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From Venice to Mantua
Preferred
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
- Unique itinerary
- Coach transfer from Mantua to Venice on day 7 free of charge
- Hiking Highlights
- The islands of Torcello and Lazzaretto Nuovo
- From the Euganean Hills to the village of Arqua Petrarca
- Valle delle Cartiere and Lake Garda
- Lessinia Regional Nature Park, a high-altitude trek
- All excursions included for non-hikers:
- Venice, an abundance of history
- Padua, the home of Saint Anthony
- Stroll through the medieval city of Verona and visit the arena or indulge in its food
- Mantua, romantic city surrounded by lakes
- Cremona, Claudio Monteverdi's birthplace
- Tour of the Fratelli Spigaroli with a tasting of Culatello ham and Parmesan cheese
Short Description
Set out on hikes through some of the most beautiful Italian landscapes in the Veneto and Lombardy regions. Bask in the charming sites from the islands in the Venetian Lagoon to the banks of Lake Garda. You'll trek through a verdant regional park in the Euganean Hills'which emerge from the plains along the Pô'as well as the Lessinia Regional Nature Park along a high-altitude trail.
Itinerary
Day 1 VENICE
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Enjoy a free evening to explore Venice on your own.
Day 1 VENICE
You’ll board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Enjoy a free evening to explore the city on your own.
Day 2 VENICE
In the morning, FOR ALL: Guided tour of Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Square. You’ll discover Saint Mark’s Square and its famous basilica (exteriors) and take a tour inside Doge’s Palace, the official residence of Venetian dukes and the seat of the government until 1797. The current palace dates back to the 14th century and is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the world. A trek to the top of the Golden Staircase brings you up to massive works by Tintoretto and Veronese and gives you access to the antechambers and a magnificent view off the balcony. This afternoon, NON-HIKERS: Join us for an excursion to the Venetian Lagoon and its islands. The Murano glassmakers retreated to the island of Murano to help keep their production techniques a secret. Burano instills a feeling of quiet and meditation as you walk along its docks lined with colorful homes. One of the most sought-out items on the island is handwoven lace that dates back to before the exploration of the New World. HIKERS: Set out on a trek across the islands of Lazzaretto Nuovo and Torcello. You’ll leave by private boat for a tour of the two islands. The first stop will be long-abandoned Lazzaretto Nuovo. Today, it harbors an archeological site and outdoor museum. A visit to the island provides an opportunity to discover the extraordinary environment in the lagoon. You can walk along the old sentinel path and climb the bastions that give a 360° view of the area. Our next stop will be Torcello, which holds the vestiges of the first populations on the islands. Settled in 452 AD, it was the main island before Venice became inhabited and includes a basilica with priceless mosaics. This is an approximate 5-hour tour with 2.5 hours hiking for 2.7 miles (4.5 km) and no elevation gain. Enjoy a free evening to explore Venice on your own.
Day 2 VENICE
In the morning, FOR ALL: Guided tour of Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Square. You’ll discover Saint Mark’s Square and its famous basilica (exteriors) and visit inside Doge’s Palace. This afternoon, NON-HIKERS: Join us for an excursion to the Venetian Lagoon and its islands. Discover the famous glassworks on Murano and the multi-colored homes on Burano. HIKERS: Set out on a trek across the islands of Lazzaretto Nuovo and Torcello. The first stop will be long-abandoned Lazzaretto Nuovo, which now harbors an archeological site and outdoor museum. We’ll then visit Torcello and its basilica with priceless mosaics. This is an approximate 5-hour tour with 2.5 hours hiking for 2.7 miles (4.5 km) and no elevation gain. Enjoy a free evening to explore Venice on your own.
Day 3 VENICE - CHIOGGIA - Padua - PORTO VIRO - CANDA
We’ll cruise to Chioggia, the starting point for our excursions. NON-HIKERS: Guided tour of Padua, the home of Saint Anthony. The city surrounds its medieval center with charming squares and palaces. Il Santo, the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, sits among these and contains the remains of the city's patron saint. HIKERS: Hike the Euganean Hills. The Euganean Hills are located in a regional park known for its beauty and hot springs. Hot water springs helped create the multitude of spa towns that have existed here since Roman times, as the ancient ruins attest. The region is also known for its vineyards. With your guide, you’ll first hike to Mount Calbarina (446 feet/136 m in altitude) to take in the magnificent view of the Lago della Costa. Your hike will continue through the forest to Mount Piccolo (1,037 feet/316 m in altitude). The trail leads to the medieval village of Arqua Petrarca, one of the most picturesque hamlets in Italy, located at the foot of both Monte Piccolo and Monte Ventolone. The poet Petrarch lived the final four years of his life here. We’ll see his home and his tomb in front of the church. This is an approximate 6-hour tour with 2.5 hours hiking for 4.3 miles (7 km) and an elevation gain of 919 feet (280 m). As you enjoy your tour and hike, the ship will cruise to Porto Viro.(1) For those who decided not to join us on the excursion, you will be transferred from Chioggia to Porto Viro. Enjoy some free time in Chioggia. We’ll return on board in Porto Viro and spend the afternoon cruising towards Rovigo.
