Leonardo's Swans Tour: ten days in Italy, on the footsteps of Isabella and Beatrice d'Este. Following the Genius of Leonardo da Vinci

Set your clock back to the fifteenth century, and let us guide you into the Renaissance. Please, forget all your Italian guidebooks, as we are going to use another kind of book to set our itinerary: the international bestselling novel “Leonardo’s Swans”, by Karen Essex, will literally take you back to the Italian Golden Age. 

Word by word, step by step, we will walk in the footsteps of Isabella and Beatrice d’Este, following the genius of Leonardo da Vinci.
Our extended tour will include: Milan, Mantua, Ferrara, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo, Cremona, Pavia and Lake Como.
Spending ten days between the finest art cities of northern Italy and the lake district, we’ll proudly offer to our customers the opportunity of some exclusive experiences: a privileged view of to the “Last Supper”, a private dinner in the Castello Sforzesco, an unforgettable show at “La Scala” theatre, six nights in a magnificent Palace with golf court located on the hills of Lake Garda, a Stradivari concert, a farewell night in one the most luxurious locations on the Lake Como. And much more.
The tour will be guided by Italian art historians and scholars, and - of course - the novelist Karen Essex will be travelling with us.

"Come with me to Renaissance Italy and walk in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and his patrons and muses.  The fabulously wealthy and powerful Este sisters of Ferrara highlight our tour of the artists, aristocrats, knights, and ladies of ‘Leonardo’s Swans’.  I will share with friends and readers an intimate experience of the Italy that I love.  We will explore the towns and countryside of Northern Italy including a cultural tour of Milan, which was truly the Athens of the Renaissance.  We’ll be housed in luxurious surroundings overlooking beautiful Lake Garda, where we can relax after meticulously planned day trips, personally guided by Italian historians who will deepen our experience of the art, culture, and times.  Of course, we will make time for the best wines and cuisine as well!  This will be a unique, exciting, nuanced experience of Italy to cherish for a lifetime" - Karen Essex 

 

Discover the itinerary of "Leonardo's Swans Tour".
Click here for pricing and availability.

 

VisitMantua @ Bit2013

It's business time! VisitMantua is going to attend to BIT - International Tourism Exchange, the event leader in the Italian sector with 2,000 exhibitors from 120 Countries. Waiting for it, let's have a look to the opinion of some of our best clients!
Your satisfaction is our business!

Lorenzo Bonoldi is one of our company's finest local guides in Italy. His pre-tour preparations (maps, pictures, and mini-histories) are unique and impressive, and our travelers love his great combination of broad knowledge and accessible presentation. When we take our clients who have toured with Lorenzo to other countries, they often ask: "Find us a French/English/German Lorenzo Bonoldi!"
Jordan Cook
Program Manager - International Seminar Design, Inc.

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Not only has his expertise of art, history and culture proved to be superior; but his manner of professionalism and utmost respect for my groups has proved Mr. Bonoldi as our company's preferred guide in Italy. On several occasions my clients have specifically requested Mr. Bonoldi as their group's guide after having experienced one of his tours. When booking a tour with Mr. Bonoldi, I can consistently count on Mr. Bonoldi's proficiency and organization to cultivate an atmosphere of positive interaction amongst my groups. If I could travel to every European city with Mr. Lorenzo Bonoldi as my guide, I most certainly would.
Elizabeth Deans
Program Manager - International Seminar Design, Inc.
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We had the most fantastic time in reaching out to meet the Cultural Authorities to Save the Ducal Palace of Mantova, weakened after the earthquake. Lorenzo Bonoldi was our cultural diplomat.
Lorenzo, you were well prepared, well informed and I knew you were only a phone call away. The meetings were engaging and forward, the hotel warm and welcoming. You are an excellent guide. In addition to the visits to the Ducal Palace, you gave us lively and informative commentaries during our journeys in and around Mantova. We appreciated your great knowledge of Mantova and your command of Italian & English languages. We liked your very interesting, well-timed commentaries on the places we were visiting, your good provision for each stage of our daily trips, your real competence and good manner (and good jokes).
We praise you for all the arrangements and the meticulous detail and communications you provided for arranging a most exceptional tour to the “Arts and Palaces of Mantova”, which helped to make everything go so smoothly and such a success. I choose the word “exceptional” with care since it cannot often happen that you could visit a closed Ducal Palace for a noble cause of saving the frescoes of Andrea Mantegna!
Thank you Lorenzo for fielding the passion to draw the international attention on the cultural devastations of the earthquake in Emilia Romagna! Your programme was just right being a balance of culture, history, leisure and sightseeing completed by our visit to Palazzo Te. What can I say! Just faultless!
∀lessandro Berg∀
Editor - Mode Diplomatique
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A guided tour with Lorenzo Bonoldi is a sublime experience. He is highly knowledgeable about Italian art, architecture, and history, and has great passion for his work. He has guided me around Italy's historic sights and helped immeasurably with my research. He is also charming, engaging, and flexible. Lorenzo is truly a gentleman and a scholar, and he will enhance the Italian experience for both the casual tourist and the serious scholar alike.

Karen Essex
Author of the international bestseller "Leonardo's Swans"

Breaking News - Karen Essex in Mantua!

Breaking News - Karen Essex, award-winning and international renown novelist, author of the novel Leonardo's Swans is going to visit Mantua.

After telling us about the rivalries among the powerful sisters Isabella and Beatrice d'Este, is she here to research another book about Isabella?
We do hope so: we love Isabella, we love Karen's gifted pen. And - last but not least - many tourists decide to pay a visit to Mantua after reading Leonardo's Swans. A new novel by Karen Essex would make even more illustrious the name of Mantua in the world.

Ultimissime - Karen Essex, scrittrice di fama internazionale e autrice del romanzo I Cigni di Leonardo sta per recarsi in visita a Mantova.

Dopo aver raccontato il complicato rapporto fra Isabella e Beatrice d’Este, che stia ora per scrivere un nuovo romanzo su Isabella? 

Ce lo auguriamo: amiamo tanto Isabella quanto la brillante scrittura di Karen Essex. E, inoltre, non pochi turisti decidono di visitare Mantova dopo aver letto I Cigni di Leonardo. Un nuovo romanzo di Karen potrebbe contribuire a rendere ancora più illustre il nome di Mantova nel mondo.