Author Archives: Jan European Barging & River Cruises

Fortified City of Carcassonne

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Southern France City of Carcassonne

Carcassonne_by_AndreLeVattepMany architects try to simulate the Fortified City of Carcassonne such as those who built the castles of Disneyland and any other amusement park. The fortified walled city of Carcassonne is located in Southern France and is a top sight to see while traveling on any Canal du Midi barge cruise.

Known for its durability and the will of the times to keep this fortress standing tall, people from all over the world are in awe to see such a site. The protection and defenses that took great pride in protecting this Fortress embodies the history of the Medieval times and brings others back to a place where they can feel the energy of the battles. Famous people like Pierre Vidal have visited and stayed at this beautiful Southern France castle. This Medieval Fortress is a World Heritage UNESCO Site and features lovely winding streets and local shops in addition to the fort. Find your souvenirs and historical pieces at these shops and sites when visiting Carcassonne.

The four walled city has been restored to showcase the history of the medieval times. The towns people wanted to share their Fortress, which their ancestors had fought to preserve. They are proud of what they have to offer and encourage others to visit at all times.

Canal du Midi in Autumn

Festival of Carcassonne

Get some of the best views of Carcassonne traveling along the river on the Canal du Midi barge cruise. The summer time brings a lot of tourist to the area and the small community that resides in the southern France town are sure to have enough entertainment for their guest.  During July, the Festival of Carcassonne is held and features fireworks. The festival takes place during the 2nd half of July.  This is the 2nd largest festival in France.

 

 

Roi Soleil barge

These barges cruise the Canal du Midi and visit Carcassonne – the 6-passenger Roi Soleil; 8 passenger – ultra-deluxe Enchante and the deluxe 8-passenger Anjodi.

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

A Highlight of a Provence River Cruise – The Palais des Papes in Avignon

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 Provence River Cruise

Provence river cruiseThere is a great chance that booking a Provence River Cruise guarantees the guest a visit to Palais des Papes also known as the Papal Palace. This historical palace is located in Avignon. Southern France is quite known for its medieval buildings and Palais des Papes fits the description as one of the more important medieval gothic buildings in Europe.

Provence River Cruise and Palais des Papes

Built in two different phases with different segments, the phases of Palais des Papes is given two different names. The old palace is named Palais Vieux and the new palace is named Palais Nuef. Once both stages were completed the palace stretched 2.6 acres. At that time the expensive building held papacy’s riches.

Pierre Poison did the construction of the old palace as instructed by Pope Benedict. The New Palace was constructed by Architect Jean de Louvres who was hired by Pope Clement VI. Pope Innocent VI and Pope Urban V added on two more towers to complete the main courtyard.

The buildings featured incredible decor – the frescos, paintings, tapestries, sculptures, and wooden ceilings were amazing and rich. Once the popes left Avignon in 1377 they returned to Rome. Clement VII and Benedict XIII secured Palais des Papes as their own. Once the latter was imprisoned in the Palais the antipapal had their hands on the building. In 1433 Authority of the Palais des Papes was returned to the legates.

When the French Revolution started in 1789 the buildings were in terrible condition and were also seized by revolutionary forces. Two years later it was known as the scene of a massacre. The building had memories of bodies of counter-revolutionaries that were thrown into the Tour des Latrines in the Palais Vieux.
Because the military has much to do with the latest damage of Napoleonic French state the building has been under constant restoration. In 1906 the building was vacated and became nationally known as a museum. Visit this site that is full of historical conflicts as it is now open to the public. Inside the Palace Museum are lots of historical artifacts and rotating special exhibits.

Go Shopping
Vacations are usually not complete without a little souvenir to pack away and memories of some great food to brag to friends and family about. Around the Palace is a pedestrian square with many outdoor cafes and a few shops – a great place to take a break before going back to your ship.

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com

The Portuguese UNESCO City of Sintra

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Tourist are Welcomed by Sintra

sintraThe beautiful city of Sintra is just what anyone needs to give them a feel of romanticism and feel refreshed for days to come. This romantic city gives off an aura of uniqueness and individuality. Perhaps, many tourists enjoy returning to Sintra because of these qualities
The Royal Palace is undoubtedly the dominant architectural feature of Sintra, situated in the center of the town. Probably constructed on the site of the Moorish Alcazar, its buildings result from two main periods (15th-16th centuries). The interior contains much painted and tiled decoration, but one of the most important features is the facing with tiles (azulejos ), the finest example of this Mudejar technique on the Iberian Peninsula.

