Mincio river really moulds Mantua landscape and creates beautiful spots even just outside town: consider for example how attractive is sailing upstream from Lago Superiore – which is covered with lotuses during summer – to SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE sanctuary, in Curtatone. Inside this church, you may admire Bazzani's and Bonsignori's paintings, but also 53 showy-dressed statues made of different materials, on a huge woody framework: they are all ancient ex-votos. Still, an embalmed crocodile hangs from the ceiling of the nave. Every year, on 15 August, you may enjoy the International Pavement Artist Contest on the parvis of the sanctuary.
Not far from there, in RIVALTA SUL MINCIO, RODIGO municipality, there is an office of Mincio river natural park.
They are completing a cycle track going from Rivalta to Mantua, passing through Grazie and Borgo Angeli, and along Lago Superiore. This cycle track already leads to BOSCO FONTANA, near MARMIROLO: this is a 223 hectare biogenetic nature reserve, and was once one of Gonzaga family's hunting grounds. You can walk in its wood and thick vegetation and admire the elegant XVI century Gonzaga's manor.