Day 3 VENICE - CHIOGGIA - Padua - PORTO VIRO - CANDA
We’ll cruise to Chioggia, the starting point for our excursions. NON-HIKERS: Guided tour of Padua. HIKERS: Hike the Euganean Hills. With your guide, you’ll first hike to Mount Calbarina to take in the magnificent view of the Lago della Costa. Your hike will continue through the forest to Mount Piccolo and then Arqua Petrarca. This is an approximate 6-hour tour with 2.5 hours hiking for 4.3 miles (7 km) and an elevation gain of 919 feet (280 m). As you enjoy your tour and hike, the ship will cruise to Porto Viro.(1) For those who decided not to join us on the excursion, you will be transferred from Chioggia to Porto Viro. Enjoy some free time in Chioggia. We’ll return on board in Porto Viro and spend the afternoon cruising towards Rovigo.
Day 4 CANDA - OSTIGLIA - Verona - MANTUA
We’ll spend the morning cruising to Ostiglia. This afternoon, FOR ALL: Visit Verona and its amphitheater or the Giusti Gardens. We leave by coach from Torretta and head to Verona, the City of Love made famous by Shakespeare's legendary tragedy Romeo and Juliet. We’ll visit Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta) to see the balcony where she stood when Romeo declared his love. Verona encapsulates 2,000 years of history from an architectural, urban, and artistic point of view. The amphitheater, the historic symbol of the city, is a fantastic example of its longevity and influence. If the amphitheater is closed, we’ll visit the magnificent Giusti Gardens. After our tour, we’ll return on board in Mantua.
Day 4 CANDA - OSTIGLIA - Verona - MANTUA
We’ll spend the morning cruising to Ostiglia. This afternoon, FOR ALL: We’ll head to Verona, the City of Love made famous by Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy Romeo and Juliet. We’ll also visit the amphitheater or the Giusti Gardens. After our tour, we’ll return on board in Mantua.
Day 5 MANTUA - Cremona
NON-HIKERS: Join us for an excursion to Cremona (including lunch). A stroll through the historical center of Cremona reveals its hidden artistic and architectural treasures. Within the superb medieval square, we'll take in the immensity of the duomo, bell tower, and cathedral. We'll also visit a violin-maker's workshop during our tour. Next stop will be Polesine Parmense and some time at the Fratelli Spigaroli to visit the cellars where they cure the famous Culatello ham and Parmigiana cheese.(2) We'll return to the ship in Mantua. Enjoy some free time on your own this afternoon.HIKERS: Set out on a full-day hike through Lessinia Regional Nature Park. With magnificent scenery and fascinating geological characteristics, Lessinia Regional Nature Park is every hiker’s dream. We'll trek the green alpine pastures above the valleys lined with pine and beech forests. The overlooks provide amazing views of the lake and its surroundings. We’ll have lunch in a local mountain refuge.This is an approximate 9-hour tour with 5.5 hours hiking for 6.2 miles (10 km), and an elevation gain of 1,148 feet (350 m).
Day 5 MANTUA - Cremona
NON-HIKERS: Join us for an excursion to Cremona (including lunch), with a visit to a violin-maker's workshop. Next stop will be Polesine Parmense and some time at the Fratelli Spigaroli, where we'll enjoy a tasting of Italian cheese and cold cuts.(2) We'll return to the ship in Mantua. Enjoy some free time on your own this afternoon.HIKERS: Set out on a full-day hike through Lessinia Regional Nature Park. The overlooks provide amazing views of the lake and its surroundings. We’ll have lunch in a local mountain refuge.This is an approximate 9-hour tour with 5.5 hours hiking for 6.2 miles (10 km), and an elevation gain of 1,148 feet (350 m).
