Cruise on La Bella Vita
In the Fall of 2023 we took a barge cruise from Venice to Mantua. The barge cruise was arranged through European Waterways.
Starting out from Mestre, Venice it travels out of the Venice Lagoon and into the Bianco Canal to Mantua.
Mestre is an important industrial part of Venice on the mainland but not attractive in any way. There was a new Cunard cruise ship being built there.
Our party of twelve came together at the Best Western Hotel Bologna Mestre and we were met by two members from the barge. There were four travellers from New Zealand, Dennis and Robyn, Cecilia and Cherry, a couple from San Diego, Mark and Denise, two friends from Minneapolis, Barbara and Kathleen, two sisters, Janet and Gill from Bournemouth and us. We were later joined by an English photographer, Kit, living in Faro, Portugal who was going to make a promotional video of the trip for the company - European Waterways.
Best Western Hotel Bologna Mestre
In addition to the barge there were two small passenger vans that were used to move us around on the land. We used one of the vans as a shuttle to the barge, the other van would appear later.
We meet up with the rest of the crew who were going to look after us aboard. The crew consisted of the Captain Rudy, who owns the barge, 2nd Captain Carlo, Deckhand Giovanni, Chef Andrea, Sous-Chef Samuele, Maitre D Francesca, Hostesses Leoniya, Miriam and Alice and Cruise Director Ilaria. 11 to look after 13.
The deck plan. We were In Tiziano.
The cabin was small but quite fine. The barge had begun its life 69 years ago, carrying sand on the lagoon. About twenty years ago it was beautifully refitted.
Our first view of the barge La Bella Vita (aka MERV). Yes, we did have a welcoming red carpet.
Recently the City of Venice has banned cruise ships from docking on the island of Venice. They can enter the lagoon but must dock in the port of Mestre which is shown toward the left of centre on the map avoiding Venice altogether. Having boarded the barge we started out to travel to Lido, on the right hand side of the map.
We didn't get far as it was the time of the Venice Bienniale and some of the shipping lanes were closed so we went back to where we had started to await permission to travel. In that little excursion we did see a cruise ship leaving.
We eventually got going again and travelled up the Giudecca Canal to moor on the long island of Lido.
There are no roads, public transport is by vaporetto.
The Doge's Palace with the domes and bell tower of St. Marks in the background.
The 100 passenger Michealangelo (more on that later)
From our mooring on Lido
We had our first meal together that evening looking at the sunset. As mentioned earlier we had a Chef (Andrea) and a feature of the cruise were the gourmet meals. We started each day with a comprehensive buffet breakfast with an option of a cooked breakfast. Lunch was always served on the barge as was dinner, with one exception. Every day we were treated to fine dining. For lunch and dinner we started with an appetizer, followed by the main course, two cheeses, dessert and two wines. No course was ever repeated. Before each lunch and dinner the Maitre D described each wine and cheese and where they came from. It was always a highlight as it was so well done. There was an always open open bar and self serve tea, coffee, beer and cold drinks.
We learned what all-inclusive meant as we spent no money at any time. If we were out and about and had a gelato the tour leader paid!
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THE DOGE'S PALACE
PELLESTRINA
CHIOGGIA
PORT LEVANTE
After our first breakfast aboard the barge we moved to a new location close to the Doge's Palace
The Doge's Palace by the Clock Tower
We were going on a private guided tour and we were all provided with earpieces so that we could hear the guide easily even when she was a way away. We took off down the quay and on a tortuous path to the Palace.
This is a water well in a quiet square, off the beaten track.
The Basilica of St. Mark's next to the Doge's Palace
Inside the Courtyard of the Palace. The top floor was reached by a secret elevator or a staircase.
The art work is remarkable
The famous bronze horses outside the Basilica
St. Mark's Square
The St. Mark's Campanile The original fell down in 1912
The Bridge of Sighs leads from the Palace to the prison.
Our tour was over and we walked back along the quay to a different boat that took us to the barge moored at Pellestrina south of Lido. There was a change of plan from the normal. The barge needed to exit the lagoon into the Adriatic to get to the entrance of the Bianco Canal at Port Levante.
Pellestrina
Normally this would have been done a day later but the weather in the Adriatic was forecast to be a bit rough so the barge was going to do this a day early. As a result we boarded a different boat to go Chioggia at the bottom of the lagoon barrier islands. There is a map above. We were were passed by La Bella Vita.
La Bella Vita en route to Port Levante.
We had visited Chioggia quite few years earlier in 2010. Just before we left the UK Ruth realized that she had mislaid her wedding ring. We put that to rights by buying a new one in Chioggia. You buy them by the weight! (The ring actually turned up a while later).
Chioggia is a busy fishing port.
We had an afternoon refreshment break and joined our two vans that had magically appeared. We drove South to Port Levante for our night stop.
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THE ABBEY OF POMPOSA
TENUTE CA' ZEN
TAGLIO DI PO
After breakfast we drove to the Abbey of Pomposa.
