Bike and Barge: Venice to Mantova (MS Ave Maria Italia)

We welcome you aboard your new home-from-home from 5 p.m. onwards, and then regroup for the introductory briefing at 6.30 – with your tour leader, skipper and crew, along with a first refreshing aperitivo. After dinner, we can savour Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic: Benvenuti a Venezia.

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 centre. 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.

Leaving Venice behind after a gentle cruise in front of St Mark’s Square, 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 barge just in front of Chioggia – a bustling and colourful fishing hub known as
“Little Venice”.

We open the day with a stroll through Chioggia, followed perhaps by a visit up the Millennium 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 savoury 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 is 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.

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.

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 degustation 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.

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”. This afternoon we meet our Mantuan guide for a walking tour of the historic centre, and enjoy the rest of the day in town, at our leisure.

After breakfast, transfer to your chosen departure point or stay on for more nights in Mantova, Verona, Venice or even move on to Lake Garda.

Embarkation is scheduled from 5:00 PM in Mantua/Venice. Here you will meet the tour leader and other participants. At 6.30 PM a meeting with the tour leader and the crew is scheduled.

If you arrive before 5:00 PM, you can leave the luggage on board anytime during the day.

Tour programme variations

• The programme has been planned to feature navigation along the Fissero/ Bianco canal, which runs parallel to the Po River and connects Mantua to the Adriatic Sea. Due to organisational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday.
• Issues with high and low water, as well as logistic obstacles such as officially ordered – previously not announced – repair work on locks or bridges can modify some of the daily stretches or overnight stays and may even request a transfer by bus. These decisions are only taken by the barge’s captain.

Travel Insurance

• It is advisable to take out an insurance policy against expenses arising from cancellation of the tour package, accidents, luggage (loss and damage), as well as a contract covering expenses in case of repatriation. Insurance policies are not included in the tour package offered by the operator.

About the MS Ave Maria

Comfort Gold

• En-suite bathroom and shower
• Air conditioning throughout the barge
• WiFi available in common areas
• 17 cabins
• 31 guests in low beds, plus additional guests in bunk beds (on request)

An elegant riverboat with a modern design, it sails between Mantua and Venice, following the Mincio River, the Po River, and its canals to the Venetian Lagoon. It is an environmentally sustainable boat due to energy conservation on board, purification of dark water, and navigation that does not damage the shores. View more details.

Cabins

• 4 upper deck double/twin cabins (11 sq.m) (D)
• 10 lower deck double/twin cabins (11 sq.m) (B, C)
• 3 lower deck single cabins (7.5 sq.m) (A)
• The two single beds can become a double bed, and most double beds can be separated into two single beds
• Possible additional bunk beds in some cabins

Features

• Comfortable low beds (2.00 m x 0.80 m)
• En-suite facilities
• Large windows
• Individually controlled air conditioning
• Safe deposit box
• Under the beds, there is space for luggage storage: H36cm x W112cm x D80cm

Common Areas

• Cosy and bright restaurant hall with large panoramic windows
• Lounge area for relaxation with a wide selection of board games, books, and travel guides, a 55” multimedia screen, and free WiFi
• Sundeck to enjoy sailing and outdoor dining

Arrival: Venice

Departure: Mantova

Nearest arrival airport(s): Venice

Nearest departure airport(s): Verona

We also recommend travelling by train to all of our cycling holiday starting and departure points. We can help you plan your journey to Venice by rail. Car parking is available on all tours at the first hotel or a nearby public parking location. Full details are available on request.

Please do not book travel until an official invoice confirms the cycling holiday.