VisitMantua - Tours
VisitMantua - Tours
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Mantova | Mantua | Guided Tour | Guide | I am an Art Historian on loan to professional Tourism. With a degree in art history of art and several years of experience, I share my passion and extensive knowledge of Mantua with visitors from all over the world. Spend a few hours, a full day or more with me exploring Mantua and the splendors of the Renaissance. You can count on me to make your guided tour a day to be remembered.
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5.0
87 reviews
Excellent
86
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1
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tomgerham
New York City, NY3 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
It was a stroke of luck to have found the VisitMantua.it website.
Lorenzo Boldoni was all that anyone could want in a guide. He is charming and polished in his demeanor, has an advanced degree in history, and, while he seemingly knows everything about the art, culture, and history of Mantua, he wears his erudition lightly. Prior to our arrival, all of our communications with Mr Boldoni were efficient and prompt. He met us on time and had in hand our entry tickets to the Gonzaga Ducal Palace.
We had scheduled only a half-day tour of the palace and the historical area surrounding it. Later, we went without Mr Boldoni to the Palazzo Te but certainly would have profited from his company and guidance. Our only other regret, which is beyond Mr Boldoni’s control, was the inadequate time visitors may spend with the Mantegna frescoes. While the time limit is surely good for the preservation of these fragile frescoes, it was a disappointment. Had we known in advance of the limitation, we still would have visited, of course, but with lower expectations.
In summary, Mr Boldoni’s service as a guide was excellent, the fee he charges is certianly fair, and we can recommend his unequivocably.
Lorenzo Boldoni was all that anyone could want in a guide. He is charming and polished in his demeanor, has an advanced degree in history, and, while he seemingly knows everything about the art, culture, and history of Mantua, he wears his erudition lightly. Prior to our arrival, all of our communications with Mr Boldoni were efficient and prompt. He met us on time and had in hand our entry tickets to the Gonzaga Ducal Palace.
We had scheduled only a half-day tour of the palace and the historical area surrounding it. Later, we went without Mr Boldoni to the Palazzo Te but certainly would have profited from his company and guidance. Our only other regret, which is beyond Mr Boldoni’s control, was the inadequate time visitors may spend with the Mantegna frescoes. While the time limit is surely good for the preservation of these fragile frescoes, it was a disappointment. Had we known in advance of the limitation, we still would have visited, of course, but with lower expectations.
In summary, Mr Boldoni’s service as a guide was excellent, the fee he charges is certianly fair, and we can recommend his unequivocably.
Written 18 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bardgal
1 contribution
Jun 2019 • Friends
When our alumni organization planned a three-week trip to Mantua, they scheduled three tours with VisitMantua Tours, and Lorenzo was our guide for all three: to Palazzo Ducale, to Palazzo Te, and to Teatro Bibiena and the original Jewish quarter. Lorenzo, an art historian, was exceptionally knowledgeable, and his tours were consistently fascinating and thorough. He was also very warm and personable, and his English was completely fluent. Our group is very academic and intellectually curious; we love to learn, and we have high standards when it comes to our tour guides. Lorenzo was truly excellent, and we all learned so much from him. Highly recommend. Grazie mille, Lorenzo!
Written 17 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex
1 contribution
May 2019 • Couples
We booked our very first private tour ever last month as we were on holiday in Italy and stayed in Mantua only for 2 days. We really wanted to check out the Ducal Palace but with a palace that holds more than 500 rooms you can imagine we were a bit afraid that there was no way we would get through the whole palace unless we would probably spend an entire day or more there. Trying be efficient with our time, we decided to go with a private tour and stumbled on the internet on Lorenzo who seemed to be an authority on the Italian Renaissance and its artists, patrons and rulers. From the very first email contact Lorenzo seemed to be very responsive, well-informed and kind, but of course we were still clueless what to expect as we had never done a private tour before. Boy were we in for a surprise. Lorenzo is an incredible storyteller who is extremely knowledgable about both Mantua, its history, the palace and all its art. Safe to say we literally hang onto his every word. Although we booked a tour for 1 hour and 45 minutes, we spent more than 3 hours with him and we can't remember one second where he fell silent or wasn't able to answer a question. We were a bit let down with the fact that the Ducal Palace had closed off some of its wings as they were understaffed which would mean that we couldn't see Isabelle d'Este's rooms but even here Lorenzo came to the rescue: being friends with all the custodians in the palace, he not only showed us the original room where Isabelle once stayed in when she arrived at the palace but after the tour was finished, and Isabelle's wing was re-opened, he was kind enough to walk us there and show us the rooms and tell us all we needed to know. The tour ended with us purchasing his book about Isabelle which is not too long but packed with detailed information about the life and times of the First Lady of the Renaissance. In a nutshell: Lorenzo is not only an excellent tour guide but he also gave us so much bang for our buck that from now on we will always hire a private tour guide. Absolutely one of our best experiences in Mantua and worth every penny!!
