Boat & Bike from Venice to Mantua

Benvenuto a Venezia! Welcome to Venice! From 5:00 PM we welcome you aboard the barge that will be your home for the coming week. At 6:30 PM we have a welcome meeting, where you will receive information from your guide and the captain with staff. We offer a welcome drink. After dinner we can take the opportunity to enjoy "Venice by night", without large tourist groups the city shows its most romantic side.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Venice

After a walk off the beaten path with your tour leader you have the day free to enjoy the city at your own pace. Named La Serenissima ("The Most Serene"), the Venetian republic held power over large parts of the Mediterranean (and beyond) for centuries – both as a military power and a guiding star for culture.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Venice

Today we leave Venice, after a lovely boat trip past St. Mark's Square. Today's first stop is on the island of Murano where we visit a historic glass factory. Our cycling adventure then begins on Lido, the first of two islands we will cross today. Lido di Venezia has been fashionable and beloved by society ever since "La belle epoque", and is now the venue for Venice's international film festival and its star glamour. We take a short little island hop by ferry and end up in another world: Pellestrina – where we cycle past picturesque cottages and boats and return to the barge at Chioggia – a colorful and lively fishing hub, known as "Little Venice".

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Pellestrina

We start the day by strolling through Chioggia, and perhaps take a trip to the world's oldest clock tower, from which we have a fantastic view. If the weather permits we can take the opportunity to sunbathe on one of the nearby beaches and take a dip in the Adriatic Sea. Then we continue to the Po Delta. This unique wetland is Europe's premier reserve for herons and is also home to a flamingo colony. We moor the barge for the night in Adria, which is known for its Etruscan and Greek heritage. After dinner it's perfect for a walk to the center for a grappa or gelato.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Adria

After a short boat trip we take our bikes and follow the Po past fields and small villages, until we reach Ferrara. The city has attracted architects, artists and scientists for centuries, and has been a model for urban planning for many other cities in the world. Even today the city's university is ranked as one of the best, and the city has also been designated as Italy's cycling capital. A private bus takes us back to our floating hotel in Zelo, a sleepy village on Canale Bianco, which runs parallel to the Po.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Zelo

Today we head to the village of Bergantino, which has a museum with carousels. We are in the heart of Grana Padano – parmesan's arch-rival. We visit a local cheese maker and enjoy a tasting – flavorful and aged Grana Padano, which we wash down with a glass of Valpolicella. After a picnic lunch we leave Bergantino and follow the river to Ostiglia, known for its medieval castle and the battles that took place here in 1945, where Hitler's forces were driven back. We cycle to the Governolo lock, where we find our barge again. Here the river Mincio flows into the Po, and we travel through the wetlands until we reach Mantua.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Mantua

The day is dedicated to exploring Mantua, a cultural gem that actually isn't that well-visited. The city has three picturesque "lakes" formed by the river Mincio, and beautiful surrounding countryside. Mantua was previously ruled by the Italian princely family Gonzaga and is called Italy's "Sleeping Beauty" – the sleeping beauty. In the afternoon we meet our local guide, who takes us on a walking tour of the old town.

Accommodation MS Vita Pugna - Mantua

Now it's time to say "Arrivederci" – goodbye, to Italy and the surroundings you've traveled through this past week. You eat a final Italian breakfast at the hotel before it's time for departure. Perhaps you have sore muscles after a week of cycling, but it's hopefully worth it, and you get to return home with new, wonderful memories and experiences in your luggage.