Author Archives: Jan European Barging & River Cruises

Genzano di Roma Flower Italy Festival Held in June 2014

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A Famous Festival Full of Flowers

Italy FestivalItaly is famous for holding “infiorata”, which means “decorated with flowers.” Infiorata is a traditional flower festival that is observed all across Italy during May and June. During infiorata, the streets are carpeted with stunning works of art created by flower petals. Flower carpets are everywhere; in abbeys, buildings, stores, homes and cover the city in true beauty. Infiorata varies from place to place and in the level of complexity around the country. In certain places, the infiorata is a simple flower-petal design in front of the church. In a more elaborate infiorata, many different tapestries are created, each with a different picture, but usually inspired by a certain theme.

Infiorata is one of the most important events related to Italian culture. In order to create the flower design, the design is first sketched with chalk on the pavement. Then usually soil is used to outline the design and after that it’s filled in with thousands of petals and seeds, quite like the making of mosaics or tapestries. The whole beautiful task takes two or three days to complete. Once the flower design is complete, usually a religious procession takes place on the flower carpets.

Though the infiorata takes place in many Italian towns, it is particularly stunning in the town of Genzano di Roma where the entire street of Via Italo Belardi is covered with allegorical carpets of flowers and a masked parade walks the street wearing medieval and traditional clothes crafted by local women.

For more than 2 centuries (from 1778), the display has covered the streets of Genzano on Sunday and Monday following the Corpus Christus feast. The theme for infiorata is decided well in advance and each year local artists must conform to the previously agreed upon theme, such as The Colours of Michelangelo, or The Designs of Bernini. During spring, it has recently become a tradition to have a “mini Infiorata” made by the children from the local schools. Here are the flowers like you’ve never seen before! This amazing Italy festival is so captivating and alluring you can’t afford to miss it.

Holiday Goodness at the Italy Festival

Book your holiday on our Po river cruise and behold the so picturesque, so attractive and so artistic Genzano di Roma Flower Italy Festival!

Beautiful Budapest

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Beautiful BudapestBudapest or as Most Know it By “Pearl of Danube”

The vivacious capital of Hungary, Budapest is popularly known as the “Pearl of the Danube.” The splendor, elegance and feel of the city make it one of the most amazing capital cities in Europe. Danube is one of the most enchanting waterways in the world and is a preferred choice for European river cruising.is Once you visit this majestic city, you will easily understand why the riverbanks of Budapest have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city of Budapest gets its name from its two districts (or mini-cities); Buda in the West and Pest in the East. The two are separated by the Danube River across which many bridges have been built to connect Buda and Pest, the most noticeable being the chain bridge – truly a picturesque and amazing site to behold!

Budapest is a one-of-a-kind city that combines old world charm with the modern amenities travelers seek. Budapest has a long and violent history, witnessing several invasions from Mongols, Ottomans, Turks, Habsburg and their kingdoms and empires, the period of communism and the tragedies of war. But still the city has retained its unique charm. These historic invasions have added to the cultural history found in Budapest not seen in many other places around the world.

Budapest has the oldest underground train system in Europe -the Yellow line. The city also takes pride in being home of one of the oldest zoos in the world (the Budapest Zoo). There’s also a chain bridge connecting Buda and Pest is the most noticeable of all bridges across Danube connecting the two cities and offers a spectacular sights, particularly in the evenings when the city lights up. Budapest has the honor of having the third largest Parliament building in the world which is counted among Europe’s most beautiful buildings. It stands by the Danube River and is one of the most photographed monuments of Hungary.

Overlooking the river Danube is the Castle Hill, where you can take a nice walk up the hill from the Chain Bridge. There is a beautiful church (Matthias Church) and coffee shops at the top and of course don’t forget about the breathtaking views of the city! Some other attractions travelers gravitate toward include the Royal Palace, Vienna Gate, National Gallery, and Fisherman’s Bastion etc. in the Castle district. In addition to these Budapest has several restaurants, museums and galleries and hosts some great cultural events.

Visit the Beautiful Budapest on a Danube River Cruise

Our Danube river cruise is a perfect choice for you if want to discover the splendor and sights of Danube. As your cruise enters Budapest, the captivating view of the city will engage your imagination!

Enjoy The Splendid Gardens of Apremont

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Visit The Splendid Gardens of Apremont

gardensApremont is one of the loveliest villages in France. It is comfortably nestled in the heart of Berry, a landscape traversed by hedges and copses on the banks of the Allier. The village is overlooked by its castle, which is surrounded by a flower garden inspired by the “White Gardens” at Vita Sackville-West’s landscaped garden in Sissinghurst. The beautiful village was completely reinstated in the last century.

You do not get a tour of the castle, which is privately owned; but you do get to tour the extensive grounds and gardens – and sometimes, you also get to view special exhibits in the stables.

The owners of the castle actually own the village, with mostly estate workers living in the houses. The houses were bought up in the 1930’s by Eugene Schneider II of Le Creusot, who by marrying Antoinette de Saint Sauveur, daughter of the owners of the castle, had a passion for the site.

Get The History Of The Splendid Gardens Of Apremont

The gardens were developed in the 1970’s by Gilles de Brissac, great-grandson of Eugene and Antoinette Schneider. Ranked as a “Remarkable Garden”, this English garden, planted with rare trees is beautifully highlighted. Waterfalls, ponds and a perfect lawn cover more than five acres, which can be to walked from Easter to October.

