Milan Monza and Lake Como

Water Food Fashion and Design

Unlike most European and world leading cities, Milan was not settled on a river or by the sea, but in the middle of the Po River Valley. Hence, Milan’s is a history about water and how water was brought to the city. The concentric layout of the city center has been influenced by the Navigli, an ancient system of navigable and interconnected canals, now mostly covered.

Water History and Leonardo Da Vinci

A Source of energy for transportation and as a defense system throughout the centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci spent his most productive years in Milan, and his activity as an engineer crossed with the water history of the city; marks of his activity are still visible after hundreds of years. Water, sustainability and Leonardo are the threads that unify the different epochs in the city’s history and this part of Italy.

Traditions and Innovations in Energy and Water

Classical Milan the old Roman city of Mediolanum, and the more hidden parts of Milan, will connect the visitor with old artisan shops, the new Museum of Cultures, Villa Necchi Campiglio and the Last Supper.

Shopping and Design Milan is a global capital in industrial design, fashion and architecture. It is also a mecca for food lovers. As the commercial capital of Italy and one of Europe's most dynamic cities, it accounts for the lion’s share of the fashion trade, with some of the most renowned fashion houses headquartered here. Its upscale fashion district- il quadrilatero della moda - and La Galleria, the world’s first shopping mall, offer the best shopping opportunities anywhere.

Reduce Transit Times and Travel Costs on Your Next Trip

The Royal Villa in Monza has its own history dating back to the middle ages with a Royal Villa and the surrounding Monza Park. Recently restored the villa rivals in size and quality Versailles and Caserta’s Royal Palace. Behind the Royal Villa, Monza Park is the largest walled park in Europe. You may be already familiar with it as the racetrack where the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place every September.

Lake Como Bellagio is a cozy old village where the two branches of the lake converge in a narrow Canyon and where the water is still feeding an old-fashioned power plant. Isola Comacina is an old settlement with ruins dating back from the middle ages, and a terrific view of the Lake. The road back to Milan is via the Strada Regina - Queen’s Road - along the lakeshore and an opportunity to look at some gorgeous villas, including George Clooney’s residence.

Land Water and Countryside Landscapes in the Po River Valley

The Countryside around the Po River is now a huge expanse of fields, but once was a vast brughiera of swamps and forests. The village of Trino, at the crossroad between the old Roman military camps and the medieval towns of Milan, Turin, Vercelli and Asti, was a sacred forest called Lucedio (Lucus Dei), where the Cistercian monks settled in 1123 and built an abbey.

Near the Settlement, there is still a forest - Bosco delle Sorti della Partecipanza di Trino - managed with sustainable socio-criteria since 1202 and from 1991 a public park under FSC protection. Elsewhere in the Po Valley, the monks slowly reclaimed and brought the land under cultivation creating a new eco-environmental system, the Pianura Padana. 

In the Monferrato area by the Po river, the Pianura is an expanse of rice fields divided by canals and flooded in spring time, the so-called Terre d'Acqua, a water-land populated by many migrant animals - herons, storks, swallows. In between the fields there are many old and unique farmhouses, the so-called grange, built by the monks at a distance of half a day’s walk from each other. The reflections of sun rays and moon lights on the still water that covers the flat fields design a very particular landscape, which has been also captured by many artists. 

The Parco Fluviale del Po e dell’Orba is a park with conservation and environmental protection of the cultivated lands is assigned to the EcoMuseo delle Terre d’Acqua located in the Antica Riseria San Giovanni, founded in the 15^th Century, which preserves the original plant and a 17^th Century watermill. It also houses the Museo delle Macchine da Riso.

Palazzo Mossi (Mossi Palace) in Frassineto Po is where the Centro di Interpretazione del Paesaggio del Po shows environmental changes, the many historical, natural and geological events which over time have changed the landscape and the current configuration of the area.

Po River Tours a travel and education experience for families and groups to discover the history, traditions and cultures of this major waterway: Boat Tours; Culinary Experiences - wineries, breweries and local food; Walking, Biking, Canoeing Horseback Riding; Museums and Cultural Attractions; Accommodations and Transfers.

Barge and River Travel on European Waterways

Po River Valley Piedmont Lombardy Veneto France Canals Barges and Self-Drive Houseboats

Day and Week-Long Boat Tours, Unique Culinary Experiences – wineries, breweries and local foods - Walking, Biking, Canoeing, Horseback Riding Museums, Cultural Attractions & Nightlife Accommodations and Transfers.

The Po River Valley in Piedmont Lombardy and Veneto

The Po crosses Turin along with three other rivers, hence the nickname City of Four Rivers. The river environment includes a large pedestrian, bicycling, nature and educational system. The Murazzi district, with 19^th Century warehouses and boat depots, is one of the trendiest in town.

Cuneo in southwestern Piedmont is surrounded by the Alps and the Langhe hills. The traditional local punts are boats between seven and twelve meters in length. The name is derived from a four meters long reinforced pole used to propel the boat by pushing against the riverbed.

Grana Padano is produced on the left bank Parmigiano Reggiano on the right bank of the Po

Lombardy Region’s navigable routes, draw a common thread between the provinces of Pavia, Lodi, Cremona and Mantua, Milan’s navigli, two dozen bio diverse parks and a network of rivers and streams, outfalls and tributaries of Lakes Garda, Como and Iseo which merge into the Po.

Veneto Region’s major arts and culture centers of Padua, Verona and Venice from a waterborne perspective, from the Po valley to the lagoon and the delta canals reaching into the Adriatic Sea.

the best way to travel is in the company of people who live and work in the places you visit. So, if you are planning a vacation or business trip contact us for a no obligation travel itinerary.

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Barges are Small Upscale Vessels that Cruise the Canals of Rural Europe

France about 90% of barges operate in France, which has an extensive canal system. Trips are offered through Champagne, Burgundy, the Upper Loire, Alsace, Canal de Midi, Provence, and Aquitaine. Barges also cruise the canals and some rivers in Holland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Italy.
Barges carry four to 22 passengers and are mainly family-owned and operated, with a crew that includes a gourmet chef.

Self-Drive Barges are like Houseboats and are a Less Expensive Option

Barges travel at a very slow pace, covering about 50 to 60 miles total on their mostly weekly itineraries. That provides people with an in-depth experience of a small area. These cruises are for clients who want to soak in non-urban culture.

Your Connection for Barge and River Travel

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Information and Reservations

Book a Barge and River Travel Experience Here!

Travel Duration from 3 nights and 4 days to 7 nights and 8 days Group Size Minimum 4, Maximum 20 persons.

Cost/Person/Day Euro 245 for adults age 19 to 64 Euro 195 for seniors 65+ and children under 18.

Information for Booking First and Last Name, Passport Number, Expiration date and Issuing country, Date of birth, Email address.

Included Travel between cities and states that are part of the itinerary, lunches and dinners, accommodations in double occupancy with breakfast for three nights, applicable local and state taxes, one-half day sightseeing events, local transport services.

Excluded Evening entertainment and transport to tour location start and from tour ending location.

Day/time Day to day programs and specific events at each location, as well as the sequence of the tour stops, will be finalized with the participation of the clients after details on family/group composition have been determined to take-into-account client priorities and preferences.

Reductions Children under the age of 18 and seniors over the age of 65 traveling with parents and/or guardians, staying in the same hotel room receive a 20 percent discount.