Italy Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 211 to 240 of 316
Harry L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The scenery, the biking experience, excellent travel guide, Helmut, the outstanding crew, other bikers and the canals were very memorable. Our only suggestion would be to shorten the time at the beaches.
Janet L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy
The Ave Maria is fantastic, our rooms were cozy but totally comfortable. The boat is in mint condition. Food is amazing! Our 2 chefs were top notch. Staff are fun and we really were lucky to have a great group of fellow travelers. Ronnie and Silvia were our guides and they were great. They were very patient, helpful and fun to be with. We had a competition one night, all the 5 groups from different countries did a skit. It was hilarious!!
Also, arriving in Venice by boat at the end of the tour is the best way to go in our opinion. We stayed an extra day in Venice and took water buses to some of the islands. It was cooler there, we saw beautiful places and we used up our 3 day transit pass.
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, we had an unforgettable, wonderful trip and are thinking of where to go on our next bike and barge adventure!
William H.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Great trip. Irene was a great guide. She adopted my suggestion that she wait for the stragglers to catch up to the stopped leaders so the stragglers could have a short rest also. Her suggested side tours were great. Our chefs, Samuel and Enrico were great as well. Superb food. First class trip.
Doreen C.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most memorable part was stopping for lunch in a vineyard!
Carol K.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most memorable part was the chef and guides!!
Audrey L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
I returned May 9, 2017 from Italy from the best trip of my life. It started out from a conversation with a retired flight attendant a year ago and became a reality on April 29, 2017 when I had the great pleasure of boarding The Ave Maria from Mantua Italy to Venice Italy. From start to finish it was perfection. The boat was quite accommodating with our 3 bunk cabin, lovely dining room and sun deck to visit with our group of sixteen from Michigan, Nevada, Florida and Texas. The crew of 4 were fantastic and the food was superb. Everyday something different and delicious. The bike riding and touring through the countryside was phenomenal all because our guides Hein and Alain were exceptional. At age 64 I have enjoyed a lot of different destinations, but this trip by far exceeded every expectation I had and I would attribute it all to the fabulous crew and guides. Thank you so very much!
Doreen C.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most memorable part was the guides and crew of the ship - the customer service was OUTSTANDING!!!!!
Martha B.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Outstanding guide, great staff on boat, wonderful food. The beautiful scenery from Bolzano to Mantova was probably the most memorable. Really happy we took the additional 3 days before boarding the barge.
Anne H.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
I would absolutely recommend this trip. We felt we were very lucky to have Hein as our guide. His insight was wonderful.
Marianne L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The scenery on this trip,while biking, was not memorable or especially unusual which was to be expected given the flatland of our itinerary. I was hoping it would be more dramatic but not surprised that it wasn't. Still I loved being there and next time will consider a more challenging terrain which ought to improve the views. ( ps lunch stop venues need more thought- in general unattractive.)
Memorable: the towns of Mantova and Ferrara were lovely and I enjoyed having time to spend in them , instead of merely riding through. The food was glorious and I felt the staff went the extra mile for us with a few perks and personal attention if needed. Clearly they like their jobs and it showed.
Patricia E.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The entire staff was impeccable. They aimed to please and all had wonderful personalities. My only regret was wifi being shut down at 11pm. This was the best time for me to talk to loved ones. Other than that, it was great. Feedback from my group was positive.
Christine W.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy
The scenery on the self guided from Bolzano to Mantua.
The expert guide (Hein ), the food and the staff on the boat.
They all went out of their way to make it a very pleasant experience.
We could not have asked for a better crew.
Nancy M.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Everything was memorable from the wonderful cabin to the great gourmet food to the wonderful leader Hein and fabulous staff. The route is scenic and we made stops at interesting places like the Rides Museum, Grano Padana, and the non-bird sanctuary! Loved it and have highly recommended it to friends.
Judith S.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy
The guide, Hein, was very knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful. A real asset to the trip.
Food on the Ava Maria was the best! Loved the three days from Bolzano through the mountains.
Rosemary B.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
A few things I think need mentioning.