In addition to lots of beautiful flowers and trees, there are unusual buildings among the gardens. These enchanting buildings had been designed by the Russian painter and architect Alexander Serebriakoff and his sister. These fantastical creations from around the world are in keeping with the exploratory spirit of the second portion of the 18th century.

A bridge spanning on one end of the lake is styled as a pagoda, with its gabled roof reminiscent of the temples of China. As though it were on the banks of the Bosphorus, both the exterior and interior of The Turkish Pavilion are a beautiful reminder of the past splendors of the Ottoman Empire. Lastly, the Russian-inspired Belvedere is situated to allow a stunning view over the river and beyond to the roofs of the village.

View Paintings From The Shop In Belvedere

Inside the Belvedere, eight panels were created especially for the Flower Garden over 10 years ago by the Montagnon Pottery in Nevers, based on original drawings by Alexander Sebriakoff. All of them can still be found in the shop. The panels tell the tale of an imaginary journey Pulchinelli took by the puppets of the Comedie Italienne of Venice. This trip takes in some of the MOST beautiful sights in the world and finishes, naturally, in the Flower Garden of Apremont. A disused quarry has been converted into a waterfall, of which all the surroundings have been constructed using 650 tons of rocks.

There is a small gift shop that you go through to get to the gardens and the stables. The shop has a small selection of candy, decorative items, garden books, and such.

Give us a call if you would be interested in learning more about our Upper Loire barge cruises! 888-869-7907

Cruise Along the Seine River and Visit France Harbor Town of Honfleur

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river cruise1Seine River Cruise France’s Harbor Town of Honfleur

The town of Honfleur surrounds a beautiful little 17th-century harbor, set in a sheltered cove off the Seine’s tidal estuary, in Calvados, Lower Normandy. Honfleur is still active as a fishing port and marina. The town has a great historic and cultural value, as it has preserved many historic and traditional buildings and takes pride in housing some interesting museums, churches and monuments.

Do Not Miss Out On The Medieval Seaside Town of Honfleur

The medieval seaside town of Honfleur has a tremendous appeal – with its narrow half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets. Unlike many other villages in Normandy, Honfleur was spared during the bombing of World War II as there was no manufacturing. For centuries, the old harbor has attracted many people with different interests. Here, you’ll find fishermen, artists, tourists and locals alike enjoying the same scenery that attracted celebrated painters like Delacroix, Sisley, Corot and Monet. Honfleur is as enchanting as the Impressionist paintings it often inspired.

Honfleur offers much to delight you. The tidy, picturesque streets of the town house many art galleries, artists’ studios, boutiques, restaurants and fine souvenir shops. You also can find some remarkable historical buildings, such as the largest wooden church in France, salt warehouses dating back to the 17th century, and the Lieutenance, the last existing part of a 16th century castle that fortified the town.

In fact, Honfleur today is both a river port and a seaport, providing modern facilities deep enough to accommodate big cruise ships. But there is an important fact to know that, while the boats now moored along the quays of the Vieux Bassin are mostly leisure craft along with the odd fishing boat, in bygone years, Honfleur’s military fleet was the pride of France.

Experience the Seine River Cruise

In spite of it’s prestigious past dating back 1,000 years, Honfleur has that special something which, even today, keeps it fresh, appealing and exciting. Honfleur is still a very popular tourist destination. Cruisers from the Seine River cruises frequently come to view her old world charm, picturesque port basin filled with sailing ships, and the winding alleys with half timbered houses. Contact us for more information. Europeanbarging.com 888-869-7907

A Dutch City and Delftware

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PotteryDutch City of Delft: Pottery History

The Dutch city of Delft is well known for its Delft pottery. The first Delft pottery was made in 17th century, when citizens of the Dutch town began to hand-paint classic pottery. Delft pottery is a tradition in blue and white and comes in various forms. You can find Delft pottery in blue and white milk jugs to kitchen tiles to a little girl and boy poised for a kiss. These porcelain pieces are classic symbols of the Netherlands.

With the passage of time, the distinctive blue-and-white Delftware grew in popularity, increasing the amount of antique vases, plates and figurines that may be found all around the world. It’s quite surprising that in a time when craft work is gradually losing appeal, the interest in Delftware is increasing. So anybody who is visiting Delft must visit the Delft pottery.

Explore Delft Pottery And Authentic Delftware

You can find Delftware in many Dutch households, and it’s enormously popular with tourists. However, authentic Delftware only can be found in the city of Delft, which was one of the most important ceramic production centers in Europe between 1600 and 1800. Delftware products have been an important export product from the Netherlands for 400 years, and it still enjoys a great reputation around the world. The 17th-century Royal Delft Factory (i.e. Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles) and De Delftse Pauw are the only genuine Delftware producers still operating. The charming town of Delft and its pottery factories and shops make it a must visit place.

In the creation of Delftware, a clay mixture is used that is covered with a tin glaze after it came out of the kiln. Delftware painters then paint the traditional patterns on the porcelain items totally by hand. Sadly, however, today only a small percentage of the Delftware is entirely painted by hand.

The city of Delft is often a port on either a barge or river cruise in Holland. So, you must visit the beautiful town of Delft and its Delft pottery and observe the art closely. You can also shop for some exclusive Delftware as a memory of the place! Europeanbarging.com 888-869-7907