Venice to Mantua: A Self-Launched Venetian Lagoon & Po Valley Adventure
7 days · Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua & Modena, Italy
CroisiEurope River Cruises charges £1,590
No-markup version: ~£455 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of CroisiEurope's 7-day Po River cruise from Venice to Mantua, rebuilt as an independent overland trip using Italy's excellent regional trains and vaporetti. Same destinations as the cruise — Venice lagoon islands (Burano, Mazzorbo, Murano), Padua, Chioggia, Verona and Mantua — plus Modena and its Ferrari museum, all done at backpacker pace with self-bookable walking tours and hostels/budget hotels. Costs are approximate per person based on current budget-traveller rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Venice — Cannaregio & Rialto at dusk
Venice
Land at Marco Polo (VCE) and take the ATVO/ACTV airport bus to Piazzale Roma (~£8, 30 min) or the Alilaguna water bus if you fancy arriving by water (~£13). Check into a Cannaregio hostel or budget guesthouse, then ease into the city. Wander the Grand Canal banks, cross the Rialto Bridge, and grab cicchetti and an ombra of wine at a canal-side bacaro. Buy a 72-hour ACTV vaporetto pass (~£30) today so lagoon island transport is covered for the next few days.
🚌ATVO/ACTV airport bus to Piazzale Roma ~£8; ACTV 72hr vaporetto pass ~£30
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (dorm ~£25-35, private ~£55-75)
- →Orientation walk through Cannaregio and Rialto
- →Grand Canal evening vaporetto ride (line 1)
- →Cicchetti dinner at a local bacaro
Venice Lagoon: Murano, Mazzorbo & Burano
Venice Lagoon (Murano, Mazzorbo, Burano)
Ride vaporetto line 12 from Fondamente Nove to Murano for a self-guided glassblowing demo — many fornaci (e.g. along Fondamenta dei Vetrai) offer free or low-cost furnace demos, or book a studio visit via GetYourGuide (~£15-25). Continue to Mazzorbo, cross the wooden pedestrian bridge to Burano, and soak up the candy-coloured fishermen's houses. Lunch on the island (risotto di gò is the local speciality). Return to Venice in the evening.
🚌ACTV vaporetto line 12 Fondamente Nove–Murano–Burano (covered by 72hr pass)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (dorm ~£25-35, private ~£55-75)
- →Murano glassblowing demonstration or workshop
- →Mazzorbo island walk
- →Burano lace shops and colourful canal-side stroll
Venice: Doge's Palace, St Mark's & Dorsoduro
Venice
Book a timed ticket to Doge's Palace online (St Mark's Square, palace and Golden Staircase ~£25-30; skip-the-line guided combo ~£45). Climb the Campanile or just admire the Basilica's façade before hopping vaporetto 2 across to the Dorsoduro district. Explore the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (~£15) and Accademia galleries, ending at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute exterior and its grand view back over the Grand Canal. Sunset drinks on the Zattere.
🚌ACTV vaporetto within city (covered by 72hr pass)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (dorm ~£25-35, private ~£55-75)
- →Doge's Palace self-guided visit with Golden Staircase
- →Dorsoduro art galleries (Peggy Guggenheim, Accademia)
- →Santa Maria della Salute and St Mark's Square
Padua & Chioggia day trip
Padua & Chioggia
Regional train from Venezia S. Lucia to Padua (~£5, 30 min) for a self-guided or self-bookable walking tour of the medieval centre and the Basilica of St Anthony (Il Santo, free entry; Scrovegni Chapel frescoes ~£15 if booked well ahead). Then head south by bus/train towards Chioggia — the cruise's 'little Venice' stop — with its own canals, fish market and easy-going waterfront for a late lunch. Return to Venice by evening.
🚌Trenitalia Venezia S.L.–Padova regional ~£5; bus/train onward to Chioggia ~£4-6
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (dorm ~£25-35, private ~£55-75)
- →Padua medieval centre self-guided walk and Il Santo basilica
- →Optional Scrovegni Chapel frescoes (pre-book)
- →Chioggia canal-side wander and fish market
Verona: Arena, Juliet's House & gastronomy stroll
Verona
Train from Venice to Verona Porta Nuova (~£10-14, 1h10). Store bags and walk into the historic centre — the Arena di Verona, Piazza delle Erbe, and the busy courtyard of Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) are all in easy range. Join a self-bookable Verona food and wine walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£40-60) through medieval piazzas, a pastry shop tasting and coffee, or explore Giusti Gardens independently. Overnight in Verona or continue to Mantua.
🚌Trenitalia Venezia S.L.–Verona Porta Nuova ~£10-14
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Verona (dorm/private ~£30-60)
- →Verona Arena (self-guided, ~£8-10)
- →Juliet's House courtyard and Piazza delle Erbe
- →Optional Verona food & wine walking tour via GetYourGuide
Mantua: Palazzo Ducale & the Camera degli Sposi
Mantua
Train to Mantua (~£6-8, 40 min). Mantua is a compact Renaissance gem surrounded by lakes — book the Palazzo Ducale and its Camera degli Sposi frescoes online (~£12-15), then walk to the Rotonda di San Lorenzo and the Basilica di Sant'Andrea. If time allows, make a side trip to Modena (train via Verona ~£10-12) for the Museo Enzo Ferrari with its audio-visual show (~£15-20). Return to Mantua for the evening on the lakeside.
🚌Trenitalia Verona–Mantova ~£6-8; optional Modena leg ~£10-12
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Mantua (private ~£40-60)
- →Palazzo Ducale and Camera degli Sposi
- →Rotonda di San Lorenzo and Basilica di Sant'Andrea
- →Optional Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena
Mantua back to Venice — departure
Mantua to Venice
Slow breakfast in Mantua, then take the regional train back to Venice (~£12-15, 1h40-2h, usually changing at Verona or Monselice). If you've built in a buffer, enjoy a last Venetian coffee before heading to Marco Polo airport by ATVO bus. Trip ends in Venice city centre, matching the cruise's drop-off.
🚌Trenitalia Mantova–Venezia S.L. ~£12-15; ATVO airport bus ~£8
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final Mantua lakefront morning walk
- →Return train to Venice
- →Airport bus to Marco Polo (VCE)
Self-launched vs. CroisiEurope River Cruises
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CroisiEurope River Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£455 | £1,590 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,135 per person (71%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CroisiEurope River Cruises-style trips? Check them out here.~£455
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Venice to Mantua: A Self-Launched Venetian Lagoon & Po Valley Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £455 per person for 7 days in Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua & Modena, Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with CroisiEurope River Cruises?+
Yes — CroisiEurope River Cruises charges around £1,590 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £455 — a saving of roughly £1,135 (71%) per person.
How long is the Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua & Modena, Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua & Modena, Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, budget trip through Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua & Modena, Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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