Tag Archives: River Cruises

Ama River Cruise Advantage on Excursions and Dining

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AmaPrima cabin with French doors

 

 

 

 

 

AmaPrima River Cruise cabin with French doors

Travelers will cruise in absolute luxury aboard the AmaWaterways’ river cruise ships – complete with spacious staterooms, on-board entertainment and Internet/WiFi access. Fine dining in multiple venues, complimentary wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch and dinner and cabins with French doors (some ships have useable balconies) are just some of the amenities available aboard the cruise.

When your ship docks in the heart of town, stroll ashore for included excursions or set off to explore on a complimentary bicycle. Unpack just once then settle in as each destination comes to you. With no need to navigate from place to place, you’ll find a sense of adventure and a sense of home all in one vacation.

In order to accommodate each and every passenger’s pace, AmaWaterways offers a “Gentle Walkers” group, for those who’d like to explore at a more leisurely pace. Wherever possible, we also offer an “Active Walkers” group for those interested in covering more ground; and a “Late Starter” group for those who prefer to sleep in. AmaWaterways also offers multiple tours in each port for those that might have visited the area before at no additional charge.

AmaWaterways is the only river cruise line that carries more than two dozen bicycles and safety helmets, free for you to use throughout Europe. 

The bicycles give you the freedom to venture out and explore the riverside bike-ways or participate in complimentary guided bicycle tours. Whether you join a guided bike tour or explore on your own, our user-friendly bicycles offer the ultimate in touring freedom.

Amawaterways is proud to be the only river cruise line invited to join one of the world’s most prestigious culinary organizations founded in 1950 in Paris. Every AmaWaterways vessel cruising in Europe is an official member of La Chaine des Rotisseurs. Membership is considered an achievement of world-class culinary achievement.

AmaWaterways offers cruises on the Mosel, Rhine and Danube in Germany, Douro in Portugal,  the Rhone and Saone in France as well as Bordeaux for 2015.  The Danube River from Germany through Austria and Hungary to the Black Sea.  There are many Themed cruises – such as Christmas Markets, Wine, Beer and Tulip cruises.

Check the “Special Offers” section on the front page of our website for special offers on AmaWaterways River Cruises in Europe.  888-869-7907

http://www.europeanbarging.com/River_cruises

Touring the Loire Valley on a Loire Valley Cruise

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The Loire Valley is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in France. It lies in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. The valley has numerous vineyards, fruit orchards (such as cherries), and artichoke and asparagus fields lined along the banks of the river. Due to such an abundance of fauna in the Loire Valley, it is often referred to as the Garden of France. It is also popularly called as the Cradle of the French Language. The city of Tours in the Loire Valley is renowned for speaking the purest French.

Loire Valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period. It is remarkable for its historic towns, architecture and wines.  The central part of the Loire River valley got listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000.

Loire Valley is famous for its historic towns such as Ambiose, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Orleans, Saumur, and Tours. These historic towns display excellent architectural heritage. But specifically, Loire valley is considered exceptional for its châteaux, such as the Château d’Amboise, Château de Chambord, Château de Chinon, Château du Rivau, Château d’Ussé, Château de Villandry and Chenonceau.

The undulating riverside terrain of the Loire Valley and especially its many cultural monuments are reminiscent of the influence of ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment on Western European thought and design.

The Loire Valley has an extensive wine territory encompassing several French wine regions situated along the river from the Muscadet region on the Atlantic coast to the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. Many wineries in the region offer tours.

As mentioned earlier, the central part of the Loire Valley got recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The honor came for the Loire Valley region between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire on December 2, 2000. While adding this part to the list of esteemed UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the committee bestowed high praises on the region in these words: “an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments – the Châteaux – and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself.”

Loire Valley is a wonderful region to explore. Book your vacation on our Loire Valley cruise for a memorable experience with your family!

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

Learn About the History and Architecture of Besancon on a European River Cruise

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Besancon is the capital city of the Franche-Comté region of northeastern France. It is situated near the border with Switzerland.  Held in a loop of the river Doubs, it was once known as the first green city of France. Since 1986, the city has been labeled a ‘Town of Art and History.’ Besançon’s Vauban citadel was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2008.

Besancon has a very ancient history. The city was first mentioned in 58 BCE as Vesontio in the Book I of Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic War). However, in fact, Gallic tribes are considered to have inhabited the area as long ago as 1,500 BCE.

Besancon has an interesting history as it was ruled by many states over the passage of time. It has been a part of Charlemagne’s Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, being independent, under the Duke of Burgundy, and under Spanish and French rule who continued changing hands frequently between them. It gained much significance during the Napoleonic Wars when the town was bombarded by the Austrians in 1814. It was also important during the Franco-Prussian War, and captured by the Nazis during World War II.