We got lost. Just as one of your reviewers mentioned on the way to Lake Garda. We were doing great and very early to get the boat but at one of the deviations,we turned towards Verona and didn't realize it until half way to Verona. We had to keep looking at the map and book description and when we thought we knew and didn't look at what we were doing, we got lost. So took a train to Verona, lugged the very heavy bikes up the train station stairs, no elevator or escalators there!! Then had to hang the bikes up on hooks on the train. Then the train back up to where we would have been finishing our trip in the boat down Lake Garda. PUCCINCI hotel in Peschiera.I was very disappointed to have missed the ride on lake Garda. So the day that was supposed to be our short day, and we had done 45k before noon, and should have been there, we did over 80K.
I felt that in order Read More to do each days trip on the extra three days, we had to miss lots of towns and sights I wanted to visit. The hotel in Bolzano was very lovely and staff was great.
The hotel in Trento, The Grand, was very very Grand. We just loved it.
The gentleman that was at the front desk in............Peschiera was very helpful and was trying to give us many many things to do until he realized we didn't have the time in one evening, when getting up early to ride, to do too much.
The hotel at the bottom of Lake Guarda, Hotel Peschiera we had a large bedroom.
The breakfast room was in the basement and was quite crowded.
We went for a swim and I asked at the desk about towels for the pool and the woman said to just take the room towels. When I asked for dry towels later for our room she told me they were $5.00 each!!! Never have heard of that ever before.
Our barge was wonderful and as the times we have biked and barged before with other companies, we were very delighted with the delicious meals, friendly crew and outstanding tour guide Lecia. She was so much fun, very professional, had amazing skills in many languages and we all fell in love with her. The rides were so beautiful, just as we expected and the others on board with us were friendly and keen like us.
Carla • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Rosemary! Thanks for submitting such detailed feedback. We are working with our local partner to make that part of the route more detailed. Glad you had a wonderful trip!
Kristy M.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The staff on the Ave Maria was fantastic. They made sure we got everything we needed. I liked the way even the captain of the boat helped serve and clean up. They really worked as a team and worked very hard! The food was awesome and I really enjoyed the stops we made and the tours we had.
Great trip!
Karen K.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Bike guides (Michaela & Ronnie) and boat staff ( Erica, Juliano, Enrico and Luciano) were all exceptional. Their care, expertise and concern throughout the trip was what made it exceptional.
Nancy H.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The Tour Leader Hein was amazing and showed us a wonderful experience. The cycling was spectacular and the food so exciting and very innovative. The bikes were heavier than I am used to but they were appropriate for the terrain. Everyone was helpful -- fabulous staff. I've already recommended it to my friends. I would do it again, but only if Hein were the Leader.
Diane D.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Everything was great. I really enjoyed our guides, Tammy and Ronnie. The staff on the boat were great. Our bikes were top notch. The tour and countryside were scenic. I loved biking on the sea wall. I thought the other bikers were friendly and easy to get along with.
Kathleen W.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most awesome trip and staff! The barge was clean and well equipped. The staff was stellar, the meals great, the guided bike rides the best. No room for improvement and I hope to do another Bike and Barge on the Merlin. I especially enjoyed the bike routes, touring small villages along the way, and the guide Lia who was well informed about the area and Germany in general.
Blaine N.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The boat, staff and food were all exceptional. A quality operation for sure. Having the owner Pierpaulo stop in for a visit and having dinner together was a nice touch.
We booked this trip for a group of riders with a wide range of abilities and it worked very well for all.
Joanne B.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
It was all enjoyable. Food was amazing. Staff were very accommodating. Rooms were spacious and clean.
Only negative was it said it was a 7-day bike trip and only rode bikes 5 of the 7 days. Falsely advertised.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hello Joanne!
Glad you had a great time! The tour is 8-days in length and in the Day-to-day itinerary you will notice five days of biking. We try to make this very clear discussing the riding as well as listing the daily mileage.
Glenn P.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The whole experience was very memorable. The changing scenery, the background info provided etc. was great. The quality of the barge added to the overall enjoyment. One of the highlights was watching how well the crew worked together and genuinely seemed to be having fun. It was a very unique experience that surpassed my expectations. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone.
Judi H.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This is my first bike and barge experience and will definitely not be my last. Although others in reviews said the Vita Pugna was "tired". I saw it as wonderfull vintage barge, with a crew that loved it and showed their care for it in their care for us. The food was outstanding and any hopes I had of losing weight on the trip were quickly dashed with each evenings meal.
