On the Road of The Ancient Romans

ON THE ROAD OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS: THE “VIA CLAUDIA AUGUSTA”

Mantova – Ostiglia – Vigasio – Verona

Veneto, Lombardia

5 days/4 nights

Easy itinerary (mix bicycle + bus) entirely on plain along the “Via Claudia Augusta” from Mantua to Verona, passing through the Ostiglia area. It is dedicated to the first part of the ancient consular romanic street, discovering local typical plates: in particular the famous “risotto alla pilota”.
Total length: 107 km. 20 km on Eurovelo8 route
In 3 and 4*hotels - guided tour- without portage
Self- guided tour on request

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Day 1
Mantova
Arrival in the afternoon in Mantova with your own vehicles. Dinner in hotel and presentation of the program. Overnight.

Day 2
Mantova - Ostiglia
Length: 33 Km
Travel time: about 4 hours (stops and tours not included)
Technical notes: route partly on embankment roads and partly on paved bike path with streches on dirt roads In the morning, meet the guide in Piazza Sordello and visit the Museum Complex of Palazzo Ducale, the former residence of the Gonzaga family. Free time for lunch in town. After collecting the bikes, we take the path that runs along the lakes and we head to the Regional Nature Reserve “Vallazza”; on our way we pass by the French-Habsburg Fort of Pietole and the Archaeological Park of “Forcello”, where an Etruscan settlement was found. We reach then Governolo where we can admire the hydraulic works conceived by Gabriele Bertazzolo (17th century). We proceed to the bike lane EuroVelo 8 that runs along the Po in the direction of Sustinente and Serravalle Po to get to Ostiglia.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3
Ostiglia - Castel d’Ario - Erbè - Vigasio
Length: 37 Km
Travel time: 4 hours (stops and tours not included)
Technical notes: route mostly on low traffic roads
Time for breakfast. We start from Ostiglia, where we can visit the Park of the “Paludi di Ostiglia” (Ostiglia Marshes), the island “Isola Boschina” and the Shrine of Our Lady of “La Comuna”, and heading towards the river Tione, we get to Villimpenta, a small town dominated by the “Scaligeri” castle and surrounded by vast expanses of rice fields. Then we reach Castel d’Ario, which is also a typical production area of Mantuan rice. Typical lunch in Castel d’Ario.
We continue to pedal on the road Claudia Augusta and, passing through the towns of Terre di Masino and Sorgà, we get first to Erbè, where we can stop to visit the Park of the “Due Tioni”, and then to Vigasio.
Dinner and overnight in Vigasio.

Day 4
Vigasio - Villafranca - Sommacampagna - Verona
Length: 37 Km
Travel time: 4 hours (stops and tours not included)
Technical notes: route mostly on low traffic roads
After breakfast, we leave from Vigasio and take the bike path to reach Villafranca, an ancient fortress owned in medieval time by the Scaligeri family, where we can admire the medieval castle and the “Serraglio”. We then continue to Povegliano Veronese and Custoza of Sommacampagna, especially known for the “Risorgimento” battles fought in this town. Free time for lunch in Custoza.
The route takes the direction of Sommacampagna, a small town of medieval origin where the Romanesque Church (Pieve) di Sant’Andrea still stands. Last stop is the magnificent UNESCO heritage city of Verona, first an important Roman settlement and then a relevant medieval center. Do not miss the Roman amphitheater “Arena” or the Romanesque Basilica of San Zeno, Piazza delle Erbe and the balcony of “Romeo and Juliet”, which owes its fame to Shakespeare’s play. Dinner and overnight in Verona.

Day 5
Verona - Mantova
Return to the starting point according to schedule by bus with bicycles transportation.
This program is subject to change if necessary

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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