Venetian Waterways (Venice to Mantova)

Venice, Ferrara, Mantova by barge

The route links three cities that each ran their own corner of Renaissance Italy: Venice, the maritime republic that called itself La Serenissima; Ferrara, capital of the Este family; and Mantova, seat of the Gonzaga dynasty. Eight days, mostly flat, mostly along water — riding by day, sleeping on a barge that moves with you.

The trip starts in Venice with a free day to wander the lagoon city before the cycling begins — atmospheric canals, the art galleries, the islands out on the water. From there the route picks up the River Po, Italy's longest river, and follows it inland through the wetlands of the Po Delta, one of the largest in Europe. You ride past vineyards and along quiet country lanes, with a local guide leading the way; if you'd rather cycle at your own pace, route notes are provided so you can drop off the back and find the boat at the next mooring.

Following the Po through the Delta

Ferrara is a working stop — a walled Renaissance city the Este family stamped onto the plain. Mantova, where the trip ends, sits in a loop of three artificial lakes and feels like a quieter, less-trafficked Venice; the Gonzaga left it crowded with palaces, and a full day there at the close gives time to take it in properly.

The terrain is flat throughout. The signature stretch is the Po Delta — fishing valleys, lagoons, the sort of half-water, half-land landscape you don't see much of elsewhere in Europe. On either side of the river the land settles into farmland and reedbeds, and the cycling has the slightly unhurried quality you only get when there are no hills to argue with. Confident riders may find the daily distances undemanding, which is partly the point of a bike-and-barge holiday — the boat is the home base, the bike is the way to see what's around it.

On board the Ave Maria or Vita Pugna

You sleep on either the Ave Maria, a modern and spacious barge, or the more traditional Vita Pugna. Both are run by Saddle Skedaddle's local partner, and you join their guests on board, so the group is international rather than purely British. Dinners are regional, cooked and served on the boat, and evenings tend to be sociable affairs over food and wine with the rest of the cyclists. If the make-up of the group matters to you, it's worth asking before you book.

Bookings and practicalities

Prices start from £1,635 per person for the eight-day trip, including cabin accommodation, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as set out in the itinerary, the guide and the barge transfers. Flights to and from Venice are not included. E-bikes are available to hire alongside standard bikes — useful if you'd prefer the assist on cheekier climbs, or simply want more energy left for the evenings on shore. The route also runs in reverse, Mantova to Venice, on alternate weeks if the dates or direction suit you better.