Day 6 MANTUA
NON-HIKERS: Join us for a guided tour of Mantua, where the House of Gonzaga ruled for almost 400 years. Although Mantua is not well known, it is one of the most artistically rich and romantic cities in northern Italy. We’ll head downtown to see the imposing Ducal Palace (closed on Monday). The House of Gonzaga called the monumental complex home between 1328 and 1707. One of the most splendid rooms we’ll visit is the Bridal Chamber that is decorated with a series of fresco and oil paintings by Andrea Mantegna. We’ll then stroll to the historic center of the city to visit the Rotonda di San Lorenzo and the Basilica of Sant'Andrea.You’re free to do as you please in the afternoon.Or enjoy an optional tour of the Ferrari Museum in Modena (price not included in packages). Car lovers will not want to miss this chance! The museum focuses on the life and work of Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Ferrari sports car brand. Their website says it best: “The Museo Enzo Ferrari is more than just a museum. It is a spectacular immersive experience that combines a dizzying mix of unique ingredients. Visitors not only get to admire the stunning cars displayed in the futuristic 2,500 square metre main pavilion but are also treated to a spectacular audio-visual show to tell the magical story of Enzo Ferrari’s 90 years.”HIKERS: Day-long hike around Lake Garda (picnic lunch included). Discover the romantic scenery along the banks of Lake Garda, from Toscalano-Maderno to Gargnano. You’ll cross the fascinating Valle delle Cartiere with its unique and spectacular terrain. The valley is named after the paper mills that line the banks of the lake. While most are not in operation, they remain an important testimony to the industrial history in northern Italy. We’ll follow the waterfalls along the Toscolano River, passing through olive groves, along old cobbled streets, and across tiny hamlets as we hike to Gargnano, a charming village on the shores of Lake Garda.This is an approximate 8.5-hour tour with 5 hours hiking for 7.5 miles (12 km) and an elevation gain of 1,148 feet (350 m).Tonight is our festive gala evening.
Day 6 MANTUA
NON-HIKERS: Join us for a guided tour of Mantua, where the House of Gonzaga ruled for almost 400 years. We'll visit the Ducal Palace and the Bridal Chamber.You’re free to do as you please in the afternoon.Or enjoy an optional tour of the Ferrari Museum in Modena (price not included in packages).HIKERS: Day-long hike around Lake Garda (picnic lunch included). Discover the romantic scenery along the banks of Lake Garda, from Toscolano-Maderno to Gargnano.This is an approximate 8.5-hour tour with 5 hours hiking for 7.5 miles (12 km) and an elevation gain of 1,148 feet (350 m).Tonight is our festive gala evening.
Day 7 MANTUA - Venice
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. Coach transfer from Mantua to Venice. End of our services.
Availability
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128 CroisiEurope Travel Reviews & Ratings
From Venice to Mantua
Company Reviews
Great tours and food! Exceptional customer service
I am non-EU national, and very much enjoyed the international clientele .
My flight arrived later than the prescribed boarding time, the crew had my cabin ready, and held dinner. Both land side New York office and the onboard crew were very welcoming, and most attention to detail. Special recognition to Charina, my reservation agent, and Daniel the ship's purser.
The vessel's decor is very discreet, comfortable, and relaxing -- no neon, casino, etc. The elegance one would expect from a French company.
The land tours were very comprehensive, in comfortable coaches, with sufficient rest stops. Lunches ashore were included, as appropriate. As advertised, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were included. In-town shopping was available, but not forced.
In all, a delightful experience. I look forward to another voyage with CroisiEurope. The company offers so many unique intineraries, it may be difficult to select.
A memorable four nights on the Seine - Le Havre to Paris
The Seine scenery was gorgeous and the boat was extremely comfortable—we loved that we could stay in our cabin, relax on various decks, or attend onboard activities, including a lively dance performance by a Normandy folk troupe. Even though we were the only English speakers on the cruise, the bilingual staff were always on hand to help us, and the other passengers (mostly French with a few Belgians/Swiss) were friendly and tolerant of our basic French. After our final night sleeping aboard the boat on Quai de Grenelle in Paris, we were rather sad to depart the beautiful Renoir.
The food, tours and service on the Miguel Torga exceeded our expectations, and we felt very safe with the Covid precautions being taken on board.
We had such a wonderful time on our cruise and absolutely intend to travel with CroisiEurope again. I was especially pleased with the attention to detail regarding food preferences and requests. I have a shellfish allergy, and our kids didn’t always like what was on the menu. The chef and staff always made every effort to accommodate and please us.
Our guide Deborah on the excursions was so informative and made great suggestions for sightseeing and shopping. I liked the way the excursions were managed by touring in the morning with lunch and sailing in the afternoon. We were the only Americans on board with mostly French speakers, but everyone was friendly, and we had no communication issues with the crew. Entertainment was simple but fun with games or local talent coming aboard for flamenco or folk singing and dancing. There were only 62 passengers and no young children. Our kids were 12 & 17, and they were happy with the pool on board, which was small, but ideal for cooling off after a morning in port. They surprised our 17-year-old with a special dessert on her birthday.
We’ve been on several other riverboat cruises (Viking, Peter Dielmann, Vodohod), and they did not match the value and service provided by CroisiEurope.
This barge hotel cruise on and along the Marne river was absolutely fantastic!
The crew were very attentive and hospitable. One of the biggest, if not THE biggest, highlight of the trip was the food. Breakfast was a typical French style buffet with all the trimmings. Lunch and dinner were menus, in the French style, prepared by our Chef and paired with a variety of wines and cheeses from around France. Each meal was unique and full of variety culminating at the end of the week with our Gala Dinner.
