Valrhona Chocolate in Tain L’Hermitage

chocolate-1360809-mValrhona Chocolate – A Chocolate Lovers Dream

“Being the chocoholic that I am, whenever I am in Europe I scope out all I can on chocolate. My first introduction to the really fine Valrhona Chocolate was when I was on a Provence River cruise several years ago and I stopped into a chocolate shop along the Rhone River. I bought a few pieces of several brands. Unbeknownst to me, the Valrhona chocolate company was just across the river. By the time I returned to Paris after the cruise, I was ready to find more. As I have mentioned before, I love dark chocolate and Valrhona has a nice selection. I know most people think the chocolate squares are the true chocolate but I like something with my chocolate – such as chocolate covered almonds, hazelnuts, (and my favorite) dark chocolate covered orange rind and so on.

Enjoy Chocolate and Wine in Train L’Hermitage

As Valrhona has contracts with cocoa bean growers in South America and Africa, they have some really fine quality chocolate. As they are in the Cote du Rhone Wine region of France, they call some of their chocolates Grand Cru. While in Galleries Lafayette, who has a Valrhona Candy department, I was looking for a business gift and found a special wooden box of special limited chocolates – Like great wines, Vintage Single Origin chocolates bear the name and sensory signature of their specific terroir. Highly anticipated by connoisseurs, Valrhonas Vintage Single Origin chocolate bars are produced in limited quantities depending on the crop. This was the perfect gift for a fellow wine and chocolate lover. Again, as Valrhona is in the wine region of France, they have many recommendations for chocolate and wine pairing and even chocolate and beer pairing.

Cruise the Rhone River and Taste Fine Chocolate at Valrhona

While on a barge or river cruise on the Rhone River, A-ROSA river cruises offer a tour and tasting at Valrhona. We also offer several barge and river cruises with chocolate as the theme. Give us a call for more information at 713-240-6753 / 888-869-7907  or email jan@europeanbarging.com  or visit our website:  europeanbarg.com

An Overview of the Historic Attractions of Prague

Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and one of Central Europe’s economic and cultural centers. Prague is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

 

 

Charles Bridge

Prague Astronomical ClockMany of the city’s most famed landmarks are located here, including:

  • Charles Bridge, which is the city’s oldest surviving bridge. Charles IV commissioned the bridge in 1357 and it was completed in 1390. It is notable for its striking Gothic towers on either side as well as the historic statues that can be found along its length.
  • Hradcany Castle, which was once the seat of the country’s rulers but is currently the Czech president’s official residence. Established in the ninth century, it is a complex encompassing 45 acres where many historical landmarks can be found.
  • St Vitus Cathedral is a must see attraction in the Hradcany Castle complex. It is where the coronation ceremonies of Bohemia’s kings were once held. The cathedral also has several underground tombs were a number of kings are buried.
  • The Prague Astronomical Clock, which is installed outside of the Old Town Hall in Old Town Square. Originally installed in 1410, the clock is the oldest one of its type to be still operating. It’s marking of the hour draws visitors from all over the world.
  • Prague Castle, which overlooks the Lesser Town and dates back to the ninth century. The castle complex encompasses an area of nearly 70,000 square meters and includes ecclesiastical buildings and palaces in a variety of architectural styles ranging from the Gothic to the Romanesque. It has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • St. Vitus Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral notable as an outstanding example of Gothic architecture. Located in the Prague Castle complex, the cathedral is currently the seat of Prague’s Archbishop.

St Victus Cathedral located in Prague

Visitors who want to learn about Prague’s rich history can visit some of the city’s many museums. The most interesting of these include:

  • The Jewish Museum is a complex of preserved monuments that include synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Jewish Ceremonial Hall. Walking through the cobblestoned streets of the exhibits offers visitors a glimpse into the history of Prague’s Jewish community.
  • The Museum of Communism shows how Czechs lived under Communist rule from 1948 until 1989. Visitors can view multimedia exhibits as well as the museum’s collection of propaganda and other artifacts from the period.
  • The St. Cyril and St. Methodus Cathedral is an Orthodox Church whose basement hosts a memorial to Czech resistance fighters who assassinated the city’s Nazi governor Reinhard Heydrich in May 1942 and hid in the cathedral’s crypt afterwards. The church itself is of historic interest since it was Prague’s first Orthodox cathedral.

There are several ways to visit Prague, including river cruises from Prague.

We offer river cruises on the Elbe River and Vitavia River aboard an 80 passenger Paddleboat – Elbe Princess I and II.  Cruise itineraries include 7-night round trip Prague and 9 day Elbe River Cruise between Belin and Prague.

Another way to see Prague from a river cruise tour is with as pre or post land program from a Danube or Main-Danube River Cruise or Mosel River Cruise.  There are even Christmas Market cruises between Budapest and Nuremberg or Budapest and Vilshofen, so you can enjoy Prague Christmas Markets.