Pomposa Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in the commune of Codigoro on the Adriatic coast. It was one of the most important in northern Italy, famous for the Carolingian manuscripts preserved in its rich library, one of the wealthiest of Carolingian repositories and for the Romanesque buildings.
In this abbey Guido d'Arezzo invented the modern musical notation in the early 11th century. The monks of Pomposa migrated to San Benedetto, Ferrara, 1650, leaving the abbey unoccupied. In the 19th century the abbey was acquired by the Italian government.
We were greeted but these wooden animals in the grounds
The Campanile
These wooden tablets were part of a temporary exhibition by a local artist, named Marisa Zattini. Every piece of wood was a section of a fallen centenarian tree. Using a laser, she engraved the 22 letters of the alphabet on every piece of wood.
We returned to the barge and continued on our merry way to moor at Taglio Di Po. This meant we were going to leave the Bianco Canal and move into the Po River.
Kit, the photographer was always busy with his video and here he is at the lock
The River Po at Taglio Di Po
It was going to be a special evening where we were going out to the only meal we didn't have on the barge.
Tenuta Ca' Zen is an 18th century country villa, close to the Po Delta Park, which is sustainably run with great care by Elaine Avanzo Westropp Bennett and her daughter Maria Adelaide Avanzo, who ensure guests receive a unique and unforgettable welcome. Apparently Lord Byron courted the Countess Gluccioli and wrote some of his best poetry here.
We began with an aperitif on the large patio followed by a stroll in the grounds.
The little chapel on the grounds
Maria welcoming us in the chapel in her striking red dress
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ADRIA
ADRIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
DOMINICO BAGNOLI WINERY
THE MILL AT PIZZON
After leaving the mooring at Taglio Di Po we moved back through the same lock to get us back into the Bianco Canal. Our first port of call in the morning was Adria. Adria is a town and commune in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po. The remains of the Etruscan city of Atria are to be found below the modern city, three to four metres below the current level.
This is well reflected in the extensive collection of artifacts in the Museum.
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After lunch back on the barge we drove to the Dominico Bagnoli Winery.
Dominio di Bagnoli is a beautiful and unique property with over 1000 years of history. The Dominio Bagnoli estate has attracted famous artists and poets from Venice across the centuries, serving their Friularo wine produced on site. Nowadays, it remains a farm, a winery and has a collection of chickens as well.
The grounds are extensive and there are many statues.
There are red and white grapes. The white were nearly ready for harvesting
Roses are planted at the end of grape rows as an early warning system for the winegrower. Because they are fragrant flowers, they attract insects such as aphids before they can make their way to the vines. This way the winemaker or vineyard manager will know what insects are in the vineyard that could potentially threaten their grapes.
The chicken houses
While we had been away the barge had moved up the Canal to Pizzon for the night mooring.
The Mill at Pizzon
After dinner we were treated to a performance by Marco, Davis and Federica (Tenor, Baritone and Soprano). This involved a lot of audience participation and a good time was had by all. Not the best photograph but you will get the idea.
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FERRARA TO LA VALLAZZA
After breakfast we had a guided tour of the city centre of Ferrara including the Schifanoia Palace and the Cathedral.
The centre of Ferrara
In the afternoon we had a long cruise along the Canal to moor for the night at the nature reserve at La Vallazza near Mantua.
Egrets feeding on the marsh and there were many swans nearby. It was a very peaceful place.
During the afternoon Chef Andrea gave a cooking lesson with many tips and where he made ravioli. We were nearing the
end of the cruise as the next day we would reach Mantua.
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MANTUA
It was short morning cruise to reach our final mooring in Mantua.
Our first view of Mantua
There were two other ships near by where we moored, one being the Michelangelo that we last saw in Venice and which had come along the same route as we had but we never saw her until now.
Some walked into the city centre.
After lunch we all went on a guided tour of the Palazzo Te, a palace in the suburbs of Mantua. Palazzo Te was constructed in 1524–34 for Federico Il Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua, as a palace of leisure and for him to entertain his mistress. The site chosen was that of the family stables.
A number of the rooms were the old stables
Some marvellous ceiling decoration
Detail of an art panel
Psyche's passion for Cupid in the Banqueting Hall
Fall of the Giants from Mount Olympus
We broke into two groups, one going back to the barge and the other to the city centre.
Time for a refreshment break - none better
Our guide was a big fellow
Inside one of many churches
Marinated fruit, I think
Good looking bread
Our cruise was coming to a close and the Captain hosted the last dinner.
Some of the excellent crew
The next morning we were packed and ready to load the vans and drive to Venice. One van went to the original starting point, the Best Western Hotel Bologna and the other to the car park on the island of Venice near the Railway Station. A sad parting for us all.
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THE BELLA VITA
Smoked provala salad
Vitello Tonnato (Slices of aromatic veal are served in a rich fish sauce made from tuna, capers and anchovy)
Wines: Sauvugnon and Pinot nero
The Wine lesson
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We chose to return to the Hotel Bologna. We were going to catch a train to Como later that afternoon where we were going spend three nights before returning home. However, with time to spare we decided to go back into Venice for lunch and a last look.
Arrivederci Venice
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