• Meals: Dinner

Today you’ll arrive in the beautiful city of Venice.

Your cabin will be ready from 17.00 onwards and a meeting with your tour leader and crew is usually scheduled for around 18.30, followed by dinner at 19.00. It’s a great way to get to know your fellow cyclists, before you settle in to enjoy Venice by night.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

After waking up to a wonderful view of the lagoon, you’ll be free to enjoy the rest of the day exploring the city, with its atmospheric canals, wealth of art galleries and attractive islands. 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 dinner we can savour Venice at night, now free of the crowds and at her most romantic: Benvenuti a Venezia!

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 117 Metres Approx.

Leaving Venice behind after a gentle cruise in front of St Mark’s square, our first stop will be on Murano island, where we will visit a historic glass factory, with a glassblowing demonstration by a master artisan.

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”.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 138 Metres Approx.

A morning stroll through Chioggia is recommended and, time allowing, so is a visit up the millennial clock tower (the oldest in the world), for some breathtaking views. Weather permitting, today might give us the opportunity to soak up some sun and take a dip at a nearby beach!

Our cycling resumes southbound, into the delta of the imposing Po. This unique wetland park is the prime reserve in Europe for herons and is home to a colony of flamingos. We’ll overnight in Adria, an ancient Roman port, once washed by the waters of the sea which bears its name. An after-dinner passeggiata (leisurely stroll) into town for a well-earned Grappa or gelato is in order.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 118 Metres Approx.

After a short cruise we’ll get back on our bikes and, following the Po through farmland and hamlets, we’ll reach Ferrara. Under its overlords, the Este family, this ancient City State attracted influential architects and artists for centuries, pioneering town planning principles which have been emulated around the World since!

A private bus will take us back to our floating hotel in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 122 Metres Approx.

After just a few kilometres on the bike we’ll reach the village of Bergantino, home of the Museum of Fairground Rides and its collection of street organs. First things first, we‘re in the heartland of Grana Padano (the arch-rival of Parmesan) and so we’ll have the chance to visit a local cheese factory, with some tasters of course!

Following the river through Ostiglia (famed for its medieval fortress and floating mill) we’ll then reach the Governolo Lock, where we rejoin our barge; once a vital staging post for local navigation, this is where the River Mincio flows into the Po, creating the largest inland basin in Italy. Leaving the Po behind, we’ll make our way to our home for the next two nights: Mantova.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 111 Metres Approx.

Today you’ll have the entire day today to explore the wonderful city of Mantova. Ruled by the House of Gonzaga for four centuries, the City State of Mantova attracted a roll call of names from across the arts, including Rubens and Mozart, and to this day is renowned for its international book festival.

A ride through the centre takes us past Palazzo Tè, the Gonzaga’s summer residence, and onwards to the hamlet of Grazie and its church, a pilgrimage site. We’ll return to Mantova before meeting our guide for a walking tour of the historic centre in the afternoon, enjoying the town at our own leisure.

• Meals: Breakfast

Departure after breakfast.

Please note: The itinerary has been planned to feature navigation along the Fissero/Bianco canal, which runs parallel to the Po and connects Mantova to the Adriatic Sea. Due to weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the trip. Issues with high and low water, as well as logistical obstacles such as those officially ordered – and previously not announced (eg. repair works on locks or bridges) can modify some of the daily stretches or overnight stays and may even require a transfer by bus. These decisions are taken by the boat’s captain.