Written 7 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TrailBlazer621988
1 contribution
May 2019 • Solo
We recently toured Mantova with Lorenzo in May 2019. We found his name via Trip Advisor and a Lonely Planet guidebook. The recommendations that were given vastly understated our experience. He is an art historian with many publications to his credit. But the tour is not an "academic" exercise. Lorenzo focuses on the city of Mantova in the 1500s, the people, the culture and the politics. He provides you with a "living" experience. He spent five hours with us and also ate lunch with us. He is a charming, engaging man and one could not find a better guide or have a better experience.
Written 6 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FT 1220
New York City, NY1 contribution
May 2019 • Couples
Superb guide. Articulate, pleasant, exceptionally knowledgeable, versatile -- can design tours around specific subjects, attractions or issues. One of the best we've encountered anywhere in the world. Highly recommended.
Written 6 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David T
Houston, TX136 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
Four couples, my siblings and spouses, visited Mantua in early October and toured the Ducal Palace and city with Lorenzo Bonoldi. I found Lorenzo on TripAdvisor and he had stellar reviews,almost to good to believe. We were certainly not disappointed and second all the fantastic reviews for Lorenzo. His knowledge of history and art is remarkable and his passion is inspiring. I have had a number of fabulous guides around the world but none can top this gentleman. If you plan to visit Mantua, book him early to make sure you have a great experience when visiting Mantua. Our tour lasted 4 hours and he focused our time on the best things in the Palace.
Written 23 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JosieUrb264
Sanibel Island, FL27 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Lorenzo Bonoldi was a wonderful tour guide. He knows the history of the town and gives you a thorough tour with all the interesting facts about Mantua. He really loves this town and it shows when he takes you to all the interesting places. We really enjoyed his tour of the Palace. Wouldn't visit Mantua without doing the tour.
Written 24 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alwaystravel_99
Green Brook, NJ100 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
The tour was fantastic, and Lorenzo is the best tour guide we have ever had. We go to Europe often and I always hire locals. Lorenzo not only knows his subject, but presents it in the most fascinating way. He is not just telling you events in history but ties it together in a story. If you are going to Mantua, spend the day with Lorenzo. And if you are trying to decide if you should go to Mantua, it is a fantastic city, that is a little off the beaten path.
Written 27 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LilacLMNT
London, UK96 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
There is no better way to visit a beautiful city than hiring a local tour guide. Then when your guide is excellent you can be sure you're taking the best from everything you see. That's what we had on our tour: excellency! Lorenzo is a fine elegant man with a cunning sense of humor and can skilfully balance dates and historical facts with curiosities and a little bit of gossip. A walk downtown Mantua is enough to open up the secrets of the Gonzaga family and its legacy. Ask away and Lorenzo will surprise you with his answers and deep knowledge.
Written 26 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gillian B
Toronto, Canada106 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
My husband and I have led tour groups throughout Italy for the past 20 years. Regulations require we hire local guides to accompany us and we had for many years used a beloved tour guide in Mantua who recently, to our great sadness, retired. We never thought we could find a guide with her same depth of knowledge and personal care for our clients -- until we were lucky enough to encounter Lorenzo Bonoldi. As his business card states, Lorenzo is an "Art Historian, Travelling Gentleman, and Dapper Tour Guide." He was wonderful with our clients (in this case a group of senior university students), knowledgeable but giving just the right amount of information to keep their interest. On the other hand, he was able to answer even the most obscure questions in detail. His pacing was comfortable, his manner was friendly and caring. His English was excellent. He used his obvious good reputation with the staff of the Ducal palace to change an appointment time in order to allow our students enough time for lunch. Altogether he was one of the best guides we have ever worked with -- and we pride ourselves on hiring only the best.
Written 29 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriel C
Singapore, Singapore10 contributions
Hi can you provide contact of the guide in Mantua
VisitMantua
Mantua, Italy103 contributions
Dear Gabriel,
you can contact via via email at the following address: lorenzo.bonoldi atthe google mail service com
jillr0lfe
Cape Town Central, South Africa2 contributions
How do we book Lorenzo and what are the charges for half day or full day tours?
VisitMantua
Mantua, Italy103 contributions
Dear Jill,
please conctat me via email [ lorenzo dot bonoldi at (the google email service)]
The cost of a tour is based on the lenght of it, and it goes from 110 euros to 390 euros. Admission fees to museums and/or monuments are not included (since they may change according to the age of the attending people).
VISITMANTUA provides private tours: your tour will be run exclusively for you,
your own families or friends with no other strangers.
Please, contact me for a quote.
valentina302
Arluno, Italy268 contributions
Ciao, quanto è costata la visita guidata? cosa avete visitato?
VisitMantua
Mantua, Italy103 contributions
Salve Valentina,
VISITMANTUA - Private Tours offre visite guidate private con itinerari personalizzati, calibrati di volta in volta sulle esigenze del cliente. Il costo varia quindi in base alla durata del tour. La invitiamo a contattarci per ricevere un preventivo personalizzato.
Lorenzo Bonoldi - VISITMANTUA