Mantua in two days
Day Two
For a different view of the city, take a cruise around the three lakes. By boat the city can be seen in all its beauty. The best season for this is summer, when the lotus flowers give the lake a pink hue. From Mantua the boat floats towards the nature reserves, la Vallazza and il Parco Naturale del Mincio, a spectacular habitat for storks, herons and peregrine falcons.
Or if you prefer to cycle, you can spend a full day following the cycle route alongside the Mincio river, from the centre of Mantua to Peschiera del Garda, a town on the bank of Lake Garda. The distance is 43 kilometres, the terrain is level and paved, and the scenery is rural with picuresque villages. One of the most beautiful is Borghetto di Valeggio sul Mincio, an old mill village at the foot of the bridge Ponte Visconteo.
In autumn and winter, in place of nature trips, you can visit Sabbioneta, a typical renaissance city and Unesco world heritage site, as is Mantua. In the historic centre you can see the Palazzo Ducale, the Teatro Olimpico, the first modern theatre, and the Palazzo del Giardino. In the opposite direction, North of Mantua, on the right bank of the Mincio river, you can see the village of Goito; on the opposite side of the river, you will discover Marmirolo and the Palazzina di Bosco della Fontana, amongst a large, green nature reserve.
Between Mantua and the river Po, ten kilometres outside the city, you will find designer clothes in the shopping centre Mantova Outlet, with over 100 shops selling the best brands, fashion and discount shopping all year round.
Would you like to visit Mantua with less than 24 hours? Read our itinerary here.
