barge takes us home through a waterscape rich in birdlife, lilies and other aquatic flora.
This afternoon we meet our Mantuan guide for a walking tour of the historic center, and enjoy the rest of the day in town, at our own leisure.
Day 8: Mantua
Departure after breakfast. Possibility to book extra nights
Mantua – Venice
Ave Maria: Mar 26; Apr 9, 23; May 7, 21; Jun 4, 18; Jul 2, 16, 30; Aug 13, 27; Sep 10, 24; Oct 8, 22, 2022.
Vita Pugna: Apr 2, 16, 30; May 14, 28; Jun 11, 25; Jul 9, 23; Aug 6, 20; Sep 3, 17; Oct 1, 15, 2022.
Day 1: Mantua
We welcome you aboard your new home-from-home from 4:30pm onwards, and then regroup for the introductory briefing – at 6:30 – with your tour leader, skipper and crew, along with a first refreshing aperitif. After dinner, we can stroll into town and savor the historic center at its most evocative: Benvenuti a Mantua!
Day 2: Mantua round tour (22 miles/35 km)
A day dedicated to the discovery of this little-visited cultural gem, its three picturesque "lakes" formed by the Mincio, and its surrounding countryside – once a City State ruled by the Gonzaga family and now considered by many as Italy’s "Sleeping Beauty."
A ride through the center soon takes us past Palazzo Tè, on the outskirts, the Gonzagas' summer residence. Onwards to the hamlet of Grazie and its historic church: a site of pilgrimage, it is adorned with an intriguing host of wooden figures, personifying the many torments that pilgrims of yore could identify with. A cruise on a local barge takes us home through a waterscape rich in birdlife, lilies, and other aquatic flora.
This afternoon we meet our Mantuan guide for a walking tour of the historic center, and enjoy the rest of the day in town, at our own leisure.
Day 3: Mantua – Zelo (31 miles/50 km by bike)
After breakfast, we set sail from the "lakes" of Mantua and cruise through the lush wetlands that lead to Governolo Lock, where Mantua's River Mincio flows into the Po.
Here, we saddle up and follow the broad sweeps of the levee towards Ostiglia, renowned for its medieval fortress and fierce fighting in 1945, as the Allies drove Hitler's forces back.
Next: Bergantino, home of the distinctive Museum of Fairground Rides and its collection of street organs, all expertly restored (and thunderous!). This village is also in the heartland of Grana Padano – the arch-rival of Parmesan – and a visit to the local cheese factory, sampling some well seasoned Grana, is de rigueur. We catch up with our Ave Maria in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.
Day 4: Zelo – Ferrara – Adria (31 miles/50 km by bike + 37 miles/60 km by bus)
This morning we cross the Po and ride southwards through a patchwork of farmland, orchards and hamlets, as far as Ferrara. Under its ruling family, the Este, this city state attracted architects, artists and scholars for centuries, pioneering town planning principles that have been emulated worldwide ever since. To this day, Ferrara University ranks among the best, and the town is dubbed the ''Cycling Capital of Italy."
A private bus and trailer then take us back to our floating hotel in Adria, an ancient Roman port once washed by the sea that bears its name. Adria is also renowned for its Etruscan and Greek heritage. An after-dinner passeggiata into town for a well-earned grappa or gelato is in order.
Day 5: Adria – Po Delta Nature Reserve – Chioggia/Pellestrina (25 miles/40 km)
After a short cruise, we cycle into the delta of the life-giving Po. This unique wetland is the prime reserve in Europe for herons and home to a sizeable colony of flamingos. Weather permitting, as we continue towards Chioggia, we can also enjoy a break at a fine-sand beach nearby for a dip in the Adriatic – not forgetting a hot savory piadina! Chioggia is also known as "Little Venice", a colorful fishing hub. The overnight takes place on the Island Pellestrina, just in front of Chioggia.
Day 6: Pellestrina/Chioggia – Venice (19 miles/30 km)
Venice beckons, but first another world altogether: Pellestrina, the first of two islands we traverse today – a humble and tranquil fishing backwater, picturesque as ever with its cottages, boats, and nets. A short island-hop by ferry lands us on the Lido. Fashionable in high society ever since the Belle Époque, the Lido di Venezia is now home to the International Venice Film Festival and its galaxy of stars. After rejoining our Ave Maria, an unrushed cruise takes us to our final destination. After dinner, we can savor Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic: Benvenuti a Venezia!
Day 7: Venice
After breakfast – and perhaps following a wander off the beaten track with your tour leader – we all meet up with our Venetian guide for a tour through the historic center. Christened La Serenissima ("The Most Serene"), the Venetian Republic held sway over much of the Mediterranean (and beyond) for centuries – both as a military power and a beacon of culture, her explorers reaching as far as China and Newfoundland. After your guided tour, you have the afternoon free to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Day 8: Venice
After breakfast end of services. Possibility to book extra nights.