Palazzo Ducale Mantova - by Local Guide Tiziana Portioli
Description
Gonzaga's Residences tour. Mantua owes its beautiful Renaissance monuments to the Gonzaga Lords, who ruled the Mantuan Duchy for almost four centuries, and during their reign they made the city into a Court of grand splendor. The Gonzaga loved both luxury and power, and they lived in somptuous residences such as the huge Palazzo Ducale, their royal residence and the amazing Palazzo Te, intended as place of leisure and pleasure. The Ducal Palace with the gorgeous “Bridal Chamber” by Mantegna and the Te Palace by Giulio Romano’s genius, are some magnificent residences built by the Gonzagas, and an absolute must-see.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Ducal Palace was the official and most significant residence of the Gonzaga Lords during their long rule. The guided tour of the present National Museum of Palazzo Ducale offers the visit of magnificent rooms, complex structures connected by corridors and galleries, squares, courtyards and several gardens. With more than 500 rooms it’s among the most extensive aristocratic palaces in Europe. It houses masterpieces of the 15th and 16th centuries such as Mantegna’s Bridal Chamber in the Castel of San Giorgio, the Hall of King Arthur’s Knights by Pisanello, the Isabella d’Este Apartment with its precious cabinetry works in the Old Court, Raphael’s complete cycle of woven Flemish tapestries, the Hall of Rivers close to a rare hanging garden, and the amazing Hall of Mirrors.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Tickets for Palazzo Ducale: https://bit.ly/tickets-ducale-mn
Reviews(66)
My husband, Dan, and I had the pleasure of a private tour of Palazzo Ducale in Mantova with Tiziana Portioli, and it was one of the highlights of our visit. Tiziana was incredibly knowledgeable and thorough, sharing the fascinating history of the palace in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand. She brought the rooms, artwork, and historical figures to life with detailed explanations and interesting stories that gave us a much deeper appreciation for this remarkable place. Her English was excellent, and she was happy to answer all of our questions throughout the tour. The personal attention of a private tour, combined with her expertise and enthusiasm, made for an exceptional experience. If you are visiting Mantova and want to truly understand the history and significance of Palazzo Ducale, I highly recommend booking a tour with Tiziana. She made our visit unforgettable.
I'm really grateful for such a generous report and I thank you for choosing me as your private Tour Guide. Great experience and satisfaction also for me!!
Must-see traces the history of the reigning Gonzague family for 4 centuries. Huge area beyond Versailles requires several hours.
En effet la Reggia des Princes Gonzaga est la troisieme en Italie pour surface et equipment de Chambres, Galeries,Salles et Salons. Pour tour detailler une demi journee intense est nécessaire, mais le Grand Palais Ducal vaut le Voyage! Merci et au-revoir!
Beautiful palace, worth visiting, it's huge, but very beautiful and interesting
Grazie per il feedback e l'apprezzamento
I can't speak highly enough of Tiziana Portioli. She was on time, professional, knowledgeable and personable. Most impressively she listened to what my particular interests were and went beyond expectations of effort and ability to satisfy those interests. She couldn't help notice that my wife will wander a bit, and Tiziana paid carefull attention to what she looked at and spoke to those things and pointed out other similar or related things. I wish everyone could have such a lovely experience. THANK YOU!!
Dear Mr Jim, So extremely kind of you! I can't find appropriate words to express my sincere gratitude and THANK YOU Enough!
Wonderful guided tour through the Ducal Palace. Our guide Tizianna was lovely and very knowledgeable of the history of the Palace, architects, painters and Dukes. Absolutely beautiful decorations in every room, would highly recommend.
Dear Sarah thanks a lot, so kind of you! I'm really very grateful for your generous feedback, much appreciated, thank you so much Indeed!
The Ducal Palace is a truly remarkable visit able to offer a complete immersion in the history and art of the territory, in the power and taste of the Gonzaga court. Due to various restoration and maintenance works the exhibition route is unclear but the 'help of a 'great guide as Mrs. Tiziana made everything smooth and engaging. Also interesting is the visit to the Archaeological Museum attached to the complex
Gentile Carla sono sinceramente dispiaciuta per i disagi temporanei nel percorso di visita, disagi dovuti ai lavori di restauro conservativo sullo Scalone di Enea, importante connessione tra Castello di San Giorgio e Corte Nuova/Vecchia. Per contro sono stati aperti alcuni camerini in castello, solitamente non visitabili! Grazie per il suo amabile resoconto. Un caro saluto
Splendid visit to Palazzo Ducale with a private guide Tiziana Portillo. She introduced us to this palazzo and showed us the essential pieces and paintings by giving the necessary explanations. His knowledge of the field was exceptional. We stayed longer than expected and it was so interesting that we didn’t realize the duration. It's a must-do. Thanks to Tiziana for this wonderful ride.
Chers Sylvie et Ludovic merci infiniment de votre aimable et genereuse Revue, bien appreciee! Merci surtout d'avoir partage' avec grand interet notre tour guide' de la Reggia des Gonzaga de Mantoue malgre' les temperatures!
We visited the Ducal Palace for two, my wife and I. This is not, of course, the most economical. But the quality of the guide, very professional, fully satisfied us. The information is detailed and vivid. Excellent French.
Monsieur Pagani merci de votre aimable et généreuse revue. Et oui, les visites guides ne sont pas "bon marché" mais vous devriez aussi considérer d'autres éléments: le service intermédiare du Tour Operator Viator/TripAdvisor, et en plus, come Guide Professionnelle free-lance en Italie (comme ailleurs) on doit payer pas moins du 35-40% de taxes et impots.... En réalité la visite du Palais Ducale (vérifié ma montre) est durée 1h50, tandis que à Palazzo Te (où on a commencé peu avant 14H30) la durée a été 1h30 min. Cordiales salutations
It is a full 2 hrs. Tiziana was an excellent guide with superb historical and art history knowledge. The Palazzo was a historical gem with a wonderful collection of paintings and frescoes. It would always help to have some pre knowledge of 14-16th century Italian history. Tim
Dear Mr.Tim, thank you for your kind words! I wish to express my sincere gratitude for your attention, curiosity and patience throughout our Ducal Palace guided tour! It was really a pleasure to share this experience with all your family: I wish you all the best!
excellent guide , perfect French , in-depth knowledge of the palace and art history; also allows to better appreciate other monuments to visit
Merci de votre aimable, genereuse et impeccable Revue! Au plaisir!