The Citadel of Besançon is a major tourist attraction in the city. It was built by the famous architect Vauban in the 17th century and is visited by about a quarter of a million visitors every year. The Citadel houses many museums, a restaurant, shops and a zoo where you can see and touch lions, baboons and fish. The place exudes such an ambiance that everybody gets enthralled by the wonderful experience.  You will get an opportunity to see spectacular views of the countryside and the town while strolling around its fortifications.

Besancon is one of the best-preserved Renaissance cities. The historic part of the city located in the “Boucle” of the river is simply stunning with the remains of what is supposed to have been a theatre in Castan Square-eight Roman Corinthian columns among the town’s most ancient allures.

Another high point of Besancon is Granvelle Palace, the museum of time. The Tuscan, Ionic and Corinthian columns along with three gothic windows which used to be the characteristics of the Granvelle Palace once have become part of the splendid museum of time now.

The museum of Fine Arts and Archeology is yet another attraction of the city and a must visit place. It boasts of being one of the oldest and richest museums of France and exhibits collections from Primitive and Renaissance painters.

Get aboard our European river cruise and enjoy a wonderful family vacation to Besancon!

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

Po River Cruises – Pre or Post Stay in Lake Como

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Situated in Lombardy in Northern Italy, Lake Como is the most popular as well as the deepest lake in Italy. It exists between Milan and the border of Switzerland with its southern end about 40km north of Milan. It is a lake of glacial origin with an area of 146 square kilometers making it the third largest lake in the country. Lake Como is a part of the Italian Lake District and a much sought after tourist destination since Roman times when it used to be a favored haven for aristocrats and wealthy people. It continues to be one of the top most tourist attractions even today with many artistic and cultural treasures.

Lake Como has a very picturesque setting wherein it is encircled by mountains and hills and sprinkled with attractive villas and resort villages. You will be delighted to find nice trekking paths, boat tours and water activities here.

Lake Como has a peculiar shape much like an inverted “Y”. The two legs start at Como in the South-West and Lecco in the South-East, joining together half way up and the lake proceeds up to Colico in the North. While the initial few kilometers of the ‘legs’ at the southern end of the lake are comparatively flat,  Lake Como continues to become more mountainous as you move northwards into the Alps. As some adjacent peaks rise somewhat above the tree-line, the views are spectacular. If you plan your vacation in winter, you can enjoy skiing in the nearby valleys.

The surrounding area of the Lake Como is very distinctive. It exudes a particular elegance and feel of history that leaves a strong impression on visitors. No doubt, it has been much celebrated for its attractiveness as well as uniqueness for ages. The characteristic atmosphere and natural landscape of the place has inspired a significant part of the creation of Naboo, in the Star Wars movies.

Lake Como and the surrounding area have a lot of beauty, history and exciting activities to enthrall the visitors. Book your vacation on our Po River cruise and visit the Lake Como area on a pre or post stay as a part of the excursions to Northern Italy schedule!

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

Visit Nantes on a Loire River Cruise or French Barge Cruise

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Nantes is a vibrant and innovative city situated on the banks of Loire River, 50km from the Atlantic coast. The sixth largest city in France, Nantes is popularly known as the green wonder of western France. It was named as ‘the most liveable city in Europe by Time Magazine in 2004 and in 2013 it received the title of European Green Capital.

Nantes is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region. It was one of the most important cities of the historic province of Brittany, and the ancient Duchy (capital) of Brittany. Though Nantes was officially separated from Brittany in 1789, it continues to be culturally Breton and still largely considered as its capital city. The fact is that you can separate Nantes from Brittany due to the regional boundaries created during WWII, but you can never separate Brittany from its long-time capital, Nantes which is called Naoned in Breton.

Nantes was the leading port of France by the 18th century. It prospered on the triangular trade with Africa and the West Indies. During the 19th century when the slavery was scrapped, Nantes transformed into a front line industrial centre. It has the honor of being the place where the world’s first public-transport service, the omnibus, started in 1826. Shipbuilding was a thriving industry which secured the city’s economy until the late 20th century. With the relocation of shipyards westwards to St-Nazaire, Nantes converted itself into a flourishing student and cultural center. Nantes also takes pride in being the home of the science fiction writer Jules Verne.

Frequent rainfalls take place throughout the year and temperatures are cool. Even if it is sunny, always stay prepared as it is common for short but fierce tempests to appear all of a sudden. It is always desirable to carry an umbrella or raincoat when you step out. Winters are generally mild.

Place du Commerce is the wonderful medieval center of the city and anybody can guide you towards it. Nearby, you will find la Place Royale, le Quai de la Fosse and la rue Crébillon famous for its exclusive shops.

Nantes has so much to offer. Book your European family vacation on our French barge cruise, French river cruise or Loire river cruise for an unforgettable cruising experience!

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