In the morning you discover the capital of the ancient "Serenissima Republic of Venice" with a guide which held sway over much of the Mediterranean (and beyond) for centuries. Afterwards you have a lot of time to soak up its timeless beauty or explore the islands.

Cruising out of Venice at a gentle pace, you start your bike and boat adventure on the Lido, the first of the two islands you explore today. Fashionable with the artists and aristocracy of the Belle Époque, the Lido di Venezia is now home to the International Venice Film Festival and its galaxy of stars. A short island-hop takes you to Pellestrina, where you cycle towards the Ca’ Roman nature reserve, past the fishermen’s cottages and boats. Here, where you rejoin the barge and sail to Chioggia – a bustling and colourful fishing harbour known as "Little Venice".

A morning stroll through Chioggia’s fish market is recommended and, time allowing, a visit up the millennial clock tower – the oldest in the world – for some breathtaking views. Our cycling resumes southbound, into the delta of the imposing Po. This unique wetland park is the prime reserve in Europe for herons and home to a colony of flamingos. You stay overnight in Adria, an ancient Greek port once close to the shores of the sea which bears its name, also renowned for its Etruscan and Roman heritage.

After a short cruise you saddle your bikes and, following the Po through farmland and hamlets, you reach Ferrara. Under its overlords, the Este family, this ancient City State attracted influential architects and artists for centuries. A private bus takes you back to your floating hotel in Zelo, a sleepy village on the Canal Bianco, the waterway which runs parallel to the Po.

You sail for a short stretch and, back on our bikes, you reach the village of Bergantino where you visit the charming Carousel and Street Entertainment Museum. Following the river through Ostiglia (famed for its medieval fortress and floating mill) and on to Governolo Lock. Once a vital staging post for local navigation, this is where the River Mincio flows into the Po, creating the largest inland basin in Italy. Leaving the Po behind, you reach Mantua through a magnificent navigation in the afternoon.

An entire day dedicated to the discovery of this little visited cultural gem, its three picturesque "lakes" formed by the Mincio, and its surrounding countryside – once a City State ruled by the Gonzaga family. In the afternoon a local guide will lead you through the most known highlights of the town. Aboard a motorboat you will then have the possibility to drive through the Mincio Nationalpark.