We joined a large group of Kiwis onboard, with 2 Brits and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
One thing that would have made the trip even better would be a different pillow; the one I had was too high and too hard for my taste and left me with a stiff neck in the morning.
David M.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sicily & the Aeolian Archipelago
Italy
My grades given to this trip show my displeasure with several items encountered while on our trip. First, the pickup at the airport was bungled by "Pepe" our guide. He did not have a sign for us to recognize the tour! It was a miracle he finally found us. The boat was laid out well, the crew was very pleasant, however none of the 3 crew members spoke fluent english (necessary for the Americans, Canadians, Dutch, and German passengers). My major complaint was regarding the cabin Air Conditioning. The captain only turned on the AC from 6PM to Midnight. In August, the temperature was in the mid 80's - too hot to sleep in an enclosed cabin after midnight! I would discourage any potential guest not to take this trip unless the captain changes his AC rules and provides cooling throughout the night!
The food was OK with little variation from day to day but the last "onshore meal" at a local restaurant was inedible!! Skip the restaurant meal and eat onboard (not a current option) or give the guests an upscale restaurant or eliminate the meal altogether and each guest is on their own for the last supper.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi David,
Since our return from this trip, changes have been made to the difficulty rating as well as the tour page and travel documents to better represent the tour. We are also working with our local partner to make improvements based on your input. Thanks for sharing this feedback. It was very nice meeting you and Susan!
Earl D.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
I loved the small villages. The international mixture of the group made for excellent discussion among the group. Food on the barge was excellent!
Daniel G.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
We did the 3-day self-guided tour from Bolzano to Lake Garda to Mantua first and that was a great adventure for us. The food and people we met on the boat was also a wonderful experience.
Ross D.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sicily & the Aeolian Archipelago
Italy
The Aeolian Archipelago Trip was sold as easy/moderate and as a result there were several people that probably should not have been there. As a consequence the guide was indecisive most days how to deal with the itinerary and as a consequence kept adjusting and shortening the rides. As for my wife and I we traveled all the way from Canada to enjoy the boat, scenery and riding as a total experience.
Because of the constant changing of the daily itinerary and shortened rides we became somewhat dissatisfied with the total experience.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hello Ross,
Thanks for sharing this feedback. As a result, we have changed the rating and recommended the ebike option less experienced riders. We have also been in contact with our local partner to ensure the itenerary is presented in full and is followed.
I had a great time meeting you and Donna on this trip and hope to help you plan your next one!
D. Green
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This was a fabulous trip all around! The group was friendly, and guides were helpful and knowledgeable! Dinners were delicious and varied, stronger than expected for this type of trip. We really enjoyed being able to purchase wine on board the ship, also. The riding was varied, and we really appreciated that our guides made sure to schedule a mid-morning break for coffee/water/toilet. What a great way to get a sense of this part of Italy - from small villages and farm fields to Venice - just spectacular!
One suggestion for improvement: for riding in really hot weather, it would be great if there could be a little more flexibility. We rode during a heat spell (40 degrees Centigrade one day). It was difficult to shift schedules or shorten our rides due to logistics, and this created some health issues.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your feedback. Due to the route of the boat, it is difficult to shorten the biking portion and still meet back up with the boat. However, you are always welcome to stay aboard the boat if you you find the weather unsatisfactory. Glad you had a great trip despite the hot weather!
A. Harris
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
A fabulous experience. We will seriously consider further barge/bike holidays with you.
Bike + Boat Tour Reviews by Country
Boat/Barge Reviews
- Liza Marleen
- Magellan
- Magnifique I
- Magnifique II
- Magnifique III
- Magnifique IV
- Mare fan Fryslân
- Merlijn
- Florentina
- Normandie
- Princess
- Olympia
- Panagiota
- Pape Prvi
- Primadonna
- Princesse Royal
- Prinzessin Katharina
- Romantica
- RV River Kwai
- Sailing Home
- San Snova
- Sarah
- Stella
- Sundial
- Swiss Crown
- Thalassa
- Flying Dutchman
- Vietnamese Junks
- Vita Pugna
- Vivienne
- Wending
- Zwaan
- Zwaantje
