Birthplace of Virgil and place of exile for Romeo (of Juliet fame), Mantua is the cultural jewel in the Lombardy province of northern Italy. Lorded over by the Gonzago family during the Renaissance, it became a hotbed of culture and home to Men of Letters in the fields of art and science. Besides a number of glorious churches, it is home to the early 15th-Century Castle of St. George and the rich Palazzo Ducale di Montova, a collection of palaces built for the Italian nobility. Explore this treasure chest of antiquities on a very 21st-Century mode of transport. Meeting at the Palazzo del Te, one of the finest of Mantua’s palaces, you will head off to discover sights such as Piazza Marconi. Alongside Piazza Mantegna and Piazza Erbe, it acts as the heart of the historic city and site of the magnificent Basilica of Sant’ Andrea. Pause to admire the lovely honey-colored façade and beautiful Renaissance artwork within the church before continuing to the picturesque Piazza Erbe, where medieval buildings include the Rotonda di San Lorenzo, inspired by Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulcher. Nip over to Piazza Sordello to admire the Gonzago palaces of the Palazzo Ducale, before taking in the Gothic Cathedral, cornerstone of the ancient city with roots that date back to the 9th-Century. Cruise over to the artificial lakes, created in the 12th-Century and fed by waters from Lake Garda and the River Po. Then drift along safe and comfortable paths on your return loop to the Palazzo del Te where you will end the tour.