Venice Canals & Po Valley River by Barge Cruise

Meet your english speaking guide for a 4 hour guided private tour to Murano and Burano on your own private boat.  After being picked up by your guide at your hotel, take in the sights as you sail past the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Public Gardens, the tip of Sant'Elena and the famous Arsenal of the Venetian Republic. The first stop on your tour is Murano, known throughout the world for its glass manufacturing industry. Here we stop to visit to one of the most famous and ancient glass factories, where you can enjoy a live glass blowing demonstration performed by a Maestro Glass Maker. The second stop is at the picturesque island of Burano, famous not only for its lace but also for the fishermen's houses painted in bright colours. Relax and enjoy a coffee before your tour guide will bring you back to your hotel or to Venice centre.

In the early afternoon, you'll be met by a barge representative and transferred to port, where your awaiting barge is moored.

Welcome aboard!

Take some time to get settled in to your stateroom. A Prosecco welcome gives you a chance to meet the crew followed by a late afternoon cruise, taking you along the Giudecca Canal past some of Venice’s most famous monuments: the Chiesa del Redentore, the impressive Basilica di Santa Maria Madonna della Salute and the Punta della Dogana to your mooring outside the Naval Museum. Dinner on board, followed perhaps by an evening stroll to St Mark’s Square.

Your day today consists of a guided walking tour to Castello District, perhaps discovering some hidden parts of the city of Venice: the gardens of the Biennale Exhibition of Modern Arts, Palladio’s Church of San Pietro in Castello, the Naval Museum with a model of the Bucintoro (Doge’s Boat) and the Pavilion of Gondolas housing Peggy Guggenheim’s own vessel. Late afternoon cruise to Pellestrina, separating the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea, along the Canal of the Orphans passing lagoon islands with their brightly coloured houses, painted fishing boats and tiny churches.

After a stroll or cycle along the 18th Century Istrian sea wall in Pellestrina, you cruise to Chioggia, city of Goldoni’s plays. Here you visit the picturesque town centre and colourful fish market. You also see the Cathedral and the Piazzetta Vigo before cruising on to the River Po delta. Passing through a nature reserve with flamingos and occasional heron, snipe and other wetland wildfowl, you travel upriver to Taglio di Po for dinner ashore hosted by the owners at the beautiful 17thC Villa Ca’Zen, a private stately home by the river where Lord Byron courted the Countess Giuccioli and wrote some of his best poetry.

After breakfast you'll transfer to the Bagnoli Estate where you visit the magnificent Renaissance gardens and wine cellars of the 17th Century Villa Widmann-Borletti for a private tasting of their renowned estate grown vintages. This winery has been supplying Venetian society for centuries. Afternoon cruise to Bosaro.

Today you'll get to experience a guided tour of the Renaissance city of Ferrara, including the 14th century Estense Castle. This ancient ducal fortress with moat, drawbridges, unusual battlements and towers, houses marble balconies and sumptuous apartments. You'll see the Cathedral façade with its sculpted images, described as an Illustrated Bible, and visit the Schifanoia Palace with its fabulous 15th century frescoes. Conclude with a walk through the medieval city centre and Jewish Ghetto before returning to your barge. Afternoon, cruise from Bosaro past villages and farmsteads, along the Bianco Canal to Zelo.

Cruise from Zelo, through the Mincio Natural Park to Mantua where you'll enjoy a guided tour. This imposing city was home to the poet Virgil, artists Mantegna and Donatello and under the Lordship of the powerful Gonzaga Family. Mantua has early Etruscan origins, but today, is a centre of extraordinary neo-classical and baroque architecture. You'll view the city squares, Cathedral and the Baptistery.

After breakfast, you'll disembark from your barge and bid farewell to your fellow cruisemates.

After disembarking, you'll receive an outbound transfer from the port.

Take a private water taxi for an airport transfer.