A voyage of discovery along Italian canals and rivers, on board a piece of Holland.

Welcome to Hooked on Cycling holidays and our cycling holidays in Italy. This biking vacation in Italy is a bike and barge self guided cycle tour. Over night you sleep on the barge and during the day cycle to a new location to re-board the barge again. This is a wonderful relaxing way to experience Italy with a new prospective. Our barge is called Vita Pugna meaning, ”Life is a battle”, it is 36 metres long, 5.4 metres wide Dutch barge boat. The 11 cabins can accommodate up to 23/25 guests. Each cabin has low twin beds and private bathroom with shower. The barge also has a restaurant and a spacious out side deck area, which is ideal for parking your bikes and of course sunbathing.
The itinerary winds its way along the Mincio and the Po, penetrating into rural areas of the Italian countryside that are still untouched, and ends in the warm embrace of the Venetian Lagoon. This territory has been reclaimed from the marshes for many centuries now and is framed by green pine woods, which offer protection for numerous species of animals. The work of man overlaps nature in a constant game of roles, reclaimed land alternates with natural canals, fishermen’s huts are camouflaged in the reeds, and bridges formed of boats reduce the distances between strips of sand. We run the trip in both directions Mantova to Venice and the following week Venice to Mantova.

Available every Saturday from March 27th to October 16th
Mantova departures 3rd &17th April , 1st 15th 29th May, 12th & 26th June, 10th &24th July, 7th & 21st August, 4th & 18th September, 2nd & 16th October.
Venice Departures 27th March, 10th & 24th April, 8th & 22nd May, 5th & 19th June, 3rd,17th & 31st July, 14th & 28th August, 11th & 25th September , 9th October.
Level 1 self guided cycle tour

Day 1 Mantova
Arrival Mantova where your floating hotel is docked. The cabins are available from 4 p.m. The boat is moored at Porto Catena, just a short walk from the city-centre. The meeting with the tour leader and the crew is scheduled at dinner-time, at 7 p.m. Mantova is one of the most beautiful towns in Northern Italy, where a lot of worldwide known artists left their masterpieces, thanks to the assignment of the the famous Gonzaga family.

Day 2 Mantova –Governolo–Zelo approx 31 miles 50 km
The boat takes you to Governolo, stronghold of the Mincio Pirates, where there is the biggest basin of Italy, built in order to control the Mincio River. Here you take the bikes and start your first ride, keeping on following the River Po, until the village of Ostiglia, with the ruins of a medieval fortress. After a ride along the ‘Canal Bianco” you will reach Zelo, where the barge will moor for the night.

Day Zelo–Ferrara–Adria approx 31 miles 50 km by bike +60 km by bus
After breakfast you will start cycling towards Ferrara. Once you have reached the town, which earned the name of “city of bicycles” you will be enchanted by the historical centre, still surrounded by the old city walls. From Ferrara a short bus transfer will bring you to Adria, an ancient Greek port, famous for trading amber coming from the Baltic.

Day 4 Adria–Porto Viro–Albarella approx 19/ 35 miiles 35/55 km
The boat will bring you to Porto Viro, from where you will start the daily ride into the maze of the Po Delta, an uncontaminated paradise between marshes and lagoons of the Po, pedalling in the heart of nature. The destination is Albarella, a private island of ancient traditions. In case of low water
you will start cycling directly from Adria, for approximately 55 km.

Day 5 Albarella–Chioggia (approx 25 miles 40 km
You will be suspended between water and land, as you will pedal between the Po Delta and the mouth of the River Adige. You follow then the Po-Brondolo waterway, which links the river to the Venetian lagoon. You will stay overnight in Chioggia, famous as “the little Venice” A visit to the fish market at dawn is an absolute ‘must’.

Day 6 Chioggia –Venice approx 19 miles 30 km
The boat brings you to the Natural reserve of Ca’ Roman, a sandy islet surrounded by pinewoods. Pedalling along the lagoon, you reach Pellestrina: from here, riding on the new cycle path you reach the ferry landing stage. A short ferry boat ride takes you then up the Lido island, along the ‘Murazzi’,
with a stop in Malamocco, the ancient harbour. The overnight is at the Island of Giudecca, not far from St. Mark’s square, with an amazing view of the lagoon.

Day Venice. Free day
After a wonderful awakening with a view on the lagoon, you have the whole day at your disposal, to discover the magnificent historical centre of the capital of the “Repubblica Serenissima”, or its wonderful islands.At your disposal you have a free ticket allowing you to use the boat transportation network and some suggested itineraries.

Day 8 Departure from Venice.
After breakfast and the customary goodbyes, free time for individual visits, or return home, if you haven’t booked any extra night.

NOTE: During the weeks in which departures are from Venice to Mantova, the “daily programme” needs to be read in reverse order.

Tariff 2010

For Low Cost flights from UK at £50 return to Venice , Verona and Vicenza , Treviso  check out Ryanair ,  EasyJet , Thomson or Jet2
How to get there
By Plane
To Venice , Vicenza or Verona airports where you can transfer to Mantova or Venice by train.

To View our other cycling holidays in Italy

Click below to view our
Walking Holidays in Italy

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