From river po to Garda Lake Through the Mincio Valleys

FROM RIVER PO TO GARDA LAKE THROUGH THE MINCIO VALLEYS

Mantova – San Benedetto Po – Grazie di Curtatone
Valli del Mincio – Peschiera del Garda

Veneto, Lombardia

4 DAYS/3 NIGHTS

Easy itinerary (mix bicycle + bus) that leads to the discovery of two of “Te most beautiful villages in Italy” - San Benedetto Po and Grazie di Curtatone -, and of the wild and untouched beauty of one of the most important naturalistic parks in Lombardy. It is entirely on plain and it passes through the Mincio valleys to reach Garda Lake, with one hour navi- gation from Grazie to Rivalta with bicycle transportation
Total length: 115 km. 30 km on Eurovelo8 route.
In 4*hotels, hostels, holiday farms, - guided tour- without portage Self- guided tour on request

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Day 1
Mantova – San Benedetto Po
Length: 32,5 km
Travel time: about 4.15 h (stops and visits not included)
Technical notes: route partly on embankment dirt road and partly on bike path. State highway crossing. Meeting with the guide in the early afternoon in Mantova and departure to San Benedetto Po. We will pass through part of the Parco Regionale delle Vallazze, Pietole, San Biagio and Correggio Micheli. Arrival in San Benedetto Po, dinner and overnight.

Day 2:
San Benedetto Po - Borgoforte - Mantova
Length: 37 Km
Travel time: about 3.30 h (stops and visits not included)
Technical notes: route on embankment roads and low traffic roads.
We meet our guide in the early morning in San Benedetto Po. After a brief visit to the Basilica and the Monastery Complex of San Benedetto in Polirone, we head towards Governolo where are important hydraulic works conceived by the engineer Gabriele Bertazzolo (17th century) and take the path that runs along the left bank of the Po. Along the path we cross the towns of San Giacomo Po and San Nicolò Po, the birthplace of the great cycling champion Learco Guerra. After a brief stop, we reach Borgoforte.
Free time for lunch in Borgoforte.
From Borgoforte we proceed in the direction of Mantova passing through the towns of San Cataldo, Cappelletta and Virgilio. In Virgilio is possible to stop in order to visit the French-Habsburg Fort of Pietole. Once in Mantova we can take a walking tour in the oldest part of town.
Dinner and overnight in Mantua.

Day 3
The Mincio Valleys
Length: 12 Km
Travel time: 1 h (stops and visits not included)
Technical notes: route entirely on bike path
Time for breakfast. We meet our guide in Piazza Sordello. While walking down the old town we can admire the Museum Complex of Palazzo Ducale, Piazza delle Erbe, the Basilica of Sant’ Andrea, the “Rotonda” of San Lorenzo and finally , Palazzo Te (exteriors).
Free time for lunch in town.
After the break, we head to the entrance of the path that leads up to Grazie, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, where we can visit the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built at the behest of Captain Francesco Gonzaga (15th century)
We continue on motor ship to reach Rivalta sul Mincio, by a short cruise of about 1 hour ( motor ship and bike transport) to visit the Ethnographic Museum of the River Mincio, which aims to collect and preserve the old river people’s traditions. Dinner and overnight in Rivalta.

Day 4
Rivalta - Peschiera del Garda.
Length: 37 Km
Travel time: about 4 h (stops and visits not included)
Technical notes: after a short strech on dirt road, the route is on bike path. Return by bus with bicycle transport
Time for breakfast. From Rivalta we take the path that runs along the Mincio Valleys until Pozzolo. Once in Pozzolo, we get on the Mantova - Peschiera bike path to reach Borghetto di Valeggio sul Mincio, with its charming medieval water mills, put in place for a ford of the river Mincio. The village marks today the border between the territory of Mantua and the territory of Verona. Outside of the village stands the fortified dam or “Visconti Bridge”, built in 1393 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti and once connected to the castle of Valeggio, built by the Scaligeri family in the thirteenth century. Free time for lunch in Borghetto sul Mincio.
We continue on the path until the deviation of the Mincio near Monzambano. The path continues gently up to the bridge of Salionze, crossing Ponti sul Mincio, and from there along the moat of the fortress, we arrive to Peschiera del Garda.
In the evening, return trip to Mantua by bus with bicycles transportation.

INFO:

ON THE ROAD TRAVEL
Via G.Chiassi, 20/E – 46100 – Mantova
Tel. (0039) 0376 1434771 – Fax (0039) 0376 1434772
[email protected] – www.ontheroadtravel.it
P.Iva 02411290204

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