TO VENICE, CON GUSTO CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION To Venice, Con Gusto ITINERARY OUTLINE Trip Essence / Page 2 A leisurely, gustatory journey through the Po Daily Itinerary / Page 3-4 Valley Arrival & Departure / Page 5 This bicycling adventure travels along a delicious route across three regions, Bike Information / Page 5 ending in the romantic and famous Venice. Appetites will be treated to irresistible as we cycle from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mantova Terms & Conditions / Page 6 along the Po River in Lombardy. We continue in the Emilia Romagna region Reserve Your Space! / Page 6 visiting the cyclist-friendly and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ferrara. The tour will end in the Veneto region, the perfect place for a final celebration after a full immersion in northern Italian culture, history and culinary experience. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 | [email protected] | www.ciclismoclassico.com 1 TO VENICE, CON GUSTO CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION TRIP ESSENCE TRIP DETAILS Ability Level • Unparalleled cycling along Venetian lagoons • Easy • Tranquil riding on level terrain along the Po River Summary of Daily Distances • Day 1: 9 miles • Discover Mantova, Ferrara and Venice, UNESCO World Heritage Sites • Day 2: 40 miles • Day 3: 41/47 miles • Spectacular fish dinner in Venezia • Day 4: 43 miles • Day 5: 13 miles • Explore the unspoiled wilds of Parco del Mincio on a fun boat ride • Day 6: Arrivederci! • Strolls through lively fruit and vegetable markets Optional extra loops available WHAT’S INCLUDED • Use of a carbon road bike (see page 7 for details) Have something else in mind? • Service of local, professional guides throughout the program • Itinerary available as a private tour or... • Ciclismo jersey and water bottle • Create a custom itinerary with help from our experienced • All accommodations travel consultants! • All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 4 dinners Contact Us 1-800-866-7314 [email protected] • Ravioli di zucca (pumpkin ravioli) cooking demo • Cycling clinics • Walking tours of Venice and Ferrara with a local guide • Wine tasting at Il Brindisi, the oldest enoteca in the world • Shuttle at the end of the tour “We all came together as strangers, some beginners and some experts. We’ve been guided by the best through foreign lands, restaurants, and wines. We will leave as one family. And for that, we are very grateful.” - Marty S. Asheville, NC Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 | [email protected] | www.ciclismoclassico.com 2 TO VENICE, CON GUSTO CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION DAY 1 Highlights Welcome to Italy! Today we gather in the southeast of Lombardy in MANTOVA WARM-UP Mantova, a UNESCO World Heritage Site bordered on its north by three RIDE lakes that the Mincio River forms as it winds its way to the Po. Meet at our hotel at 1 pm for introductions and a quick spin—we’ll have an intro lunch at 14 miles Daily Mileage - Osteria dell’Oca. The relatively flat terrain is ideal for today’s warm-up ride. Riding Terrain - Flat Tonight, we’ll have dinner at Grifone Bianco in Mantova’s historical square. Hotel - Hotel Rechigi Hotel Rechigi, located in the historic centre of Mantua, hosts a permanent • Location: Mantova collection of contemporary art. An elegant atmosphere, minimalist design • Duration: 2 Nights and quality services all make for a luxurious stay in the heart of Mantova. • http://www.rechigi.com/en/ mantova/ Meals - L, D DAY 2 Highlights Today we’ll follow the course of the Mincio, a river which descends from MANTOVA LOOP Lake Garda, on a delightful loop that includes Borghetto, a fascinating ALONG THE MINCIO fortified village considered one of the most beautiful hamlets in Italy. Today RIVER you’re allowed some time to visit the main landmarks in town, like Palazzo Te, Palazzo Valenti Gonzaga, the Ducal Palace and the main cathedral right Daily Mileage - 40 miles before our ravioli di zucca cooking demo at Ochina Bianca restaurant. We’ll have dinner there, too. Riding Terrain - Flat Hotel - See Day 1 Meals - B, D Highlights DAY 3 Today we’ll start with a 3-hour boat ride from the lake in Mantova to Mincio FERRARA River, merging into Po River. We’ll keep biking eastward through the lovely Po Valley, one of Italy’s major geographical sites and the area where Daily Mileage - 41/47 miles Napoleon declared his “Kingdom of Italy.” Our destination is Ferrara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the centers of Italian Renaissance Flat and rolling Riding Terrain - history. Biking is one of the main modes of transport; its streets are closed Hotel Annunziata to car traffic. Ferrara, with its uniquely well-preserved walls, is home to Hotel - th th • Location: Ferrara the stupendous monuments dating back between the 13 -15 centuries: • Duration: 1 Night the House of Este, the Lion’s Tower, della Quercia’s Madonna of the • www.annunziata.it/en/ Pomegranate, Rossetti’s Renaissance Palace of Diamonds, the poet Ariosto’s house, and many more! In the evening, we’ll have a wine tasting in the Meals - B, D historical enoteca Il Brindisi before dinner at Osteria del Ghetto. The 4-star Hotel Annunziata is a stone’s throw away from the famous Estense Castle of Ferrara and offers amazing views of this very historic landmark. It also has stylish comfortable rooms for its guests. