La BellaVita…Luxury Cruising fromVenice to Mantua


David Powell spent a week on the luxury hotel barge La Bella Vita cruising the Italian Renaissance from Venice to Mantua in considerable style


Wednesday,we’ve been on La BellaVita for 3 days and definitely no mid-week blues for me. It’s a beautiful sunny morning and I’m on the top deck early today. I pop into the wheelhouse and after a quick chat with Captain Roger I take in the breathtaking views as we make our way along Italy’s River Po. Cruising on a luxury barge is totally relaxing and with so much to see and do it’s the perfect way to spend a week making friends and creating wonderful memories. But let’s start at the beginning of this EuropeanWaterways cruise from Venice via the Venetian Lagoon, Chioggia, the Po Valley, Bianco Canal, Ferrara to Mantua … a truly magical experience.


Italian


After an early morning flight from London to Marco Polo airport in Venice we make our way to the Hotel Laguna Palace just a short taxi ride. From here we are picked up at 2.30pm for our transfer to the barge by private chauffeured mini bus. Cruise Director Giulia,our guide for the week and deckhand Dario introduce themselves and Dario loads our luggage into the mini bus, from now on it’s luxury all the way! My wife and I introduce ourselves to friendly fellow guests and then after a short journey we spot La Bella Vita for the first time moored just outside the city ofVenice.As our luggage is safely placed in our stateroom we enjoy a lovely prosecco welcome and meet the crew of 8:Captain Roger, 2nd Captain Andrea, deckhand Dario, the two onboard chefs Andrea and Leonardo, Maître Francesca, Hostess Leonyja and Cruise Director Giulia. We are getting on well with our fellow guests, we’re a small group from the U.K.,America and Australia, all looking forward to a week’s cruising, exploring and enjoying the all inclusive fine food and wines!


La Bella Vita is a stylish 20 passenger vessel with a typically modern Italian interior offering a high standard of comfortable, and fully air conditioned accommodation. There are 2 upper deck suites and 8 lower deck staterooms.All cabins are


PAGE 20 La Bella Vita moored in the heart of Venice


en-suite and have a closet with drawer, storage space under the bed, reading lights, a mirror and safe. The 8 staterooms have large picture windows whilst the 2 suites have a Juliet balcony. There’s a bright and very spacious dining room and a lovely lounge/bar area with books, games and a piano. Outside on top is a huge sundeck with sun canopies and comfortable sun loungers to view the wonderful scenery. There’s also a spa pool to enjoy and 10 bicycles which can be used on certain days depending on La Bella Vita’s location.


Another prosecco or two and we set sail along the Giudecca Canal for the short cruise into the heart of Venice. What a start; imagine seeing the most famous Venetian monuments from the river and then mooring near the Naval Museum alongside private luxurious yachts. From here it’s just a short walk to St Marks Square, past the Gondolas, the white limestone Bridge of Sighs to the fabulous


Doge’s Palace where a private guided tour


has been arranged byGiulia.Our group also take in the sights of St Marks Square some of us enjoying an ice-cream and then it’s a stroll back to La Bella Vita for the first of our wonderful dinners freshly prepared onboard with regional specialties, red and white wines, dessert and cheeseboard. Drinks included in the cruise are non alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee, whilst the well stocked bar is open 24 hours which includeswines, spirits, beers and soft drinks.


There’s the opportunity to stroll into Venice again after dinner although after a nightcapwe all decide to retire to our state- rooms to be ready for the following days activities, which have been outlined by Giulia.


As Giulia said, no day is the same on this cruise itinerary and whilst a walking tour of Venice was planned, she realised that the majority of guests had been in Venice for at least a couple of days already so she asked if we would prefer to visit the Murano glass factory. A resounding yes and soon we are being whisked by a lovely teak finished private taxi boat to the nearby island ofMurano.


Our tour took us inside the famous Bridge of Sighs MAIDSTONE & MID KENT ADVERTISER


Here we enjoy a private tour seeing how Murano glass is produced first hand. Six showrooms are packed with hundreds of pieces of superb outstanding Murano glass items ranging in price from 10 euros to thousands. As my wife warned, mind your backpack!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24