Choose Romantic Features to View

Sintra is well known for its romantic architecture after Ferdinand II decided to transform a ruined monastery into a romantic castle. The castle featured many styles, Renaissance, Moorish, and Egyptian. Ferdinand II is well known for his incredible work and will forever be remembered by the town of Sintra where he put his mark. There is something for every visitor to catch each eye laid on the beautiful masterpiece. The interesting parks took over the scenery with elegant beauty that formed a visual with exotic and local tree species.

Other structures, built along the same lines in the surrounding area, created a unique combination of parks and gardens which influenced the development of landscape architecture throughout Europe.

Duoro Cruise

Located between Lisbon and Oporto, a visit to Sintra can be made as a pre or post Douro Cruise visit. We offer several cruise lines with cruises ranging from 5 – 7 nights on the Douro River.

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com

The Romantic City of Verona

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Prosper in Italy in Verona

veronaVerona is one of the most prosperous cities in Northern Italy. Though the city is best known for its romantic ties to Romeo and Juliet, the town has the largest collection of Roman remains and artifacts in northern Italy

Walking Around the Romantic City

The town has many Roman ruins as well as medieval buildings. In additional to the association with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, there are many other attractions to seek: the Castelvecchio, Skaliger Palace, Piazza della Erbe and the Arena, a Roman amphitheater from the 1st century AD. The 2000 years old arena offers summer a summer of Opera’s hosting over 20,000 viewers.

In addition to the Arena, the Piazza Bra also includes the Palazzo Municipale (town hall), a Baroque exhibition hall and many cafes and boutiques; From the piazza, there is a pedestrian zone – Via Mazzini that leads to more cafes, boutiques antique shops and art galleries. You can find many of Verona’s citizens strolling along the Piazza and pedestrian area.

Romeo and Juliet in Verona

In “Letters to Juliet”, we saw the legendary house in Verona with Juliet’s balcony, located on Via Cappello, formally a 13-century tavern. Additionally, the town of Verona has designated a house for Romeo on the Via Arche Scaligeri and Juliet’s tomb in the Romanesque church of San Francesco al Corso, near the Piazza Bra.

Italy Po River Cruises

Verona is a port stop on many Italy Po River Cruises. Excursions will feature a walking tour of Verona or sometimes excursions of Verona are offered from other ports – such as Polesella and Venice.

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com

Explore the Flemish City of Ghent

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The Flemish City of Ghent

The beautiful landscape and culture of Belgium can be best seen by a bike and barge or river cruise vessel. While cruising through Belgium, visitors will have some great experiences learning about the history, art, culture, gastronomy and beauty of the country. Europeanbarging offers a couple of itineraries that feature Ghent as a stop from a cruise vessel. The Arosa ship offers 7 night Holland Belgium cruises through the summer and fall months; Amawaterways offers a 7 night Holland Tulip cruise between March and May,  and there are 24 passenger casual bike and barge vessels that offer cruises throughout the year, which will take travelers through the wonderlands of Belgium for an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Experience The Flemish City of Ghent’s Well Known Art Museum for Knowledge Ghentand Culture

The flemish city of Ghent features in the “Art Cities” itinerary of Johanna. Ghent is predominantly a city of art and culture. Ghent takes pride in being home for 8 museums out of which three are most prominent such as S.M.A.K. (housing contemporary art), the Design Museum and the Museum of Industrial Archaeology and Textiles. Also, there are 2 art halls, 7 art centers, 5 theatres and 5 concert halls, 1 music hall, 1 opera and 22 film screens. Additionally there are dozens of subsidized and recognized organizations located either in one of the above or elsewhere in the city.  Check out our video on Ghent.

The central motto of Ghent is “city of knowledge and culture accessible for everyone.” Ghent has a university and 3 university colleges where over 60.000 students of higher education study, making Ghent the education capital of Flanders.

Explore Famous Art in the Flemish City of Ghent

Ghent is world famous for its art and culture and art lovers cherish it fondly. The impressive medieval Castle of the Counts gives visitors a peek into the splendid past of the castle.  The unique masterpieces of the Flemish Primitives will make visitors spellbound as visitors stand staring at them.

Ghent is a famous flemish city, which people know for its Burgundian nature. There are 426 restaurants and eating-houses and 346 cafés and pubs. So the city of Ghent is a nice place to spend time and have a drink with your friends!

Contact Europeanbarging to find the best cruise for you.   info@europeanbarging.com  or  888-869-7907  Barge and River Cruise specialist since 1998.