Driving the houseboat is easy and suitable for everyone!
Ready to become a Captain?
Even if it’s your first experience, don’t worry: we will guide you step by step.
After a short and simple introduction, you will learn to maneuver one of our boats safely. A technician will always be available to provide all the necessary instructions and help you start your journey with confidence.
No boating license is required to navigate the lagoon: the houseboats are fully autonomous and designed for anyone who wants to enjoy a new experience without complications.
Before departure, the staff always provides a practical trial, during which basic maneuvers, rules, and useful tips for safe navigation are explained. After just a few minutes of practice, you’ll already feel comfortable: it’s really easier than it looks.
An adventure suitable for everyone — just bring your curiosity and enjoy the lagoon at your own pace and freedom.
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This itinerary is just a travel suggestion: it can be easily customized based on your interests, preferred pace, and the activities you want to enjoy along the lagoon. We are always available to provide all the useful information and help build the best itinerary for you based on your requests and interests.
Day 1: Chioggia
Boarding at Chioggia, on Isola dell’Unione, at the Rendez Vous Fantasia base.
Chioggia is a lively seaside town with a distinctive fishbone layout, where art, folklore, and popular traditions blend beautifully with nature.
Highlights:
- Walk along Corso del Popolo
- Visit the Torre di S. Andrea, home to the oldest clock in the world
- Sottomarina beach, about 700 m from the base
On this first day, it’s important to get familiar with your houseboat.
Day 2: Chioggia → Adria
Sail to Adria, the Etruscan town that gave the Adriatic Sea its name. Already in the 6th century BC, it served as a port for Greeks and Etruscans to access the Po Valley and meet the local Celtic-Venetic population.
Highlights:
- National Archaeological Museum: Etruscan and Roman artifacts
- Church of Santa Maria Assunta della Tomba
- Old Cathedral of San Giovanni
- New Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, with a reproduction of the Lourdes grotto
- Teatro Comunale, offering opera and theater performances
- Villa Mecenati (now a conservatory) and Villa Salvagnini
- Giardini Scarpari, a classic Italian garden
- Aperitivo and stroll along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, especially on weekends
Day 3: Adria → Zelo
Sail to Zelo, a town along the Tartaro-Canalbianco, with a beautiful mooring dock near an old stone Habsburg arch bridge.
Historical notes:
Bombing in March 1945 destroyed the Renaissance-Baroque church; only the bell tower from 1724 survived
New church built between 1963 and 1967
Day 4: Zelo → Mantua
Sail to Mantua. After passing the San Leone lock, you enter the Mincio River near Governolo, where it meets the Po.
Historical notes: Mentioned by Virgil in the Aeneid, by Livy in History of Rome, and by Dante in the Divine Comedy.
Pass through the Mincio River Natural Park, perfect to immerse yourself in nature.
Day 5: Mantua
A full day to explore Mantua by bike, the city of the Gonzaga family, built around three lakes formed by the Mincio River.
Highlights:
- San Giorgio Bridge
- Ducal Palace (residence of the Gonzaga family)
- Palazzo Te
- Piazza Sordello with the Cathedral
- Piazza Erbe, Rotonda di San Lorenzo, Casa del Mercante, Astronomical Clock Tower, Palazzo della Ragione
Local specialties:
- Pumpkin tortelli, “risotto alla pilota”, cured meats and local meats
- Lambrusco, Parmigiano, Grana, and mustards
- Signature dessert: Sbrisolona cake
Day 6: Mantua → Pontelagoscuro
Sail to Pontelagoscuro, about 7 km from Ferrara.
For cycling enthusiasts:
- Starting point of the Destra Po cycle-tour, Italy’s longest bike path (sections from 15 to 36 km)
- Possibility of excursions to Ferrara, the “city of bicycles”
For nature lovers:
Isola Bianca Wildlife Oasis (upon reservation), with a 2.5 km nature trail through elder, willow, oak, bramble, and hop
Birdwatching: woodpeckers, herons, kingfishers, black-winged stilts, kestrels, cormorants, and more
Day 7: Pontelagoscuro → Chioggia
Sail back to Chioggia to conclude the vacation.
Things to do in Chioggia:
- Last walk along Corso del Popolo
- Last swim in the sea
- Dinner among the alleys of “Little Venice”
Overnight: at the Rendez Vous Fantasia base
Day 8:
Return the boat by 9:00 am
Other Bici & Houseboat itineraries:
Po Delta: Chioggia → Taglio di Po → Ariano → Mesola → Goro → Gorino → Pomposa → Porto Barricata → Ca’ Tiepolo → Boccasette* → Porto Viro → Adria → Albarella → Chioggia. Branches crossed: Po di Brondolo, Po di Venezia, Po di Goro, Po di Volano, Po delle Tolle, Po di Maistra.
Distance: 250 km, 10 locks, 2 movable bridges, approx. 35 hours of navigation
Sile River: Chioggia → Pellestrina → Malamocco → Lido → Venice → San Francesco del Deserto → Burano → Cavallino → Jesolo → Caposile → Casier → Treviso (Silea) → Portegrandi → Torcello → Murano → Chioggia
Distance: 210 km, 2 locks, 3 movable bridges, approx. 30 hours of navigation
