Discover a truly magical cruise aboard La Bella Vita on Italy's Venetian Lagoon, River Po, and Canal Bianco between Venice and the lakeside Renaissance city of Mantua. Visit the Naval Museum, which houses notable vessels like ceremonial barges and warships, as you travel with a guided tour of Venice's historic buildings. Explore Chioggia and take in the vibrant fish market and charming canals. Continue sailing through a nature reserve, passing flamingos, herons, snipe, and other wildfowl. Proceed to Bagnoli Estate for a wine tasting, followed by a trip to the wine cellars of the 17th-century Villa Widmann Borletti to sample their renowned estate-grown vintage wines. Moreover, embark on a morning excursion to the Renaissance city of Ferrara before disembarking and returning to Venice.
Highlights
Enjoy dinner at the 17th Century home, Villa Ca’Zen with your private group of up to 20 guests
Tour Chioggia with its Roman, Etruscan and Byzantine history
Cruise on the Canal of the Orphans and pass by picturesque lagoon islands
Tour historic Venice, The Naval Museum and the Pavilion of Gondolas
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
All guests are met in Venice and transferred by a private chauffeured minibus to the ship. Passengers are welcomed, and a chilled Prosecco awaits. The cruise begins by sailing through the Giudecca Canal and by some of the most famous monuments in Venice, such as the Chiesa del Redentore, the impressive Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute, and the Punta Della Dogana to your mooring outside the Naval Museum. Then you have an opportunity to stroll and roam around St Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace. Dinner served on board.
A guide accompanies you while roaming around the Castello District. Explore the hidden beauty of Venice, such as the gardens of the Biennale Exhibition of Modern Arts, Palladio’s Church of San Pietro in Castello, and the Venetian Ships Pavilion, an annex of the Naval History Museum Venice, housing vessels of historical importance, including ceremonial barges and warships. By late afternoon, La Bella Vita continues to cruise to Pellestrina and past the lagoon islands, where you can find tiny churches, ancient monasteries, and painted fishing boats. If you want to explore more of this beautiful place, you have the opportunity to walk and bike along the waterway. Dinner served on board.
Visit the 18th century Church of San Domenico to see Carpaccio's St. Paul and his last recorded painting. You can also see other works of art by Tintoretto and Bassano. You can shop at the fish market at the Piazzetta Vigo and have the opportunity to enjoy a short tour in a locally-built boat to roam around Chiogga's amazing canals. Once back on board, La Bella Vita continues sailing through a nature reserve where you find flamingos and occasional heron, snipe, and other wildfowls. Then travel to Taglio di Po and enjoy dinner ashore, hosted by the owners at the beautiful 17th Century Villa Ca'Zen.
Cruise to Adria along the Bianca canal, an ancient Etruscan town where you visit the Archaeological Museum. After lunch, the tour continues to Bagnoli Estate to explore the Renaissance gardens and wine cellars of the 17th Century Villa Widmann Borletti. Here you can enjoy a private tasting of their famous estate-grown vintages, which have been in the Venetian market for centuries. After this tour, return to La Bella Vita moored at Zelo and have your dinner on board.
Today, enjoy a morning cruise and tour of the Renaissance city of Ferrara and Schifanoia Palace, famous for its exceptional 15th Century frescoes. Discover the explicit exterior of the Estense Castle and visit the spectacular cathedral with its sculpted images in front that is described as an illustrated Bible. You then return to the hotel barge, which again sails past villages and farmsteads to Governolo. Dinner served on board.
For your final day of cruising, approach the home of the poet Virgil and the artists like Mantegna and Donatello, Mantua. This city exhibits explicit neo-classical and baroque architecture, portrayed in the 14thC Ducal Palace, housing some 15 gardens and courtyards, a museum, a basilica, and a theatre. The intricate frescoes, Gallery of Mirrors and exquisite Rivers Room and 12,000 paintings and sculptures all create a Grand Finale to our Italian Renaissance adventure. Tonight, enjoy a Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.
Day 7: Mantua | Disembark
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus back to Venice.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$90,500
or $4,525 per person based on 20 max passengers
Select a Date
Stateroom
105 sq. ft. twin/double stateroom including en suite facilities. Private bathroom, shower, wardrobe, small tables, desk and a chair. Located at the Lower Deck
Select a Date
Junior Suite
110 sq. ft. twin/double junior suites including en suite facilities. Private bathroom, shower, wardrobe, small tables, single couch, desk and a chair. Located at the Upper Deck
Notes
- All children under the age of 18 years accepted onboard qualify for a discount of $300 per child per week.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by Credit card, check, and bank transfer. All final payments by credit card subject to a surcharge of 2.5% and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 142 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 142 reviews on
23 hours ago
Excellent trip saw much more than would have seen with out Adventure Life's help.
Anonymous traveler
2 days ago
Erin made things easier than I thought possible. So good at answering questions in a timely manner and explaining all. I feel she looks out for me.
Fran Folkman
2 days ago
Very personable and knowledgeable! Able to answer questions and provide advice based on personal experiences.
Robert Thompson
2 days ago
Erin is a seasoned travel planner and is very personable. She is a good listener and uses our questions and concerns to make the trip just as we want it. She is very good at moving the booking process along and meticulous with the details.
This is why we came back to have her plan this trip for us.
Lynn Oveson
2 days ago
Erin C. was incredibly helpful and thorough. I had answers immediately or within the same day.