One of the excursion highlights, and a major reason why we chose this particular cruise, was the falconry demonstration at Chateau Thierry. It was very well done and quite a moving presentation, which included an American Bald Eagle and, even more surprisingly, Storks.
If you are looking for a more intimate way to cruise, Passenger to Crew ratio was 17 - 6, consider barge hotel cruises. We are most definitely looking forward to our next barge hotel cruise experience.
It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting.
As seasoned cruisers, knowing well all aspects of cruising on seas and rivers, we had no experience about traveling on a barge in a canal. It was also time to overcome this lack.
A number of companies offer this kind of cruising on barge with 8 to 16 passengers, however very often at exorbitant prices. Luckily, we discovered that the company CroisiEurope offers one week cruise on various canals in Europe, at very decent price, especially considering that all is inclusive (full board, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and all excursions) on modern barges with a maximum of 22 passengers.
We opted for the barge Ms Deborah, which cruises on the canal de la Loire, with the Briare to Nevers’ route. We were looking forward to this itinerary because the proposed excursions particularly suited us. Unfortunately, only a few days before departure, we were informed that due of a lack of water in the Loire canal the Ms Deborah was switched over to the Haute Seine and Yonne for a new itinerary from Paris to Sens. Despites the fact that this new itinerary didn’t really meet our desires, especially the excursions, we decided to accept the change.
Our group of 6 persons from Switzerland was very warmly greeted by all members of the crew when arriving on the quai de Grenelle in Paris where we see the MS DEBORAH for the first time, our floating home for the week. With its two dominating colours blue and white, it is difficult not to fall in love with this beautiful small ship.
We were invited immediately for the welcome cocktail during which we met officially the crew and the other six individual passengers originating from New Zealand, England and the USA. With less time than it needs to tell, the relation between us was created, so that everyone felt part of a bunch of friends knowing each other for long time.
There is no need to present here the MS Deborah itself, as this is already thoroughly done on the Cruise Critic page.
The crew of 6 persons is composed of a captain, a sailor, a cruise director, a chef, a waitress and a cabin hostess who put all their efforts to satisfy the passengers and offer them the best possible service. The captain as well as the sailor are always trying to make passengers at ease, answer questions or even bring a drink. The lady cruise director is omnipresent, taking care of the passengers better than a mother hen would do. The talented young French chef aims to produce dishes which please everybody. His outstanding sauces and excellent desserts should be particularly praised. However, referring to comments we made during a cruise on the Seine Princess two years ago, we cannot understand that why today it is not possible to offer the choice of a light buffet at lunch instead a three or even four course menu! The always smiling and friendly Hungarian waitress was very caring and attentive, without forgetting the cabin hostess doing a great job in the cabins, the public spaces and even the kitchen. It wouldn’t be fair to name a single person as all members of the crew, without any exception, do all they can to make the cruise unforgettable.
Our one-week cruise on the barge Ms Deborah enables us today to make the following comments:
~ a cruise on a barge cannot be compared to any other kind of cruise
~ despite all the comfort offered on modern barge, one must be very aware that life on board happens at a restraint space, requiring therefore much flexibility and understanding in all aspects from all passengers
~ in our case, being only 12 passengers, we had the opportunity to take our meals on the terrace. We also never had the feeling that the boat was overcrowded. This can be different when the ship is full, especially by bad weather
~ the state of mind between the passengers who are mostly of foreign nationalities, who don’t know each other and don’t speak French, must function well right from the beginning
~ if the interrelation works, it is difficult to find a more relaxing and enjoyable way of travelling
~ the success on a barge is mainly due on the quality of its crew. Ms Deborah’s crew members have quickly created a family spirit on board, showing also that they genuinely like what they do
~ excursions can play a major role in choosing an itinerary. Not speaking French or English can be a handicap
Do we recommend to do a cruise on a barge? Yes, definitively! It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting. In our case, this second try with CroisiEurope gives them a better note.
We are still waiting for a refund
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal transport included (including local flights)
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Additional Information
THE CROISIEUROPE DIFFERENCE
- All meals included - DRINKS INCLUDED with meals and at the bar
- Refined French cuisine - Gala dinner and evening - Welcome cocktail
- Free Wi-Fi onboard
- Headsets are included for excursions
- Official welcome from the captain and crew
- Onboard activities
- Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
- All port fees included
Rules & Other Requirements
Valid passport required. Non-EU nationals are advised to consult their embassy or consulate.
Trip ID#:
croisieurope-VMA_RAIPP
What's excluded
Drinks from our special wine list or drinks ordered during excursions or transfers - cancellation and baggage insurance - transfers/travel to and from departure/arrival points - personal expenses.
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