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 | [email protected] | www.ciclismoclassico.com 3 TO VENICE, CON GUSTO CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION DAY 4 Highlights FERRARA TO CHIOGGIA We’ll start the day at 9 am with a walking tour of Ferrara, which should last about 1.5 hours. One of the highlights today will be a spectacular picnic at Mulino del Po. The ride will end with a 45-minute shuttle from Mesola to Daily Mileage - 44 miles Chioggia so we can avoid any traffic. Chioggia is likened to Venice because of it’s canals, bridges, and narrow streets and is set on the southern Riding Terrain - Flat along entrance to the Lagoon of Venice. Dinner will be on your own tonight. marshes and farmlands In the most charming spot of Chioggia, Piazzetta Vigo, stands the 4-star Hotel - Hotel Grande Italia • Location: Chioggia Hotel Grande Italia. Modern comforts, a fitness center and the famous “Alle • Duration: 1 Night baruffe chiozzotte”restaurant make it the ideal spot for leisurely travel. • www.hotelgrandeitalia.com Meals - B, L DAY 5 Highlights Today we’ll have a short bike ride and will take the ferry to allow more time CHIOGGIA TO VENICE for activities in the afternoon to enjoy Venice, our final destination. The first ferry will be from Chioggia to Pellestrina, where we’ll ride over the Daily Mileage - 13 miles island. Then we’ll take another ferry to Lido, where we’ll ride until we reach Riding Terrain - Flat Venice. We’ll then venture to Piazza San Marco for a guided tour of the town. You’ll stroll along the maze of waterways and take a unique insider’s Hotel - Grande Albergo look at Venice. Our last dinner will be at Osteria Alla Bifora in a very popular Ausonia & Hungaria campo, Santa Margheria. You’re sure to feel like a local there! • Location: Lido di Venezia • Duration: 1 Night This 4-star hotel is unique in style and service. Situated on the Venetian • www.ausoniahungaria.com island of Lido, it’s a 5-minute walk from its private area on the most renowned beach of the island and the central boat terminal with trips Meals - B, D to main tourist sites of Venice, such as San Marco Square and the Canal Grande. Comfortable and elegant guest rooms equipped with the latest amenities provide the perfect ambiance for rest and relaxation. DAY 6 Highlights Today it’ll be time to say arrivederci to Italy. We’ll have our final breakfast ARRIVEDERCI! around 9 am. Our hotel is only a few minute’s walk away from the Lido docking area, where you can catch a waterbus to the airport or the train Meals - B station. Buon viaggio! Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 | [email protected] | www.ciclismoclassico.com 4 TO VENICE, CON GUSTO CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations GETTING TO Valerie Wilson Travel Call: 1-855-780-2022 or Fly to Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP). Take the Autostradale bus to Milano E-mail: [email protected] Centrale train station (50 minutes), then the train (www.trenitalia.com) to Mantova (2 hours). Hotel is about 10 minutes away by taxi. For easier Travel Insurance return: From within Europe, fly to Venice M. Polo Airport (VCE), take a World Nomads taxi to Venice Mestre train station (15 minutes), then a train via Verona to Call: 1-816-905-3963 (Direct/ Mantova (2 hours). Hotel is about 10 minutes by taxi. Collect 1-844-207-1930 (Toll-Free within DEPARTING FROM USA) https://www.worldnomads.com/ From the Lido docking area, you can catch a waterbus to the airport or travel-insurance/ the train station. Waterbus service (50 minutes, ~15 euro) is provided by Alilaguna (www.alilaguna.it/) to the Venice Marco Polo Airport (red line), or Transportation to the train station of Venice Santa Lucia (blue line). If you prefer you can Rome2rio also catch a private water taxi (25 minutes, ~80 euro). http://www.rome2rio.com BIKE INFORMATION ON THE BIKE Included: Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo • Ciclismo Classico water bottle • The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress • Two water bottle holders for the riders, thanks to Bianchi’s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/ • Map holder on handlebars geometry and different material combination.