Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Mantua
Gonzaga palaces painted with giants, ringed by lakes.
A quiet Renaissance city wrapped in three lakes, where the Gonzaga dukes left a palace as big as a town and a pleasure villa painted with giants. Flat, compact and lovely by bike, and an easy day from Verona.
Places to see
- Ducal PalaceMuseum · A maze of hundreds of rooms, courtyards and gardens; the highlight is Mantegna's Bridal…≈ A$26
Basilica of Sant'AndreaChurch · A huge church with a front like a Roman triumphal arch and one vast barrel-vaulted nave;…Free
Palazzo TeMuseum · A low pleasure villa with rooms painted floor to ceiling: life-size horses, Cupid and…≈ A$26
Piazza Sordello
When to go
- Jan7° / -1°Some rainQuiet
- Feb10° / 0°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 4°Some rainQuiet
- Apr18° / 8°Some rainBusy
- May23° / 12°Some rainBusy
- Jun27° / 16°Some rainBusy
- Jul30° / 18°Mostly dryBusy
- Aug29° / 18°Some rainQuiet
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Piazza Sordello. The vast square of the Gonzaga palace and the cathedral.
Piazza delle Erbe. The market square, Sant'Andrea and the little round church: the lively heart.
Via Acerbi and Palazzo Te. The quieter south side, from Mantegna's house to the Gonzaga summer palace.
Flying in
Verona Villafranca (VRN): Aerobus to Verona Porta Nuova, then a train to Mantua, about 1 h 15 min, ≈ A$19.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Mantua; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$3. Small and flat: walk everywhere, or hire a bike for the paths round the lakes.
Tourist tax
Mantua's city tax: usually about €1.50–2 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for the first nights; under-14s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
