Angelika Pickardt

October 13, 2025, 5:25 am | Read time: 3 minutes

The center of Mantua, with its palaces, churches, and squares, appears as if nothing has changed since the Middle Ages. Less than half an hour by car from Mantua are Lake Garda, Verona, and the Mincio River nature reserve.

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A Spectacular Old Town

First-time visitors to Mantua can hardly believe it: The cobblestones of the impressive Piazza Sordello were surely ridden over by Duke Gonzaga in the 16th century. On the picturesque Piazza Erbe, flanked by the Palazzo del Podesta and the Palazzo della Ragione with its sensational clock tower, visitors can admire the interior of the more than 1,000-year-old Romanesque Rotonda di San Lorenzo church. Most palaces and squares in the city appear authentically old and not reconstructed.

Other spectacular attractions include the cathedral, the Palazzo Ducale, and the San Giorgio fortress. All these sights are located in the traffic-calmed center, just a few minutes’ walk from each other. Our tip: Park your car in a lot outside the ring road around the old town and explore the beautiful city on foot.

By Excursion Boat Over the Lakes of Mantua

Adjacent to the Giardini Fraccalini is the shore of Lago di Mezzo. The dock for excursion boats is located directly behind the walls of the medieval San Giorgio fortress. In summer, lake tours and a trip over the Mincio River through nature reserves to the Po are offered.

For those vacationing at Lake Garda or in Borghetto on the Mincio River, Mantua is ideal for a day trip. Just like the city of Verona in Veneto or the medieval town of Sabbioneta. Mantua (Italian: Mantova) is also easily accessible by car via the A 22 highway, which runs from the Brenner Pass to Modena in Emilia-Romagna and intersects with the Autostrada del Sole, which goes from Milan to Rome and Naples. The nearest airports are Bologna and Bergamo, and the drive from there with a rental car takes about 1.5 hours.

Text contribution: Jasch Zacharias