For more information contact us:  888-869-7907 / 713-240-6753  jan@europeanbarging.com

 

Europeanbarging Presents a Bordeaux Wine Cruise From August 14 – 21, 2025

Europeanbarging, a Texas based company offering barge and river cruises in Europe, announced a SPECIAL DISCOUNT of $1000 pp on a Bordeaux Wine Cruise, departing August 14 – 21, 2025.

Wine Tasting

The Bordeaux cruise, scheduled on the AMA Dolce ship will be hosted by Barons Creek Winery’s wine maker D Russell Smith.  Russell will offer several tastings and discussions on their wines and winery, as well as wine making. A pairing of their wines will be offered with a special Amawaterways gourmet meal. In addition to the multiple included excursions offered, there are many wine themed excursions as well.  Book by March 30, 2024 for the discounted rate starting at $3830 per person.

BORDEAUX SITES

Travel to France’s legendary wine capital, Bordeaux, on an epicurean experience. Iconic châteaux, timeless vineyards and delicious wine tastings are plentiful on this wine-themed journey. Attend an exclusive wine festival in Bourg, sample Grand Cru Classé wines and experience the wonderful world of viticulture with all your senses at the immersive Cité du Vin museum in Bordeaux.  The AmaWaterways Cruise departs on August 14th and will disembark on August 21st, 2025.

The 7- day cruise promises a great time aboard the ship and on land during each scheduled port. There’s no more fitting starting point for this sailing along the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers than Bordeaux, an undisputed wine capital. Enjoy exquisite tastings just as unforgettable as the wines you’ll sip. Visit the renowned vineyards of Saint-Émilion, Pauillac and Libourne, discovering timeless wine-making traditions, and visit the Bordeaux Wine Museum, a spectacular sensory experience with the power to turn even the most hesitant wine drinkers into connoisseurs.  Various cities and sights are part of the AmaWaterways Wine Cruise destinations that includes: Bordeaux, Libourne, Saint-Emilion, Blaye, Bourg, Pauillac and Cadillac.

 

Grapes in Bordeaux

Grapes from Bordeaux

EXCURSIONS

The following Multi-Choice excursions are included in the cruise price:

In Saint-Emilion, choose from a tour of Saint-Emilion and Grand Cru Classe wine tasting OR Saint Émilion bike tour;

In Libourne choose Ancient Watermill and breadmaking OR Bastide town and market visit OR Château Boutinet hike with wine & tapas tasting;

In Blaye, a visit to the Citadel OR Blaye bike tour towards Les Etauliers Blaye to Bourg bike tour.

Bourg offers a walking tour including Carriage Museum and WWII Petrol Cistern.  Later enjoy an Exclusive wine festival.

In Cussac-Fort-Medoc, Medoc Grand Cru Classé wine tasting and scenic vineyard tour  OR Margaux Vineyard hike and local specialties tasting  OR  Seaside Soulac-sur-Mer excursion;

Cadillac features the Roquetaillade Castle with Sauternes wine tasting OR  Roquetaillade and Cadillac visit OR Cadillac bike tour;

In Bordeaux a UNESCO city tour and market tasting  OR Bordeaux bike tour.  Evening  Wine Museum OR  Bassins de Lumieres (Digital arts centre).

Optional, pre cruise land program featuring 2 nights in Bilbao and 2 nights in San Sebastian Spain ($1320 pp). A post cruise land program in France with 2 nights in the Loire Valley and 1 night in Paris ($1485 pp).

Barons Creek Vineyards was started back in 2016 as a venture of the Chase Family. In 2018, Marc and Marta Chase took over full ownership and management of Barons Creek with Wine Maker Russell Smith.   With a team of over 50 employees that operate four separate locations throughout Texas.

WINE HOST

D Russell Smith, our winemaker, has an impressive 41 years of experience. Originally from Houston, Russell began his winemaking career in Napa Valley in 1983. Russell returned to Texas in 1989 and has been making wine here ever since. In 2012, Russell bought two vineyards in northeastern Spain and makes wine there part of the year. Russel has been crafting exceptional wines in the picturesque vineyards of Texas, California, and Spain for Barons Creek Vineyards since they opened in 2015. His touch transforms grapes into liquid art. Each blend reflects his decades of expertise, capturing the essence of the vineyards and the spirit of BCV.

Europeanbarging, founded in 1998, is an ARC accredited agency, and specializes in European barge and river cruise products.

AmaWaterways, is the only cruise line that has the privileged of being inducted into La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world most prestigious culinary organizations.   Additionally, they are members of the Prestigious Tables et Auberges de France – leading the way in the cruise industry as one of the most innovative food and wine  experiences both on-board and on-shore.

The $1000 per person discount ends March 30, 2024.

For more information contact Europeanbarging at: 888-869-7907 or http://www.europeanbarging.com.

Kinderdijk – A Dutch UNESCO Treasure

The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the most renowned Dutch tourist sites. They have been listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites since 1997.

K Kinderdijk is a village in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is situated in a low lying area at the conflux of the Lek and Noord rivers. Around 1740, a system of 19 windmills was created in order to drain the polder (a tract of land surrounded by dikes). This particular group of windmills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands.

