There's a 30 km bike path that goes from the center all the way up to Peschiera on Lake Garda. Rent a bike, buy some good take-away food from Casa del Pane in Via Verdi and be on your way, then you can take the train or bus back. It's a great path that unwinds mostly in the protected Mincio river park area, so don't forget your camera and a telephoto lens for catching pics of the fauna you will find.

If you're traveling to Mantua during July or August, consider bringing a wide angle lens and some protective gear for your camera so that you can take a kayak from Le Grazie, a town outside Mantova. You can kayak into the waters of the Mincio river at sunset to catch some beautiful images of the enormous lotus flowers.

After some physical activity and sightseeing, in Italy it is always time for aperitivo in the evening. It's kind of like happy hour, but it's lived a much more relaxed way and there's food and specific drinks that many choose to have.

In Mantova there are three different bars that have secret recipe aperitivo drinks. One is Bar Lasagna, in piazza Broletto. Here you can sit in the plaza with a great view of Sant'Andrea's cupola. Order the Pugile (Italian for boxer, in honor of the owner's father who was a boxer). It seems to never be quite the same all the time. There's definitely Campari in it, maybe some gin, but if you ask the owner he will just walk away.