A weekend lets you enjoy Mantua without rushing. You can take your time over the Gonzaga palaces and add the places that hurried visitors skip: the 18th-century theatre where Mozart played, aristocratic residences still fully furnished, and the sunset over the lakes with the city skyline in view.
The programme is designed for those arriving on Saturday morning and leaving on Sunday evening. If your hotel check-in is in the afternoon or check-out is early in the morning, leave your suitcases and backpacks at Mantova Locker, near the station, and explore the city travelling light.
At a glance: 2 days · on foot + boat · couples and friends
The stops
1. Saturday morning · Palazzo Ducale
A full tour of the palace, starting with Mantegna’s Camera degli Sposi, then the apartments, courtyards and hanging gardens. With an extra day there’s no need to cut anything.
2. Saturday afternoon · The piazzas and Sant’Andrea
Piazza Broletto, Piazza delle Erbe with the Rotonda di San Lorenzo and the Clock Tower, and the Basilica of Sant’Andrea. Then a stroll under the arcades of Corso Umberto I for an aperitivo.
3. Saturday at sunset · Ponte di San Giorgio
Cross the bridge that separates the Lago di Mezzo from the Lower Lake and turn around: this is Mantua’s picture-postcard view, with the dome of Sant’Andrea, the Cathedral and the Castello di San Giorgio reflected in the water. It’s the skyline that inspired the Mantova Locker logo.
4. Sunday morning · Teatro Bibiena
The Teatro Scientifico del Bibiena, a small 18th-century theatre with its boxes arranged in a bell shape. In January 1770 Mozart, then thirteen, performed here during his journey through Italy.
5. Sunday morning · Palazzo d’Arco
An aristocratic residence with its original furniture, paintings and kitchens, and in the garden the Hall of the Zodiac, frescoed in the 16th century. It’s very close to the luggage storage: ideal on your last day too, before picking up your bags.
6. Sunday afternoon · Palazzo Te and a boat trip
After Palazzo Te and the Chamber of the Giants, walk down to the lakefront for a boat trip on the lakes or the Mincio. The service is seasonal, usually from spring to autumn: check times and departures.
Visit Mantua luggage-free
Leave your suitcases, backpacks and bags at Mantova Locker and travel light: we are at Via Solferino e San Martino 4, just a short walk from the railway station, open 24 hours a day. Find out how it works, our prices and where to find us.
Practical tips
- Book Palazzo Ducale for Saturday morning: at weekends, Camera degli Sposi time slots sell out fast.
- For sunset on the Ponte di San Giorgio, check the sunset time: the best light is in the half hour before.
- On Sunday afternoon, leave your bags in storage after check-out and pick them up before your train.
Frequently asked questions
Are two days enough for Mantua?
Yes, it’s the ideal amount of time: you see all the main sights and still have time for the lakes, the Teatro Bibiena and a relaxed Mantuan dinner.
Where is the best view of Mantua?
From the Ponte di San Giorgio and the opposite shore of the lakes: from there the city appears as a row of domes and towers on the water.
Can you visit the Teatro Bibiena?
Yes, it is open to visitors during the day when there are no performances or rehearsals. Check the opening times on the Comune (city council) website.
More Mantua itineraries
- Mantua in one day: a walking itinerary through the Gonzaga masterpieces
- Mantua in half a day: what to see between trains
- Mantua on the water: lakes, boat trips on the Mincio and lotus flowers
- Mantua by bike: the lakes loop and the Mantua–Peschiera cycle path
- Mantua for food lovers: an itinerary of pumpkin tortelli, risotto and sbrisolona
- Palazzo Ducale and the Camera degli Sposi in Mantua: a visitor’s guide
- Palazzo Te in Mantua: what to see in Giulio Romano’s villa
- Sabbioneta from Mantua: a day trip to the Gonzaga ideal city
- Mantua with kids: things to do among castles, boats and nature
- Mantua for free: what to see without spending a penny
- Around Mantua: 6 villages and places for a day trip
- Mantua in 3 days: a complete itinerary of the city, the lakes and Sabbioneta
- How to get to Mantua: train, car, plane and getting around town
- When to visit Mantua: the best time, season by season
- Mantua by night: sunset over the lakes, aperitivo in the piazza and theatres
- Musical Mantua: Teatro Bibiena, Mozart, Monteverdi and Rigoletto
- Mantua in the rain: museums, palaces and arcades for an indoor day
- What to see in Mantua