A traditional windmill (called windmolen) is possibly the most exemplary Dutch symbol. As you travel about the Netherlands, you can find usually one or probably two windmills dispersed in the landscape, set apart in the fields. However, you can seldom find the great sails moving, as many are no longer operational. It’s sad but true that there are only about a thousand or so windmills left in the entire country.  A source claims there are about 1,150 windmills left, but the fact is that the Dutch will only “count” a windmill if it is fully operational. So, the display of several spectacular windmills, sails rotating in the wind, such as these at Kinderdijk, is indeed a sight to enthrall a tourist’s heart.

For centuries, the use of windmills to pump out excess groundwater, dikes, sluices and canals has been part of the Dutch culture and survival. The 19 remaining windmills at Kinderdijk are actually still operational, although now modern technology does most of the pumping and land reclamation throughout the modern Netherlands. But the fact remains that, for centuries, the windmills played an important role in pumping water from the polders into the canals from ground water overloads, flood waters, and, in the area nearest to the North Sea, high tide waters.

Though Kinderdijk is particularly famous for its windmills, it is also a recreational area, drawing many hikers and bikers to the miles of paths atop the hundreds of dikes in this great polder.

Your entrance ticket to Kinderdijk includes entrance to 2 windmills – Nederwaard Museum Mill and Blokweer Museum Mill; the Wisboom pumping station and a cafe with gift shop.  Outside of the Blokweer Mill, is a small non-motorized barge – “Alles Heet een Tijd” built in 1914, where you can watch 3 short films. There is a 30 minute canal boat tour to show case the windmills from the water, for a small additional fee.

AmaWaterways offers 2 itineraries that visit Kinderdijk – Tulip Time with departures in March and April and Best of Holland and Belgium with departures from May to December.  Check out our other Holland barge and river cruises for additional itineraries.

If you are traveling to Kinderdijk independently, there are buses from Rotterdam and Dordrecht; by waterbus from Rotterdam; or bike from Rotterdam or Dordrecht or from Kinderdijk entrance.

Call us for more information about these cruises and book one of them to see the spectacular beauty of the windmills at Kinderdijk!  Europeanbarging  888-869-7907

Burgundy Wine Cruise hosted by Texas Winery – Messina Hof

Europeanbarging, a Texas-based company offering barge and river cruises, today announced a SPECIAL DISCOUNT of $750 per cabin on a Wine Cruise for its clients, slated for Spring, starting from March 20 – 27, 2025. Book by March 31, 2024 and Discounted rates start at $3280 per person, including port tax.

 

The wine cruise is scheduled on the AMACello ship and will be the 8th wine cruise hosted by the owners of Messina Hof Winery – Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo, who will offer several tastings and discussions on their wines and winery, as well as winemaking. A pairing of their wines will be offered with a special AmaWaterways gourmet meal. In addition to the many wine-themed excursions, there are multiple included excursions offered in each port, including hiking and cycling tours.  Excursions feature Gentle, regular, active, and late-riser tour options.

YOUR JOURNEY ALONG THE SAÔNE RIVER

Experience the viticultural pleasures of the Burgundy region on this river cruise curated for new and experienced wine enthusiasts alike. Indulge in wine tastings set against the backdrop of picturesque destinations. Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes of graceful vineyards and storied landmarks along the Saône River. Delve into the techniques that shape the renowned wines of this region, gaining insight into traditional processes that have stood the test of time. Hosted by a dedicated wine expert, this journey is a must for anyone interested in the best of Burgundy’s wines.  Cruise ports include:  starting in Dijon, Seurre, Beaune, Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, Brancion, Mâcon, and ending in Lyon.

Messina Hof is the most awarded and renowned Texas wine in national and international competitions. In a community steeped in tradition, Messina Hof Winery & Resort holds its own with a 200-year history of award-winning wines. Although the winery itself was officially established with the first vintage release in 1983, the rich wine heritage of Winemaker Paul Bonarrigo dates back six generations to Messina, Sicily. Merrill Bonarrigo’s family originates from Hof, Germany. Together they have pioneered the Texas wine industry in creating premium wines of distinction and a landmark wine country destination.

The cruise rate includes all sightseeing, meals, wine with dinner, a daily happy hour before dinner, free internet, and the use of bicycles on board.  There is an optional pre-cruise land program in Paris France ($1485 per person), and a post-cruise land program in Geneva Switzerland ($1530 per person).  The special $750 per person discount offer ends March 30, 2024. Port tax is an additional $231 per person. A deposit of $400 per person is due with booking, balance is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available.

Europeanbarging was founded in 1998 and specializes in European barge and river cruise products. Located in Texas, Europeanbarging is an ARC-accredited company. AmaWaterways, the only cruise line that has the privilege of being inducted into La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world’s most prestigious culinary organizations and Tables et Auberges, leading the way in the cruise industry as one of the most innovative food and wine experiences both on-board and on-shore.

For more information contact Europeanbarging at 888-869-7907 or http://www.europeanbarging.com.