Boat trips on the Mantua lakes and the Mincio: lotus flowers, routes, tips

Golden Suites Italy editorial team · Updated on 27 October 2026 · 3 min read

Seen from the water, Mantua takes on another shape: the outline of the Gonzaga palaces stretches across the lakes, herons rise from the reeds and in summer the boats pass through the lotus flowers. A boat trip usually lasts an hour or an hour and a half and is one of the finest experiences the city offers.

Where you set off from

Several boat companies operate on the Mincio and the lakes, with scheduled departures from Mantua, from Grazie di Curtatone and from Rivalta sul Mincio. In Mantua the excursions usually leave from the jetties near San Giorgio Castle, on the Middle Lake. Calendars, times and tickets can be found on the companies' websites, which also sell online.

The routes

• Middle and Lower Lakes: the classic trip around the city, with the Renaissance skyline always in view.
• Upper Lake and the Valli del Mincio Reserve: reed beds, waterbirds and, in summer, lotus flowers, as far as Grazie and Rivalta.
• Towards the Vallazza, Governolo and the Po: from the Lower Lake you go down the lower Mincio through the navigation locks, as far as the Po. Some companies also offer trips of one or two days along the river.

As well as the tour boats there are smaller boats, some with electric motors or solar power.

The lotus flowers

Lotus flowers have become a symbol of the Mantua lakes: they have grown in the Upper Lake for about a century and bloom from late June to September, peaking between July and August, when large pink flowers rise among leaves as wide as umbrellas. It is a species that came from far away, Nelumbo nucifera, and it has spread to the point that the Mincio Park has to cut it back from time to time. The best hours to see them are in the morning.

By canoe and SUP

On the lakes qualified operators lead SUP and canoe excursions among the reeds. The stretch of the upper Mincio between Pozzolo and Mantua can be paddled downstream by canoe with minimal difficulty, with a few compulsory portages at the weirs. North of Pozzolo, however, the river is channelled and dangerous: it should not be paddled.

Tips

• Book at weekends and in August, when places run out early.
• Protect yourself from the summer sun: there is little shade on the lakes. Bring mosquito repellent.
• Combine the boat trip with the lakes circuit by bike or a visit to the Ducal Palace, which is a short walk from the jetties.
• With children choose the shorter trip: ideas in Mantua with children.